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From the lens The Gospel of Thomas.

  • charles irvin Nov 13, 2011 @ 2:20 pm | delete
    how do i aquire a copy of the gospel of thomas
  • Duane_Jackson Jun 6, 2011 @ 12:17 am | delete
    interesting lens...the 'the' is printed twice in your third sub-heading...
  • johnallan May 28, 2011 @ 10:05 am | delete
    Sorry, but I think you're entirely wrong. For one thing, there are debates about when the Gospel of Thomas was written, and most scholars agree it's a spurious, second-century production. (The fact that it was found in the Nag Hammadi collection, the library of a bunch of Gnostics who weren't exactly mainline Christians, would strengthen that view.) It's only Elaine Pagels and a few others who suggest it may be as old as the real gospels - and their reason for this claim is that they have a thesis to push, the idea that there were many forms of Christianity in the early days, and that what we have now is a distorted, narrow version artificially imposed upon us by the wicked Constantine and his allies.

    It's just not true. The Council of Nicaea did NOT decide the contents of the New Testament; the subject wasn't even on the agenda. In fact no church council, and no authority figure, ever did decide the Canon; it simply came together as people realized the superiority of the genuine stuff over everything else.

    The Gospel of Thomas isn't even a gospel, just a collection of sayings - one or two of which may be authentic (and in that alone lies its historical interest); but the bulk of it is a blatant attempt by heretics to pass their pet theories off as "Christianity" by putting them in the mouth of the Master, and so hitching their philosophical wagon to the rising star of Christianity. They didn't fool many people then, and it's appalling that they should be succeeding now.

    As far as the Gospel of Barnabas is concerned - oh, please. Not even Muslims are now using that one as a disproof of Christianity. It's well known that the earliest manuscript we have of it is 17th century, and the first (possible) mention of it is 6th century. It's so late it's completely fake, and tells us nothing about Jesus at all.

    Sorry if I sound discouraging, but I'm too big a fan of the real gospels - which have been changing lives over 2000 years, and still are right now - to wish to see them confused with fakes. Accept no substitute!
  • Steelecommerce May 28, 2011 @ 2:37 pm | delete
    Johnallan, I don't think you understand. I consider myself Christian.
    My point is, the dogma of the written word is indoctrinating, conditionining to no other point of views.
    There were political forces of the day that demanded strict adherance to thier point of view. There are religious studies and there are seminary studies.
    Remember, Jesus left no writtings behind.
    And he said, "Whoever discovers the interpretation of these sayings will not taste death.

    Take a look a my other lens on understanding the Bible.
    What is True Understanding in the Bible? "Let There Be Light" Squidoo Lens.

