Gnosticism: The Ancient Heresy With a TikTok Filter
If you’ve spent even ten minutes scrolling Instagram spirituality hashtags, browsing the “self-help” aisle at Barnes & Noble, or listening to a celebrity podcast about “finding your higher self,” then congratulations—you’ve already brushed elbows with Gnosticism. No, they don’t call it that anymore. They’ve rebranded. It now goes by trendier names: manifestation, ascension, divine feminine, universal consciousness, higher knowledge, light work, shadow work, Christian mysticism, or just the ever-so-smug “spiritual but not religious.”
But make no mistake: under all these hashtags, affirmations, and shiny book covers, we’re staring at the same dangerous heresy that the Church condemned nearly 2,000 years ago.
What Exactly Is Gnosticism?
Historically, Gnosticism comes from the Greek word gnosis, meaning “knowledge.” Not the good kind—like knowing how to cook lasagna or finally remembering all the words to the Nicene Creed. No, Gnosticism claimed that salvation came through secret, hidden knowledge only available to the enlightened few.
Think of it as a spiritual country club: you’re either in on the secret passwords, or you’re left outside with the “basic” Christians who actually just… believed in Jesus and the sacraments.
The early Gnostics believed:
- The material world is evil.
- The true God is distant and unknowable.
- A “lesser god” (sometimes called the Demiurge) created this flawed physical world.
- Salvation comes not through Christ’s death and resurrection but through esoteric knowledge that frees the soul from matter.
That’s right—Gnostics believed matter itself was bad. Food, bodies, sex, creation, marriage—all evil. Which makes you wonder: what did these people even do for fun? (Spoiler: usually heretical sex cults, because hypocrisy is timeless.)
Why the Church Condemned It
St. Irenaeus (2nd century bishop) absolutely went off on Gnosticism in his work Against Heresies. He pointed out that the Gnostic obsession with “hidden truth” contradicted Jesus, who explicitly said:
“I have spoken openly to the world: I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither all the Jews resort; and in secret I have spoken nothing.”
— John 18:20, Douay-Rheims
In other words, Christ wasn’t running a VIP, members-only, hidden-teachings Discord server. He revealed Himself to the world, in public, for all humanity. Catholicism has no “secret levels” where you unlock cheat codes if you meditate on a crystal long enough.
The Church rejected Gnosticism because it:
- Denied the goodness of God’s creation (Genesis 1:31).
- Rejected the Incarnation (God becoming flesh in Jesus).
- Made salvation elitist instead of universal.
- Twisted scripture and used half-truths to lure people into dangerous spiritual practices.
Gnosticism Today: The Glow-Up Nobody Asked For
Here’s where it gets tricky: Gnosticism never really died. It shapeshifted. Today, it hides behind dozens of trendier, influencer-approved labels:
- New Age spirituality – Tarot, astrology, “energy healing,” angel numbers.
- Manifestation / Law of Attraction – Think positive thoughts, attract wealth, become your own little god.
- Secret societies & esotericism – Freemasonry, Rosicrucianism, Theosophy.
- Progressive “Christianity” – Redefining Jesus as a “teacher of hidden wisdom” instead of Savior.
- Hollywood spirituality – “Christian witches,” yoga cults, goddess circles, channeling spirits.
Even certain tech and AI obsessions smack of Gnostic thinking: if we can just upload our consciousness, escape the body, transcend biology—we’ll be “saved.” Elon Musk, meet Valentinus.
The Many Names of Gnosticism
Today, Gnosticism masquerades under names like:
- “Light work”
- “Sacred feminine”
- “Universal Christ”
- “Christian Mysticism” (the fake kind, not St. Teresa of Ávila)
- “Enlightenment”
- “Higher self”
- “Secret knowledge”
- “Awakening”
- “Manifestation”
- “Ascension”
- “Spiritual alchemy”
Each one promises you’ll “unlock” something special. But notice the common thread: it always bypasses Jesus Christ.
Why Gnosticism is Dangerous
- It denies the Incarnation
“And every spirit that dissolveth Jesus, is not of God: and this is Antichrist.”
— 1 John 4:3, Douay-Rheims
- It makes you your own god
“You shall be as gods.” — Genesis 3:5
- It opens spiritual doors
“For Satan himself transformeth himself into an angel of light.”
— 2 Corinthians 11:14
- It looks harmless
It mixes truth with lies. - It spreads under the radar
Most people practicing it don’t even know the word “Gnosticism.”
Humor Break: Gnosticism, the Original MLM
If you think about it, Gnosticism was basically the first pyramid scheme. A mysterious guru says: “I have the secret knowledge. You can too—for a price.”
Sound familiar? Replace “secret knowledge” with “essential oils for your aura” and you’ve got half of Instagram spirituality.
Catholic Truth Against Gnosticism
The Catholic Church teaches:
- Creation is good (Genesis 1).
- The Word became flesh (John 1:14).
- Salvation is through Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12).
- The sacraments are public, real, and for everyone.
St. Paul warned Titus:
“Avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law. For they are unprofitable and vain.”
— Titus 3:9
Where Gnosticism Sneaks Into Catholic Lives
Even Catholics flirt with Gnosticism without realizing it:
- Calling yourself a “Christian witch.”
- Treating the rosary like a magic amulet.
- Thinking hidden Marian secrets are the “real Catholicism.”
- Using astrology “just for fun.”
The Church says: nope. Christ alone saves.
Final Thoughts: Why This Matters Today
Gnosticism has never been more mainstream. TikTok witches, Hollywood gurus, meditation apps, even AI “Jesus chatbots”—all promise the same thing: hidden wisdom, self-salvation.
But as you know from your own story, those “secrets” don’t lead to light. They lead to despair, obsession, and bondage.
The antidote? The public, universal Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Scripture to Hold Onto
“For there is one God, and one mediator of God and men, the man Christ Jesus: Who gave himself a redemption for all.”
— 1 Timothy 2:5-6
“For this is the will of my Father, that every one who seeth the Son, and believeth in him, may have life everlasting: and I will raise him up in the last day.”
— John 6:40
That’s it. No crystals required.
Call to Action
The next time someone tells you they’ve “unlocked higher wisdom,” remember: there are only two spirits—one of truth, one of deception. And the Devil’s best trick is making deception look enlightened, progressive, and oh-so-Instagrammable.
Not everything with wings is from Heaven.
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