Who Has the Final Word?

Years ago, human beings believed that the earth was flat. We now know that the earth is a sphere, not a vegetable patch. The Greeks believed that there were only 4 elements; earth, air, fire and water. We now know that there are many more, and that the first four are not elements themselves; they are made up of elements. It would be nice to have certainty that we know everything that there is to know. Perhaps someday we will have such knowledge. One of the most important aspects of the gnostic way is that it does not pretend to know it all. Unlike so many religions that profess to know it all, the gnostic way is a search, not a conclusion. As our knowledge grows, religion all too often takes the role of naysayer. Galileo was forced to recant that the earth revolved around the sun. Had he not done so he would have been excommunicated from the church and denied his place in paradise. Today, millions of Christians find it necessary to deny evolution because it does not serve their theology. They even go so far as to attempt to prevent it being taught in schools. Perhaps the age of Galileo is not behind us as yet? The search for knowledge goes on without the aid of many religious people. The gnostic suggests that the people who oppose knowledge on religious grounds are the one's that need to change, not those who seek knowledge. In the final analysis, the gnostic understands that the methods used by God to effect His creation are not our responsibility but God's. He did not consult with us when He decided what, when, and how He chose to proceed. When a person tells you that God has made a decision, and that decision just happens to coincide with the theology that person espouses, that is the appropriate time for you to recall Galileo. Who are we to lecture God on how He has established the universe? There is nothing wrong with asking questions. Everything is wrong when we say that we have all the answers. God has the final say, and do not allow anyone to tell you that he or she knows what that answer might be. The gnostic will continue the search for truth, no matter where it might lead. Perhaps this is a good time to join us?