Sophian.org

[David_2010]

Hi, I'm hoping someone can help me out here, I've been told that the Pistis Sophia tends to have some quite negative things to say about homosexuality, but, I was wondering if it was true?. Also, if it is, are there any specific reasons for this?.

I guess I'm mainly interested 'cause I'm also gay, and would be interested in knowing.

Thanks for any help at all.

David.

[Juni]

Shalom David,

this is a good question and I think the following thread answers it very well:

http://www.sophian.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1634&highlight=homosexuality

Many Blessings,
Martina
_________________
Mary said: "Where there is peace God’s Spirit abides. Therefore, make peace and you will know great joy.”

[Tau Malachi]

Greetings and blessings in the Light of the Messiah!

Yes, in fact there are statements against homosexuality in the Pistis Sophia, just as we find them in the New Testament. There is really not much to explain in this regard. It is a product of the times and culture in which it was written some 2000 years ago. As we know, to this day there are many people who continue to hold this prejudice, this ignorance, and who struggle to accept and understand gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people, even among those who teach a path to enlightenment. Thus it is not surprising that we should find this prejudice put forth in an ancient sacred text.

I recall some years ago the Dali Lama speaking against homosexuality – it struck me as a rather curious limitation on emptiness!

What this teaches us is that even very illumined individuals can be limited by the place and time, and culture, surrounding them, and can carry some taint or trace of the ignorance, the demiurge and archons, taking up the karma of the world, the entirety, they incarnate in.

Quite simply, when we see a taint or trace of the ignorance in Scriptures we recognize it for what it is and we move on, dispelling the shade or shadow, and we correct the error when giving teachings in the assembly, citing the ignorance as ignorance, and sharing what we understand as a right view or truth.

In this regard the Sophian Gnostic tradition does not advocate this prejudice, but fully accepts gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people as initiates, and as with heterosexual people, we encourage committed and loving relationships, integrity in relationships.

The truth is that when we come across a view put forth by Scriptures that we can only call prejudice, ignorance, and social injustice and oppression, it rightly humbles us, and causes us to pause and ponder where we, ourselves, may hold on to some limited view, or some ignorance, believing it to be “righteous” and “godly.” It invokes introspection and circumspection, seeking a deeper knowledge and understanding of God, the True Light, and seeking to root out whatever ignorance, negativity, might remain within us. Along with this it invokes forgiveness and compassion, understanding the great power of ignorance, darkness, which rules this world, as well invoking as motivation to seek social justice, or a true righteousness of unconditional love.

In this way we use such things in Scriptures as a mirror to look into ourselves, seeking to refine our own knowledge, understanding and wisdom, and seeking the maturation of our own faith, hope and love.

Along with this, however, we may also seek a deeper spiritual interpretation of such points in Scripture. As an example, when we see a prohibition against homosexuality in the Scriptures we may very well take it into a contemplation of the need for the cultivation and balance of the sacred masculine and sacred feminine within ourselves, and as an invocation of a contemplation of the true spiritual or mystical meaning of the sacred marriage and mystery of the bridal chamber. In this respect, inwardly, there must, indeed, be a “proper union” of male and female, lest our enlightenment and liberation cannot transpire.

In the Christian Kabbalah, of course, we would also speak of the need for the union of the desire to receive and desire to give, which is represented by “female” and “male,” respectively.

So even from within ignorance we can draw out sparks of wisdom, and we do!

As for prejudice and injustice in this world, and the taint of the ignorance even reaching into mystical spirituality or enlightenment teachings – that just serves to support the Gnostic view of the ignorance, the darkness, which tends to dominate and pervade this world, and the need for our realization of transcendence.

May we be empowered to overcome the ignorance through the grace of the Risen Christ. Amen.

Blessings & shalom!
_________________
Tau Malachi
Sophia Fellowship
Ecclesia Pistis Sophia