Pagan Dawn's (PF official magazine) ex-editorial secretary, Julie James (alias Jules or wigginsmum) and the Gnostic link
PAN has written extensively about this anti-occultist, missionary activist who is one minute portraying herself an evangelical and the next a witch who then becomes a Christian activist once again. Odd, confusing or perhaps just a cunning ruse to gain the right sort of attention that always gives well-versed evangelicals a platform to punch out their certain coloured worldview which perceives occultists as being satanically-inspired?
James has connections with Pagan & Christian moot wherein she proudly gave the following evangelical testimony:
"I believe Jesus is the only way to God and that other paths are spiritually deceptive (in fact, demonic) and will not lead people to God. I was a witch for eight years; I know what I am talking about in the previous statement. I do not compromise the Gospel, nor am I involved in watering it down in order to make people feel comfortable. I post here as it is another opportunity to share the Gospel with those who need to hear it. My desire is that they repent and be born again."
Julie James frequently writes supportively for with the Ex-witch mission to Pagan website which links with many anti-occultist groups such as Reachout Trust and Spotlight Ministries.
To get the picture about this person please surf the following link:
http://www.patregan.freeuk.com/exwitch.htm
The Gnosticism Axis
Xtian hearts & minds in Pagan bodies?
It appears that Gnostics are also coming under evangelical scrutiny if this post by James is anything to go by.
From: "wigginsmum" <julie.james27@n...>
Date: Wed May 29, 2002 1:41 am
Subject: Intro
"Hi - I'm Julie, and I've just
joined the list. I was an evangelical Christian for a few years and am now a
Wiccan but recently read the Freke/Gandy 'Jesus Mysteries' and feel there's
some fascinating stuff in there. I've lined up their 'Jesus and the Lost
Goddess' and Elaine Pagel's 'Gnostic Gospels' for future exploration. I'll read
back through the archives when I get a chance so as not to bore you all with
repeats.
A question: does anyone know of a Gnostic commentary on the Bible as it exists
now?
Thanks,
Julie"
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gnosticism2/message/5935
So what are these crafty missionaries up to and why the interest in this spiritual faction?
Our friends at SAFF HQ have warned about this particular missionary tactic before, ergo we shall leave this last statement on the missionary push to Gnosticism with them:
"Having spent many years infiltrating the New Age/Pagan movement via 'interfaith' the fundies have come up with a common-denominator which gets them a wedge into the Pagan belief system. So many Pagans have no real understanding of the difference between monotheistic and pantheistic beliefs. As you probably know the Gnostics were a wholly Christian competing mystical sect in the first three centuries of the Christian Era.
Before they had organised
themselves into an orthodoxy and developed the Bible various interpretations of
Christianity existed and the peculiarity of Gnosticism was that each individual
had to evolve towards god by him or her self, through eonic levels of
self-initiation. This completely cut out the orthodox Christian hierarchy which
was developing elsewhere which relied on pure faith (that Jesus had sacrificed
himself to save our souls and humans could only get to god through Jesus) dolled
out by a hierarchy of priests on your behalf.
Gnosticism became fashionable recently because it extends theurgy (the technique
of hermetic magic) into a philosophy which suits the monotheistic mind. (all
ritual/hermetic magic stems from monotheistic thought). Few occultists realise
that by following the path of ritual magic they are in fact adhering to Judaic
and Christian religious tenets.
They have been conned into thinking it is somehow
different because orthodox Christianity always decries it. Anyway Gnosticism
(meaning - The Knowledge) is superficially very similar to the way that
Pagans get their experiences (that is, direct line to the gods and personal
revelations) and so few Neo Pagans are educated enough to realise that by
following the Gnostic method, which seems so familiar and comfortable, they will
in fact be leaving pantheism and adopting Christianity - hence it makes absolute
sense for the fundies to use this ignorance as a pivotal method to slyly
convert Pagans who are still subconsciously tied to Christianity."
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Disclaimer:
PAN realises that the vast majority of Christians are not fundamentalist or evangelical in make up and we only criticise religious extremists who seek to disenfranchise other faiths whilst bolstering their own. PAN does not in any way condone violence against any persons or property and we must state that we have always worked towards a more tolerant and equal society.