    God Bless
  • Earlystart Apr 7, 2011 @ 12:12 pm | delete
    Great lens.
    To seemowens: I say, much of what we refer today as the scripture and its catechism comes from Constantin's Nicea council. The Gospel of Thomas (and that of Barnabas, etc.) are at least as credible and as reliable as are the four selected gospels and the other 23 books of the new testament. I would even dare to say that the Gospels that were arbitrarily excluded from what we call today the Bible, are more reliable and credible as they have faced far less revisions and editions as compared to the 27 books of the new testament - mainly becuse they were not the studying objects of scholars and scribes until very recently.
    May the Creator of all existence guide us all in the right path, Ameen.
  • seemowens Dec 25, 2010 @ 1:06 am | delete
    Yes. This is and interesting lens. But, NO I do NOT "like" it or agree with what it is saying. There were many False doctrines floating around at the time of the Apostles. I am sure some of them were recorded in written form. They are just as False today as they were then. The Scripture(God's Word/Bible) has many warnings in it about this type of thing. Here is one of them. It is in GALATIANS 1:6-8 "I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you, and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we have preached to you, let him be accursed."
    Also, the Apostle Paul said in the book of EPHESIANS chapter 3 that we can understand the mystery of the Gospel of Christ; here is verse 3&4: "that by revelation there was made know to me the mystery, as I wrote before in brief. And by referring to this, when you read you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ."
    GOD BLESS!!!
    Mike
  • Steelecommerce Dec 25, 2010 @ 10:07 am | delete
    Do not believe everything that is said or written by an authority, or if it is said to come from angels, or from Gods, or from an inspired scribe. Believe it only if you have explored it in your own heart and mind and found it to be true. Find your own way, through gentle persistence and intuitive knowing. Seek and you shall find the spirit of truth, for it dwells with you and is in you.
    Dogma tends to indoctrinate.
  • Senora_M Nov 26, 2010 @ 7:40 pm | delete
    Interesting lens.
  • Senora_M Nov 26, 2010 @ 7:39 pm | delete
    Interesting lens.
  • jrivera1049 Nov 1, 2010 @ 8:06 pm | delete
    Great lens :)
  • insolvelipe Oct 24, 2010 @ 11:56 am | delete
    I love anything that is related to the Bible - and its history, although I am not a fan of wikipedia, I do love the other information that you have provided in this Lens. Great job.
  • jp1978 Oct 22, 2010 @ 1:05 pm | delete
    Interesting. Maybe you could highlight what exactly the early church objected to?
  • eccles1 Oct 22, 2010 @ 4:55 am | delete
    I love Love this lens!!! thank you
  • Jerry Wayne Macek Oct 14, 2010 @ 12:11 pm | delete
    I am a Thomasine Christian, therefore my primary text for my primary beliefs come from The Gospel of Thomas. I truly believe that the Thomaine Message is the Original Christianity taught by our Spiritual Guide Jesus. For those who desire even a more in depth study of this gospel, please check out the Facebook Site, "The Gospel of Thomas Association," which discusses this text in its daily postings. This Gospel, no doubt is the Message of The Living Jesus, unaltered by 2000 years of the Church Establishment. The Gospel of Thomas, gives us a Message of Jesus, that we All can truly believe in!
  • insolvelipe Oct 24, 2010 @ 11:59 am | delete
    I also do believe this to be true, the more that I have delved into the history of the writing much of it seems to be a verfy accurate assertion about the truth of the text.
  • Jim Camp May 3, 2010 @ 12:19 pm | delete
    In many cases it is as if these were re-tellings of familiar passages that have been corrupted through time. However, there are some points that are fresh here and may very well be true to Christ.
  • AppalachianCountry Feb 18, 2010 @ 4:49 pm | delete
    Interesting lens! I will be doing more reading on this. 5* and Favoirte
  • julcal Jun 13, 2009 @ 9:22 am | delete
    I love those lens. I knew about the Gospel of Thomas and am glad you wrote this lens to bring attention to it. 5* and a FAV and a tweet
  • Demaw Jun 10, 2009 @ 5:43 pm | delete
    Will read more on this subject. Informative lens. 5*.
  • Rob Apr 13, 2009 @ 7:03 am | delete
    Have you all perhaps missed something more special. Was this the second coming of Jesus (the 1945 discovery).

    Could it be that this is his true message and the churches doctrine, a contrived version to ensure control of the masses. The current bible is full of mystery and fear and loathing. It requires "special" training to interpret it, whereas Thomas' Gospel is in tune with a widely accessible spiritual context. It's also about a god within us all.

    Anyone up for another conspiracy theory.

    My faith in Jesus is restored.
  • spirituality Apr 12, 2009 @ 7:54 am | delete
    Great lens - you've been blessed by a squidoo angel :)
  • FreeSpiritSoars Apr 9, 2009 @ 9:54 pm | delete
    This is an inspired lens with a transforming topic. I have been reading on this topic and saw the whole you tube series you reference here and read Elaine Pagels Beyond Belief. I am also reading Lynn Pickets book on Mary Magdalene. Her work is a real eye opener.

    I love how you worded your opinion,"The sayings of Jesus in this text sound very similar to words one might expect to hear from the mouths of the Buddha Gotama Siddharta, the Taoist philospher Lao-Tzu, or many modern psychologists and philosphers such as Aldous Huxley or Alan Watts. In the end, it matters not who spoke these words, only that they have been preserved for us, for these are words with much wisdom to impart. Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear!"

