ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Gnosticism in modern times

Hello there! Today, we are going to talk about something called gnosticism in modern times. Do you know what gnosticism means?

So, a long, long time ago, there were these people called Gnostics who believed that there was secret knowledge that only certain people could know, and that this secret knowledge was the key to happiness and freedom. They also thought that the material world was bad and that the spiritual world was good.

Nowadays, some people still identify themselves as Gnostics, and they have some different beliefs. They might think that we all have a spark of the divine within us, and that we should focus on discovering and growing that spark. They might also believe in things like reincarnation and meditation as ways to get closer to the divine.

There are also some modern-day groups that draw inspiration from Gnostic texts, like the ancient Gnostic gospels that were discovered in the 20th century. These groups might have rituals or ceremonies that they perform to honor these texts and the ancient Gnostics.

Overall, Gnosticism in modern times is a way of thinking and believing that emphasizes spiritual exploration and finding meaning in the world beyond just material things. It's a bit like a treasure hunt for knowledge and understanding!