Within the past few years or so I've noticed a significant amount of people online explicitly identifying themselves as "gnostic", and many more people vaguely expressing their own personal spiritual beliefs which are definitely more gnostic rather than Christian.
Is gnosticism actually on the rise, or have I just become more observant?
If the former, what could be the human cause? (Obviously there's a spiritual/satanic cause which is more fundamental, but there's probably some human cause too...)
Is it due to Web 2.0 which has made it easier for gnostics to spread their ideas amongst themselves and to infect the general secular public with false spiritual beliefs?
Is it a reaction against the New Atheism? People feel that they ought to be "spiritual", but they hate Christianity so they go gnostic instead, believing whatever they want to believe?
Is it because of pop science books, which always seem to present quantum physics in terms of a quasi-gnostic cosmological framework?
Is it because of fictions such as The Da Vinci Code, and pop "religious studies" books, whereby authors seek to make gnosticism mainstream by attacking the Church?
Well, aside from the fact that many people identify as "Gnostic" in some kind of edgy / occultic / individualistic parody religion, no not really.
I've personally questioned whether the Gnostics are right because it's readily apparent to me that the source of our own sins / passions is, in fact, our biology. And this biology can never be fully disciplined without extreme pain and suffering. Gluttony, rage, lust, jealousy, despair, depression, greed - much of this comes directly from our own animalistic inclinations. And some of it seems so inherently human, so inherently part of our very essence, that I cannot help but question if the Gnostics were right on this one point
The Gnostics held that the physical, material world, and our flesh itself, was pure evil and it's creator was Satan.
The Catholic answer is that our very essence is corrupted and tainted by Original Sin - okay, sure; but I seriously struggle and wrestle with the fact that it's not our essence per se without original sin these inclinations come from, and not just a deviated, corrupted essence.
I mean, isn't the source of our desire to get married, find someone to love us and hold us, the exact same source which leads to lust? Isn't the source of our desire to eat and survive the same source that leads to gluttony? Isn't our desire to sleep from our hard work the same source that leads to laziness?
Someone like Jesus or the Virgin Mary could have never even sinned without intent; but in my life experiences, I've sinned so much times without intent or have been forced in situations where I had to sin, but had to choose the lesser of the sin. Moreover, there are times where I think I am not sinning, but I really am sinning in a way that's worse than anything, but I'm blinded by my own pride to see that I am hurting others. Sometimes I wonder if it is even necessary to compromise and sin mortally than to lead to a worse mortal sin. I seriously struggle in comprehending how Jesus could have never had any of these experiences, because it may seem that the flesh per se is the root of all evil, not just the fallen aspect of it.
And what does it mean to be human at that point? Isn't eating an extra slice of birthday cake, wanting to strive for better financial gain, wanting to die for a beautiful girl, all part of the human experience? Can one even be human without Original Sin?