1:54:17
Gregg Braden On the Essene Origins of Christianity | The Jesus Way Podcast 053
Aaron Abke
Overview
This video explores the Essene and Gnostic origins of Christianity, drawing parallels between ancient wisdom and modern challenges. Gregg Braden discusses how these ancient texts offer insights into human nature, our connection to a higher source, and the ongoing struggle against forces that seek to repress our inherent divinity. The conversation highlights the importance of preserving our 'pure human' qualities in an era of technological advancement and societal distractions, emphasizing that true salvation and the 'kingdom' are found within, not externally. The discussion also touches upon the controversial idea that the God of the Old Testament may not be the same as the loving, divine source described in Gnostic and Essene teachings, and how this internal divinity is key to overcoming challenges and achieving a spiritual resurrection in life.
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Chapters
- Ancient archaeological sites and untranslated languages suggest a continuous legacy from our ancestors, not obsolete history.
- The speaker's scientific background (geology, linguistics) led to an appreciation for the interconnectedness of past and present knowledge.
- Discoveries like the Gnostic Gospels and untranslated languages challenge conventional historical understanding.
- The speaker's personal journey involved bridging scientific and spiritual inquiry, starting with a trip to Egypt and the Coptic Museum.
Understanding that the past holds relevant, actionable knowledge, rather than being a collection of dead facts, allows us to draw wisdom from ancient traditions to navigate current challenges.
The discovery and delayed public release of the Gnostic Gospels, which were hidden for 1600 years and only began to be translated and made public in the late 20th century, illustrate how ancient knowledge can be suppressed but eventually resurface with profound implications.
- The Essenes were a Jewish sect believed to be the scribes of the Dead Sea Scrolls, known for their distinct philosophies.
- New DNA and material analysis of the Dead Sea Scrolls suggest they may have originated from or incorporated materials from outside the Qumran region.
- The 'War Scroll,' found among the Dead Sea Scrolls, describes an ancient struggle between the 'sons of darkness' and the 'sons of light,' setting a tone for current events.
- The Essenes believed in divine intervention for the 'sons of light' to prevail, contingent on humans accepting their own divinity.
The Essenes' focus on an internal spark of divinity and their concept of a cosmic struggle between light and darkness offer a framework for understanding human potential and the challenges we face today.
The discovery of the 'War Scroll' which outlines a conflict between the 'sons of darkness' and the 'sons of light,' and its implication that the latter prevail only through divine intervention contingent on human acceptance of their divinity.
- Scientific consensus suggests humans appeared around 200,000 years ago, but the mechanism of our evolution is debated.
- The speaker posits that human DNA contains mutations that are unlikely to have occurred naturally, suggesting intelligent intervention in our creation.
- Ancient texts, including Gnostic and Mesopotamian ones, describe humans as receiving a 'spark' of a higher reality, setting us apart from other life.
- This divine spark, inherent within us, is what makes us 'pure human' and is the focus of a current effort to replace it with synthetic elements.
Recognizing the 'divine spark' within us, as described in ancient texts and supported by modern scientific inquiry into DNA, is crucial for understanding our unique potential and for resisting forces that seek to diminish our humanity.
The scientific finding that human DNA is a three-dimensional fractal antenna tuned to a broad spectrum of frequencies, suggesting a biological mechanism for connecting to a higher realm or information field.
- There is a concerted effort to replace natural human qualities with synthetics, chemicals, and nanotechnology, a movement termed 'transhumanism'.
- The speaker warns that succumbing to fear and hate generated by these technological advancements means already losing the battle for our humanness.
- Preserving human divinity involves embracing qualities like imagination, creativity, empathy, compassion, forgiveness, and love.
- Ancient teachings from Essenes, Gnostics, and Jesus emphasize that our true power lies within, and external distractions like wars and societal extremes are designed to divert us from this inner focus.
Understanding the current push towards transhumanism and its potential to erode our core human qualities is vital for consciously choosing to preserve what makes us uniquely human and divine.
The speaker's book 'Pure Human' was written in response to the observation that by 2030-2032, we may be speaking to a 'hybrid human' due to embedded technologies like RFID chips or nanotech, unless we consciously choose to claim our humanness.
- The original teachings of Jesus, as found in Gnostic texts like the Gospel of Thomas, emphasize that 'the kingdom is within you,' not an external place.
