{"id":31,"date":"2016-12-16T15:20:09","date_gmt":"2016-12-16T22:20:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/gnosisdenver.org\/?page_id=31"},"modified":"2024-05-22T06:08:51","modified_gmt":"2024-05-22T13:08:51","slug":"the-mystery-religions-of-the-ancients-part-1","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/gnosticstudies.org\/index.php\/the-mysteries\/the-mystery-religions-of-the-ancients-part-1\/","title":{"rendered":"The Mystery Religions of the Ancients \u2013 part 1"},"content":{"rendered":"

[The framework of this Lecture is from Chapter 1 of MYSTIC MASONRY<\/a> (1897) by J.D. Buck, revised and expanded with the teachings of Gnosis, the 4th Way and the writings of J.M. Ragon]<\/p>\n

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<\/a>Introduction: The Mysteries and their Purpose<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Religion has always been two-fold. There has always been a Public or Exoteric side<\/u> of religion and a Private or Esoteric side<\/u>. The Public side is the one we see in the streets, parades, processions, public worship, etc. The Private side is the one we don\u2019t see, the education of the monks and nuns, the priests and priestesses (or whomever it may be) that requires a certain dedication of time, energy and effort in order to access it.<\/p>\n

The Mysteries form part of the Private side of religions and were generally for the instruction of the leaders of the religious form. Something that we should understand is the difference between religious forms and religious principles.<\/u> Gnosis emphasizes that all religions teach the same fundamental principles. Their symbolism differs based on the culture and the time period in which the religious form emerged.<\/p>\n

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Religions as Cosmic Formulae<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\u201cIt is said that there are seven Great Religions and Five thousand Sects; we the Gnostics affirm that there is only one great Religion, and that is the TRUTH. \u2026Only he who lives the Truth is profoundly Religious. The truth wants to know itself in each human being. Jesus of Nazareth is a living embodiment of the TRUTH. Jesus Incarnated the TRUTH.<\/p>\n

Whoever Incarnates the TRUTH becomes free. Those who Incarnated the Truth founded the Great Religions and the Great Mystery Schools. Buddha, Hermes, Krishna, Quetzalcoatl, etc., incarnated the Truth, and all those who dissolve the “I” and raise the columns of the Temple upon the living Rock incarnate the Truth.<\/p>\n

There is no higher Religion than the Truth. We should distinguish between Religious forms and Religious principles. It is necessary to know that the Principles are living cosmic Formulae.<\/strong> Religious forms are the different systems of teaching those Principles.<\/p>\n

The Great Infinite Universal Cosmic Religion assumes distinct forms according to the needs of each race and of each era. Thus, Religious forms have succeeded one another throughout millions of years. The successive string of the all Religions that have existed in the world always reveal the same immutable principles of the Truth. Religion is an inherent property of life, as humidity is of water. A person could belong to no religious form and nonetheless be profoundly religious. Everyone who is capable of experiencing the Truth is profoundly religious, even if they do not belong to any religion.<\/p>\n

Religion is the intimate relationship of the mind with the Truth. Only the religious person is truly revolutionary. Some philosophers say that Religions have failed; we assure you that every Religion has fulfilled its historic mission. With only one living Buddha being born from among the ranks of Buddhism, Buddhism fulfilled its mission; Only one Christified person among the ranks of Christianity justifies the existence of Christianity; only one Imam among the ranks of Mohammedism very much justifies the existence of the Religion of Mohammed.<\/p>\n

All the great Religions of the World have achieved their objective through people who obtained their “Religare <\/em>” [or \u2018Reunion\u2019], that is to say, those who Incarnated the Truth. \u2026There is no basis for assuring that religions failed in their mission to “Religare <\/em>” [or \u2018Reunite\u2019] man with the Truth. In all Religions there are perfect human beings who succeeded in Reuniting. There is no motive which justifies Religious wars, because all Religions teach the same principles. \u2026The Cosmic Religion Vibrates in each atom of the Cosmos, because it palpitates in the heart of the suns, in the heart of the human beings, and in that of the ant.\u201d<\/dir><\/p>\n

-paraphrase from the first part of Christmas Message 1961-62<\/a> by Samael Aun Weor<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Religious Forms vs. Religious Principles<\/h3>\n

Religious forms typically go through a few different stages:<\/p>\n