One problem with gnosticism is that it lacks any objective way of determining who has "The Indwelling Spirit", and thus who has authority. If two people each claim to have "The Indwelling Spirit", and they disagree with each other, there is no way of determining who is right. Each thinks that he is right and that the other is wrong. And so they must each go their separate ways, adding to the 20,000+ number of already existing sects. In short, the position is a concession to skepticism about the possibility of objective theological knowledge.
-A8
(PS: Please stop using all caps.)
Given that my other protestations about erroneous slams of gnosticism have failed to enlighten in the least . . . I'll give it another however feeble try . . .
One problem with worship of the fossilized organization, traditions and structure and of Mary is that it lacks any objective way of determining [what Scripture commanded such under what authority--as there is none.] If two people each claim to have "The Indwelling TRADITION sdtraight from a long line of tradition statues", and they disagree with each other as to which TRADITION has which RANK in terms of commanding action, there is no way of determining which TRADITION has priority, is right. Each thinks that he is right and that the other is wrong. And so they must each go their separate ways, adding to the 20,000+ number of already existing sects split-off from the 'mother sect' or even the thousands of sects still technically within the mother Roman sect. In short, the position is a concession to silliness about the possibility of objective theological knowledge. And, it's a total wash as a foundation for Scriptural knowledge.
(PS: Please stop using all caps.)
No cigar. As my students well know, I'm an extremely expressive communicator on a number of dimensions through a number of means. USING TEXT ONLY is like putting me in a straight jacket and asking me to assemble a car or ride a bicycle. Won't happen remotely well at all.
CAPS is not screaming for me. I come closer to screaming in Red but even that is not my screaming. Screaming is like large red font with exclamations all around in the center.
There's a kind of elitist custom that's grown up on the net to call someone down for using CAPS. When it's just a notion in folks heads as to what it means. It means a lot of different things for a lot of people. Arrogantly insisting that it always means screaming AND THAT I HAVE TO BE; ABSOLUTELY MUST BE OFFENDED BY IT . . . is more than a little silly, to me. I just refuse to play that silly game.
Folks who are offended by my CAPS are invited to avoid reading my prose. Problem solved.
Those who wish to read my prose have enough mental horse power to log in their brains that CAPS for me are merely part of my varied expressiveness in a very limited TEXTUAL context.
I do realize what a custom it's become to stamp one's feet over CAPS and fuss about over the phenomenon . . . evidently somewhat like fussing about gnosticism.