gnostic and Gnostic

[jbor]

----------
>From: "Otto Sell" <o.sell at telda.net>

>Subject: Re: Osmosis & P's Gnostic Cosmoses
>Date: Tue, Dec 19, 2000, 6:01 AM
>

> Again, Pynchon
> is not specifically anti-Christian and no religion is generally bad. It's
> just the instrumentalization of religious beliefs for other purposes. Rachel
> is criticizing this.


Yes, I agree with this. There are many *specific* religions and belief
systems which various of the characters hold true. But Pynchon, and pomo,
merely show that any religion is a logocentric system which, by its very
nature, excludes all other povs from the privileged side of a binary
equation: us v. (all of) them. (What it quite probably boils down to is:
self v. other, too.) He is not anti-Christian or anti-"gnostic" or even
anti-Gnostic; what he does or tries to do is to deconstruct this paradigm
which underpins all religious systems, this "us and them" mentality.

So, just on the gnostic/Gnostic thing. I think that something which Pynchon
doesn't do is to dis a person's faith by merely lumping into one basket with
a bunch of other faiths and then trying to demonise it. The adjective
"gnostic" with a small "g" is not applied to any actual religion in his
texts, just as the adjective "catholic" with a small "c" is not applied as a
general descriptor of religious beliefs either. Pynchon, on the evidence of
his texts, might appear to have catholic tastes, but this does not make him
a Catholic. I think the same care should be exercised when talking about the
various Gnostic faiths which are referred to in the later novels. The misuse
of the term "gnostic" in the criticism of Pynchon's work is alarming.

----------

THE SABIAN MANDAEAN COMMUNITY IN AUSTRALIA

The Sabian Mandaean community is an ethno-religious community found in
Baghdad and areas in the south of Iraq, particularly on the banks of the
Euphrates and Tigris Rivers. The community is also found in the south of
Iran, particularly around the Karon River. The present total of the
community has been estimated at 100 000 worldwide.

"Mandaeans" is the preferred term of identification, which is the Aramaic
equivalent of "Gnostic". The language of the community is Mandaean, although
it has fallen into disuse, with the majority of community members instead
speaking Arabic or Persian. The community shares few links to other Middle
Eastern groups. The oldest record of the Mandaeans' existence dates back to
pre-Christian times. Little of the Mandaean history has been recorded.

Significant Dates

The Mandaean community has its own calendar on which members depend for
religious ceremonies and sacred days and which is 2.5 years ahead of the
Western calendar. Two days during July are celebrated as the beginning of
the New Year and are the Grand Feast days. Other feasts and holy days are
celebrated throughout the year.

Central Beliefs

The Mandaeans have a unique religious identity with the main teachings
stemming from the ancient esoteric doctrine of Gnosticism. Their central
holy book is the Ginza Rabba. Immersion in water is a central Mandaean
ritual and is carried out by the clergyman or Ganzibra every Sunday and on
important occasions. It is considered to be essential for purification and
must be performed in a fresh, flowing river, which is regarded as a symbol
of life. The clergyman must also carry out prayers and other daily rituals
beside the baptismal river.

Settlement History

... The majority of arrivals took place in the mid to late 1990s under the
Refugee and Special Humanitarian Programme. ...

Values and Achievements

The Mandaean community is world renowned for its gold and silversmiths. High
priority is placed on education, hard work and living at peace. ...

Issues of Key Concern to the Community

* Access to a river for baptisms
* Employment of a teacher for the Mandaean language school
* To bring out other members of the community from Iran and Iraq to ensure
their protection
* Maintenance of the culture language and religion
* Assistance in the development of the meeting place
* Burial needs

----------

The quasi-religious ritualisation of Slothrop's recovery of his harmonica in
the river seems to be a pertinent point of comparison here, and seems to
demonstrate, if nothing else, a modicum of sympathy for Gnostic practices on
Pynchon's part.

best