Recent
biblical discoveries are parallel to finds in modern physics
Gnostic
Gospels: A Look at the Quantum World?
by Lee and
Steven Hager
During the
last fifty years, major discoveries have been made in two diverse
fields, science and religion. Each is destined to bring about
dramatic paradigm shifts. In 1945, an earthenware jar containing a
collection of writings purportedly scribed by some of Jesus'
earliest followers was accidentally discovered in Egypt. Rather than
serving as a support to the Bible gospels, these papyrus books
painted a decidedly different picture of Jesus. Known as the Gnostic
gospels, their contents are bringing into question the veracity of
teachings endorsed by organized religion. Likewise, discoveries made
by quantum physicists continue to turn Newtonian physics upside
down. Mass, once considered separate from energy, is now known to be
energy. The universe can no longer be described as a multitude of
assembled parts, but is one interrelated, cohesive whole.
When it was
proved that the earth orbited the sun, this corrected understanding
of the physical universe quickly discredited a primary church
teaching; that God had placed man at the center of the universe. The
church was no longer considered the sole arbiter of truth, and was
forced to accept the ascendancy of scientific thought. Religion and
science went their separate ways, but quantum discoveries appear to
be closing the gap between these two fields, at least where Eastern
traditions are concerned.
Although
differences exist in the details of Eastern philosophies, central
themes running through every teaching include the unified "oneness"
of the universe and the belief that it is a dynamic, living
organism. Quantum physicists were not only surprised to discover
that oneness existed at the quantum level of the universe; they were
shocked to find that this quantum oneness possesses consciousness.
But over three thousand years ago, the writer of the Brihadaranyaka
Upanishad recognized the conscious unity that exists beneath the
illusion of form. That ancient writer stated, "As a lump of salt
thrown in water dissolves and cannot be taken out again . . . the
separate self dissolves in the sea of pure consciousness, infinite
and immortal. Separateness arises from identifying the Self with the
body, which is made up of the elements; when this physical
identification dissolves, there can be no more separate self."
In direct
contrast, Western culture has evolved from the concept that God and
spirit stand outside a universe that is made up of a collection of
separate, static, unconscious parts. It is little wonder that
Western religions emphasize individuality and dualism. Undoubtedly,
quantum discoveries will render a large percentage of Bible based
teachings invalid, but does this mean that all Western belief
systems must fall with it? Gnosis, or knowledge gained from a
personal experience of the Divine, signifies an open-minded desire
for truth. Unlike religious dogma, science poses no threat to
gnosis, and in fact should enhance it. When examined from the
standpoint of quantum physics, many of the Gnostic Gospels do
reflect an understanding of the universe that very closely parallels
recent quantum discoveries.
Physicist
David Bohm's holographic model likens the material portion of the
universe to a three-dimensional holographic image; the image appears
to be real, but it's actually no more than a projection, a virtual
reality. Unlike photographic film, holographic film spreads the
image over the surface of the film in a series of intersecting
patterns that appear to have no relationship with the image they
produce. Never-the-less, the "real" part of a hologram is the film,
not the projected image. Bohm likens the quantum level of the
universe to the holographic film and sees it as the source of all
potential and the seat of consciousness. The material universe is no
more than a virtual reality that's projected from consciousness that
exists at the quantum level. From this perspective, we are not the
bodies that we project; we are the mind that exists at the quantum
level. Our earthly "lives" are no more real than the action that
takes place on a movie screen. The Gnostic Gospel of Truth speaks of
just such an illusion, stating that the world of form is, "like a
dream in the night," and when the dreamer wakes to that truth they
will, ". . . see nothing, they who were in the midst of these
disturbances, for they are nothing." Similarly, the beautiful
Gnostic narrative poem, The Hymn of the Pearl, tells the symbolic
story of a prince of the spirit realms who journeys to a far country
of matter and form. The prince falls asleep, forgetting his true
spiritual identity, and is rescued by waking up and remembering who
he is. Marcus, a second century Gnostic prophet, taught that
everyone was part of the same whole, a oneness that will be restored
when we choose to see past the illusion of separation. To Gnostic
Christians, sin did not exist. It was ignorance of our true identity
that kept us trapped in illusion. The Gospel of Truth encourages us
to, "cast ignorance aside as sleep, leaving it behind like a dream
in the night."
As we look at
a starry sky, it may appear to us that a majority of the visible
universe is made up of empty space, but physicists now realize that
far more energy exists in these "spaces" than exist in all matter.
Termed the "zero point field", it is now believed that this vast
energy field serves as a repository for all thought, and is perhaps
the seat of consciousness. Recent discoveries in neurophysiology
agree that the brain is little more than a receiving unit for the
true mind, which exists at the quantum level. In essence, there are
no private thoughts; the universe itself can be seen as one cohesive
consciousness. In Gnostic writings, Jesus encourages each of his
followers to tap into this quantum field. The writer of The Gospel
of Truth identifies a "living book" that "was written in thought and
mind of the Father." Jesus is said to have learned from that book
and, "He inspired them with that which is in the mind." In The
Testimony of Truth, Jesus differentiated between the brain and the
mind that exists at the quantum level when he encouraged every
seeker to become the, "disciple of his own mind" because "the Father
of the truth" resides in that mind.
Orthodox
teachings single out Jesus as the separate and unique only-begotten
son of God. Rather than claim any special position, the Gospel of
Thomas quotes Jesus as saying, "I am not your master. . . He who
will drink from my mouth will become as I am; I myself will become
he. . . When you come to know yourselves . . . you will realize that
it is you who are the sons of the living Father." These statements
not only recognize oneness, they clearly demonstrate that each of us
has access to the information we need to wake up from the illusion
that we are the body we project. Indeed, this is the essence of
gnosis, an intuitive and experiential process that cannot be
institutionalized. Rather than see God as an entity that existed
outside the universe, Gnostic writers agreed that oneness did not
exclude God, who was thought to permeate all things. Identifying God
as "All," Jesus makes this point in the Gospel of Thomas, "It is I
who am the All. From me did the All come forth, and unto me did the
All extend. Split a piece of wood, and I am there. Lift up the
stone, and you will find me there." The Gnostic teacher Monoimus
expanded on this point by adding, "Look for Him (God) by taking
yourself as the starting point. Learn who it is within you. . . you
will find Him in yourself."
Many early
Christians saw the body as a sinful self that must be disciplined
and atoned for; Gnostic Christians saw Divine light that had been
imprisoned by matter. Many early Christians likened Jesus' death to
the Jewish animal sacrifices said to atone for sin. Gnostic
Christians saw the death of the body Jesus had projected as the
ultimate demonstration that we are not the body and the body is not
real. Gnostic writers reported that Jesus appeared as many different
bodies before his death, yet he was always recognized by his
followers. This demonstration was clearly designed to encourage his
followers to question the reality of the body and their relationship
to it. The Apocalypse of Peter states that while a body that Jesus
had projected was being crucified; his true Self remained untouched,
laughing above the cross. Jesus projected several other bodies after
the crucifixion, demonstrating that even the most appalling
treatment of the body is an illusion that cannot affect the true
Self that exists at the quantum level. As quantum understanding
increases, our belief systems will be challenged. Much of
Christianity will not withstand the challenge, but Gnosis, based on
our innate ability to access the Mind of God at the quantum level,
will.
 ©
Copyright 2007 Lee & Steven Hager.
About the author: Lee & Steven Hager are the authors of Quantum
Prodigal Son, an examination of Jesus' life and teaching from the
perspective of quantum mechanics and the Gnostic gospels. For more
information please go to:
www.oroborusbooks.com.
|
|