    Well said.
  • questionable Mar 27, 2009 @ 9:26 am | in reply to jweaks | delete
    The only reason that these findings weren't put into the bible is because it brings a different light on the matter of "jesus" and the diciples, and then the same reason why the other gospels are out and favoured by the church unlike thomases as maybe it is because it tells the truth and that the later gospels wanted to try and make people believe in something that wasn't as it seems as "jesusu" himself was indeed speciouse and maybe protrade a different person than what he was, anything point can be helped with the bible along with statistics and this certain gospel cannot be called false or wrong as it is only a different way that the story has been told and cannot be shoved aside.
  • Steelecommerce Dec 26, 2008 @ 3:30 pm | delete
    I am Judeo/Christian and I think that they may be inspired writings. Should the heresy hunters be sent out to harm me and burn all writings you do not agree with, as they did in the the early days of Christianity. I can not understand why, after hundreds of years, of persecuting and killing Christians, the Romans, begining with the new Christian Constantine and ending with the Canon, got to decide what went in the Bible. I do not think Jesus left any writings behind, he said, "Seek and You shall Find". There are many sources of Christian history and probably more to be discovered. The best way to find the truth is to discover it from within.
  • luxsuper Dec 24, 2008 @ 10:02 pm | delete
    Hi,
    You are right that these are words with much wisdom to impart.I have written a commentary on the Gospel of Thomas. It will be published soon.Meanwhile, you may visit my blog: http://jesustheyogi.blogspot.com/
  • jweaks Nov 20, 2008 @ 3:41 pm | delete
    Somethings never change. Gnosticism is a lie. The "Gospel of Thomas," not written by Thomas of course, is merely a fanciful gnostic story. The writers ascribed Thomas' name to the book knowing it would be more widely read. It was not suppressed or hidden. It was rejected because it is false. These so called "Gospels" are full of fanciful stories and heretical doctrines. No orthodox Christian, then or now, seriously considered them to be inspired. That's why it isn't in the Bible.
  • mate_dhamma Oct 27, 2008 @ 10:14 am | delete
    Gnostic is Original Christian
    Catholic is Protestant of Gnostic
    Protestant is individual Style
    Who is true Christian?

    Jesus Christ is student of Tibetan Buddhist
    Buddha is Teacher of God and Human
  • d-artist Oct 15, 2008 @ 9:31 pm | delete
    wow another great lens!
  • onthjourney Oct 8, 2008 @ 4:01 pm | delete
    I think you have done some resarch into this lens, but you have an obviuous bias against the books lableled "canonical". I agree that extra-biblical writings are important in understanding the mindsets of various groups and factions of first century Israel. However, just because a work may actually be "earlier" does not prove that it is more accurate. I would like to see you research some other historians as Elaine Pagels is also biased. Start with NT Wright, you can find links to him on my lenses. Good luck.
  • cregan Oct 5, 2008 @ 5:41 pm | delete
    Nice Job! Much of Thomas' account of Jesus is consistent with the other canonized Gospels. But yet some is very different content not mentioned in the other four. Perhaps the latter is the reason it was excluded from the New Testament.
  • Oosquid Sep 28, 2008 @ 1:38 pm | delete
    I'm not religious and I really don't know what to make of this but it sure is interesting.

    Thank you for making this lens.
  • Steelecommerce Sep 27, 2008 @ 3:07 pm | delete
    Any questions or comments, lets start a disscusion.
  • Alonso Sep 14, 2008 @ 12:33 pm | delete
    Great article on religion and spirituality!
  • spirituality Sep 9, 2008 @ 10:28 am | delete
    Great lens. Great topic. Thanks for bringing this to squidoo.
  • Charlie Aug 27, 2008 @ 3:26 pm | delete
    This is a great lens , I have never heard of this before, I will continue to research lost books of the Bible.
  • dc64 Aug 4, 2008 @ 5:07 pm | delete
    Lovely, simply lovely. Thanks for the work you've put into this. A well deserved 5 stars.
  • internetguy Aug 4, 2008 @ 7:57 am | delete
    Wow, makes you wonder why this was excluded from the Bible!
  • Steelecommerce Jul 18, 2008 @ 3:20 pm | delete
    Please add your comments and feeback!
  • telecomgirl Jul 13, 2008 @ 7:57 pm | delete
    This is an amazing lens, very informative 5 Stars

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Steelecommerce


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