Gnosticism vs Religion?

1. no

2. Gnosticism refers to a diverse, syncretistic religious movement consisting of various belief systems generally united in the teaching that humans are divine souls trapped in a material world created by an imperfect god, the demiurge, who is frequently identified with the Abrahamic God. The demiurge may be depicted as an embodiment of evil, or in other instances as merely imperfect and as benevolent as its inadequacy permits. This demiurge exists alongside another remote and unknowable supreme being that embodies good. In order to free oneself from the inferior material world, one needs gnosis, or esoteric spiritual knowledge available to all through direct experience or knowledge (gnosis) of God.[1][2] Jesus of Nazareth is identified by some Gnostic sects as an embodiment of the supreme being who became incarnate to bring gnosis to the earth. In others he was thought to be a gnosis teacher, and yet others, nothing more than a man.

Gnosticism was popular in the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern regions in the second and third centuries, though some scholars claim it was suppressed and was actually popular as early as the first century, predating Jesus Christ[3] as a dualistic heresy in areas controlled by the Roman Empire when Christianity became its state religion in the fourth century. Conversion to Islam and the Albigensian Crusade greatly reduced the remaining number of Gnostics throughout the middle ages, though a few isolated communities continue to exist to the present. Gnostic ideas became influential in the philosophies of various esoteric mystical movements of the late 19th and 20th centuries in Europe and North America, including some that explicitly identify themselves as revivals or even continuations of earlier gnostic groups.

3. completely different....

4.... no, just another christian sect/cult combination

I have not read the Laughing Jesus, however, I have read the gnostic gospels. The gnostics were a small sect back before "Christianity" was united through the Catholic church under Constantine (@325 AD). The believed they had a certain "knowledge" (i.e. Gnostism is the greek word for knowledge) of god and that they were the few who "got it" (This of course is common to all religious belief systems). They had some odd beliefs but also some very realistic and logical ones, including that seeking knowledge was the source of wisdom.

Although I actually agree with several of their specific beliefs (certain gnostic gospels contained [poorly translated] greek texts such as the cave analogy of Plato's Republic which I have a certain feeling of affinity for), I do not believe the religion that was gnostism would have survived to this day in it's same form any more than christianity (as a whole) has survived to this day in it's same form. Religions grow and diminish with the people encased in it. I think personally that the gnostic sects were the free thinkers of christianity back 1800 years ago. I do not think they are the equivalent to today's freethinkers.

I've never read the book, but I am familiar with gnosticism. Gnosticism holds, generally, that there are two gods. One is a lesser god, and is responsible for creating all matter. The lesser god is considered evil, and as such, all matter is inherently evil as well. The second, greater god, is the creator of the soul, which is inherently good, but trapped inside a body composed of evil matter.

The path to salvation is in obtaining secret 'knowledge' (gnosis being Greek for knowledge, hence 'gnostic') derived from the greater spirit god. Gnosticism is esoteric, in that only the initiates are privy to the knowledge of the greater spirit god.

The name "The Laughing Jesus" comes from one of the ancient gnostic gospels, though I forget which, that has Jesus sitting in a tree with one of his disciples watching a "stand-in" being crucified in his place. Jesus, being only a spirit according to the gnostics, had no human body to be crucified, so another person was crucified in his place. It's also the origin of the Muslim belief in the stand in.

I have read some gnosticism texts and I think it has more of an eastern religion slant than a Christian slant (although I know its roots are in Christianity). It tends to be the same stuff, true knowledge and salvation is found from within.

This to me is the same foundation that most world views don't deal with. Humans' sin problem. I believe that if humans are left alone, chaos and disorder tend to find themselves to the heart of society. True salvation can not come from within, only from God.

"Church fathers" have nothing for me. Only God is my Father, and the Bible is 100% true and is the only authority on all matters. So whoever agrees with the Bible, is right, and whoever disagrees with the Bible, is wrong, no matter what they call themselves. Gnosticism is satanism, as 1 John in the Bible says. Judaizing is teaching a false gospel, and all false gospels lead to eternal hell (Galatians 1:6-9).

No, I didn't read the book. The ancient gnostics were also Christians. They believed in obtaining knowledge.The ancient Christians, who shaped the present faith, later deemed them heretics. Below is a link that further explains.

its another religion were they believe that their imperfect god, Demiurge, created our bodies and souls. and our soulds are trapped in our bodies which are stuch in the material worlds.

just another religion.

I didn't read the book but I have a feeling it doesn't have anything in it about talking snakes, talking donkeys or talking fiery bushes.

gnosticism, just another religion