- This contrasts sharply with later church doctrine, which promoted the idea of humans being inherently sinful and in need of redemption through external means.
- The Gnostic texts and Jesus's teachings suggest a direct connection to the divine source, bypassing the need for intermediaries, rituals, or dogma.
- The suppression of Gnostic texts and the declaration of them as heresy by early church councils (e.g., Council of Nicaea, Council of Carthage) served to control the narrative and promote a fear-based system.
Distinguishing between Jesus's original message of inherent divinity and the later church's doctrine of sin and redemption is essential for reclaiming our personal power and understanding the true nature of spiritual fulfillment.
Jesus's statement in the Gospel of Thomas, 'The kingdom of heaven is within you,' directly contradicts the church's later emphasis on heaven as a physical place to be attained after death, highlighting a fundamental shift in spiritual understanding.
- Jesus taught that the God of the Old Testament (Yahweh) was not his father, suggesting a different, higher divine source.
- The 'Apocryphon of John' describes the universe originating from a 'Monad' (pure energy/information) with emanations called the 'Pleroma', and a separate creation in dense matter (our universe).
- Humans were created with biology that links us to the original light/divinity through DNA, a potential even greater than our creators.
- The 'sons of light' are those who accept and awaken this inner spark, while 'sons of darkness' represent forces that attempt to repress it.
Understanding the distinction between different divine concepts and recognizing our inherent connection to a higher source through our biology is key to embracing our potential and aligning with the 'sons of light'.
The speaker references a peer-reviewed paper stating human DNA acts as a 3D fractal antenna tuned to a broad spectrum of frequencies, scientifically supporting the idea of a biological link to a higher information field.
- The Gospel of Philip states that resurrection must be experienced in life, not just after death; if not received while living, nothing will be received upon death.
- This teaching emphasizes that our choices, kindness, and compassion in the present moment are how we live our divinity and achieve spiritual awakening.
- The battle for our humanness is a battle against forces that seek to distract us with fear, wars, and societal extremes, preventing us from awakening our inner spark.
- The Gospel of Mary Magdalene provides a 'code' for disarming dark forces: 'I am not your child, but you are my illusion,' which disempowers them by recognizing them as illusions.
The concept of 'resurrection in life' empowers individuals to actively cultivate their divinity through present actions, offering a path to overcome challenges and preserve their essential human nature.
The Gospel of Mary Magdalene teaches a code to disarm negative forces: 'I am not your child, but you are my illusion,' which is presented as a way to disempower darkness by recognizing it as an illusion rather than a direct threat.
Key takeaways
- Ancient texts like the Essene and Gnostic writings offer profound insights into human origins, divinity, and the ongoing cosmic struggle between light and darkness.
- Our DNA contains a biological link to a higher source, a 'divine spark' that makes us uniquely human and possesses potential beyond our creators.
- The true message of Jesus emphasizes the 'kingdom' being within us, accessible through self-acceptance and living our divinity, rather than through external religious structures.
- Modern transhumanist movements pose a threat to our 'pure human' essence by seeking to replace natural biological qualities with synthetic elements.
- Preserving our humanness requires consciously embracing qualities like imagination, empathy, and love, and recognizing external distractions as attempts to suppress our inner light.
- The concept of 'resurrection in life' means actively living our divinity through our choices and actions, rather than solely preparing for an afterlife.
- Ancient wisdom provides tools, like the 'code' from the Gospel of Mary, to disarm negative forces by recognizing them as illusions.
Key terms
EssenesGnosticismDead Sea ScrollsWar ScrollSons of LightSons of DarknessDivine SparkPure HumanTranshumanismGospel of ThomasGospel of Mary MagdaleneKingdom WithinIntelligent InterventionDNA as Antenna
Test your understanding
- How do ancient texts like the Essene and Gnostic writings challenge conventional understandings of human origins and divinity?
- What is the significance of the 'divine spark' within humans, and how is it being threatened by modern technological advancements?
- Explain the core difference between Jesus's original teachings about the 'kingdom within' and the later doctrines of the established church.
- What does the concept of 'resurrection in life' imply for how individuals should approach their spiritual journey and present actions?
- How can understanding the 'sons of light' and 'sons of darkness' framework help in navigating contemporary societal and personal challenges?