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Thank you both so very much for sharing your insights on gnosticism and heresy!

Truly I hope the dispute is just a matter of semantics.

The sheep pens in John 10 are indeed an excellent metaphor for the theological boundaries of Judeo/Christian doctrines and traditions.

And of course, the more people add to and take away from the words of God - or the more they elevate particulars of their beliefs - the more walls they throw up between themselves, like sheep pens within sheep pens:

Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish [ought] from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you. – Deuteronomy 4:2

And the sheep in these various pens do tend to yell over the fences calling the sheep in the other pens - or in the open pasture - names including both "heretic" and "gnostic."

Since I'm one of those who particularly enjoys the open pasture (Psalms 23) I've been called both - also "apostate" "Jesus freak" "cultist" and even "Satanic."

It never offends me to be called such things. I write it off as yet another manifestation of the "observer problem." Indeed for me it is all joy even though it comes from a brother or sister in the faith, a fellow sheep.

Blessed are ye, when [men] shall revile you, and persecute [you], and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great [is] your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. - Matthew 5:11-12

There is only One Good Shepherd.

And I pray that on this sidebar, there is no intent to invoke the terms "gnostic" and "heresy" within the various sheep pens of the Judeo and Christian sheepfolds - but rather in the historical and cultural context of Western civilization.

To God be the glory, not man, never man.

[ And I pray that on this sidebar, there is no intent to invoke the terms "gnostic" and "heresy" within the various sheep pens of the Judeo and Christian sheepfolds - but rather in the historical and cultural context of Western civilization. ]

LoL.. me too(prayer)... Humans are now and have been busily sorting themselves into sheep pens and sheep pens within sheep pens for millenia.. Its a wonderful thing.. Pure genius actually.. After fully being sorted and convinced indoctrinated and settled, comfortable and relaxed in a sheep pen.. denying their selection(choice) would be hard to do..

Is God(in his plan) awesome or WHAT?..