From 1996----seemed timely now:

Some Thoughts on Gnosticism

Here are some excerpts from a book I bought circa 1984 at K-Mart from the bargain table. They serve to explain some of my feelings about the "New World Order" without getting lost in the excruciating tide of disinformation and finger-pointing that seems to be prevailing in the investigation of this mess.

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The title of the book is "Night of the Wolf", published in 1983 by Harper and Row, written by an English clergyman by the name of Christopher Bryan. The book is, on the surface, a short detective story with a religious/supernatural bent. The story deals with the death of a defrocked Greek Orthodox priest, an escaped wolf, and an institution called The Academy For Philosophical Studies. The detective called in from Scotland Yard to investigate the priest's death is a thoroughly conventional sort of character who enlists the aid of an archdeacon friend in trying to unravel the related religious aspects of the case. It becomes clear that The Academy is a New World Order-type of organization that is trying to use black magic, or something like it, to realize its aims---and getting perilously close to achieving them. Following are some quotes from the chapter entitled "The Opinions of the Archdeacon", where he (Michael Aarons) tells the inspector (David Adam) what he thinks of The Academy and its aims:

"I believe...that at the core of the academy is a group of men and women with an approach to life that I should call Gnostic." (I looked the word "Gnostic" up in the American Heritage dictionary---the definition is consistent here---Michael) "That is to say, they seek salvation through knowledge, particularly knowledge of the supernatural---what they (I think) would call `spiritual' knowledge. More immediately, they seek power through such knowledge. Because they know, they will be strong. Because they understand, they will be able to use, perhaps even to control."

David was listening intently.

"Don't misunderstand me. I admit that religion does have to do with becoming in some senses stronger---at least it has to do with becoming fuller, more complete, more truly human. But I would say that even these things are not basically what religion is about. It's like marriage. A good marriage will make you stronger, too. Marriage is about trust and hope and forgiveness between people. But you know that better than I.

"The same, I believe, is true of religion. True religion is about trust and hope and forgiveness in our relationship with God. It's about that kind of seeking for the transcendent that desires a love without end and a true fatherhood." (motherhood?) "Gnosticism is false religion, because it does not desire relationship, but mastery. Not forgiveness, but power. I think it is because those who run the academy care only for power, that they feel able to treat quite ruthlessly those who cannot keep the pace they set. They will use them, and they will cast them aside, as they choose. *The weak have no value, in their eyes, save as food for the strong."* (my emphasis)

Aarons was silent for a moment, then said, "you asked me what I thought was the academy's purpose. Do I answer your question?"

David nodded slowly. "Yes, I think you do. But---can people get power this way? I mean, real power...I mean, power, say, to kill people?"

"I suppose that will depend on how far they go. If you deal with a marriage or friendship only for what you can get out of it, you do get something. Power. Satisfaction. Something of that sort. Though, of course, in doing that you do not have any real relationship with your wife or friend. If you try to deal with religion like that, I don't doubt that you get something, too, and are in touch with something---though hardly God. There is a long tradition of rebellious forces in the universe ready to make use of rebellious men. Yes, you will get something. For a while. In the end, of course, it is nonsense."

"Nonsense?"

"Oh, yes, I think so. This quest for power, for control---to use religion for our own ends---what does it finally mean but that we are trying to be gods? Little gods! Like the story of Adam: `You shall be as gods, knowing both good and evil.' And certainly, it is nonsense. The most ridiculous of all nonsense. There are times, I must admit, when to live and feel that there is no God anywhere---that is not unreasonable. But to suppose that I am God! Pfff!" He shrugged.

"The tail wagging the dog?"

"As you say," Aarons agreed with a smile. "The tail wagging the dog. The irony is," he added, "that I believe in the end the promise is, in fact, that we shall be as gods---sharers in the divine nature. But that, like life itself, will be a gift. Not something we win through our own cleverness."

The fire had burned low in the grate, and David watched as Aarons stoked it back to life.

"If the church feels as strongly as this about things like the Academy," he said at last, "why doesn't it speak out about them?"

"You mean denounce them?" Aarons shook his head. "I don't think the church is in a very good position to denounce anyone. The joy and the hope of the church are that she has been given a holy thing---a promise. But as human beings, aren't we as corruptible as any? Haven't we tried to use God for our own ends? Haven't we practiced false religion?"

"It sounds to me like you're saying you can't say something's wrong, because you once did it yourself."

Aarons nodded, conceding his friend's point. "Yes, I see what you mean. Perhaps we should speak out more boldly. Perhaps you are right. But if so, then only as fellow penitents. Not denouncing the thing as if we had no taint of it. That would be terrible..."

There was another pause. David felt that in some way he had sidetracked himself. He returned to his main theme.

"At any rate, you personally regard this thing---this false religion---as dangerous?"

"I regard it as diabolic."

"Diabolic?"

"It takes the best and corrupts it. To use sex or politics as weapons of control is bad enough, but to use religion! That is the most evil of all. If it is not our best that we do in God's name, then it will certainly be our worst."

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And, finally, from a later chapter in the book, after the Academy has been destroyed by fire, and the Chairman of the Academy, escaping and horribly burned, is skulking through London to another secret and profane altar to rekindle the evil that was interrupted almost at its culmination:

"...To be perfect, his resentment must be wordless, mindless, and directed everywhere---approaching the Satanic perfection of which Milton spoke: `that fix'd sence of injur'd merit.'"