You Christians scare me...

[munim_786]

It would not appear so since God is by definition not a creature. Although Christians consider Jesus a man, knowing that he is also divine, it seems that you have that statement in reverse. It should be "without God man is nothing."

In Islam Allah is completely self suficient and needs no one. the Christian attributes of God differ in various parts of the Bible. in one part he is all powerful and needs no one (most Christians hold this belief that he is all powerful) and in the other: "and it repented the lord from his heart that he had made men on the earth and it grievd him at his heart" (GENESIS 6:6)

 

[luuk]

The gnostic gospels postulated that anyone can have a direct relationship with God; the role of the church as the middle man was dismissed.

Try this on google: define: gnosticism

The definition is quite different to what you have said. The whole point of Christianity is that we can have a direct relationship with God through Jesus.

 

[spidergoat]

"through Jesus" is not direct. "Relationship" implies separation. You can't have a relationship with something that was never separate. Gnosticism comes from the word knowledge, and implies a secret knowledge, or personal mystical experience. Most of the definitions on google were hopelessly biased.

"the Christian attributes of God differ in various parts of the Bible. in one part he is all powerful and needs no one (most Christians hold this belief that he is all powerful) and in the other: "and it repented the lord from his heart that he had made men on the earth and it grievd him at his heart" (GENESIS 6:6) "

God, being bored with omniscience, could have created something that he let go out of control, why not? The Hindus see God, or Brahman, as playing the game of hiding from himself in the form of people.

 

[DoctorNO]

In Islam Allah is completely self suficient and needs no one.

Oh yeah then why was he asking muslims to help him kill people? Read...

• 
  O ye who believe! If ye help Allah, He will help you and will make your foothold firm.
  
  And those who disbelieve, perdition is for them, and He will make their actions vain.
  
  -Quran 47:7-8
  
  
  O ye who believe! Be Allah's helpers, even as Jesus son of Mary said unto the disciples: Who are my helpers for Allah? They said: We are Allah's helpers. And a party of the Children of Israel believed, while a party disbelieved. Then We strengthened those who believed against their foe, and they became the uppermost.
  
  - Quran 061.014
  

the Christian attributes of God differ in various parts of the Bible. in one part he is all powerful and needs no one (most Christians hold this belief that he is all powerful) and in the other: "and it repented the lord from his heart that he had made men on the earth and it grievd him at his heart" (GENESIS 6:6)

Like the quran eh?

Admit it, Islam is no better.

 

[Circe]

Most of the definitions on google were hopelessly biased.

Very true.

Also, it's rather difficult to define gnosticism as there existed many different gnostic groups and they didn't always agree with each other. Which is understandable since there were no dogmas to follow and, of course, the experience of gnosis was very personal and differed from person to person.
One might have to look beyond the web to find truthful, unbiased info on gnostics. There are many books which explore their lives and beliefs. The nature of gnosis is, of course, a different matter altogether as it cannot be explained or written down on paper..

The whole point of Christianity is that we can have a direct relationship with God through Jesus.

That's the viewpoint of Christianity today. Back in a day, many believed there's no intermediary needed to experience/attain God. Jesus was very important to gnostics but they saw him as the opener of the way, not the sacrificial lamb.

The Hindus see God, or Brahman, as playing the game of hiding from himself in the form of people.

 

[okinrus]

In Islam Allah is completely self suficient and needs no one. the Christian attributes of God differ in various parts of the Bible. in one part he is all powerful and needs no one (most Christians hold this belief that he is all powerful) and in the other: "and it repented the lord from his heart that he had made men on the earth and it grievd him at his heart" (GENESIS 6:6)

The need spoken here is merely that God remains himself for all eternity. However, since it is God's will that man exist and also necessary for God's will to be accomplished, the neccessity of our existence is certain.

 

[okinrus]

Information about most forms of gnostics can be formed by reading their original writings and Ireaneus, who writes against them.

 

[luuk]

"the Christian attributes of God differ in various parts of the Bible. in one part he is all powerful and needs no one (most Christians hold this belief that he is all powerful) and in the other: "and it repented the lord from his heart that he had made men on the earth and it grievd him at his heart" (GENESIS 6:6) "

God, being bored with omniscience, could have created something that he let go out of control, why not? The Hindus see God, or Brahman, as playing the game of hiding from himself in the form of people.

I don't see how God being sad about something he'd done makes him any less all powerful and I believe he is still in control.