The Gospel of Thomas

David Capps

The book goes into the author's background then discusses problems with translations of ancient texts and how some ancient texts do not agree with modern beliefs. It then discusses civilizations 6000 to 12,000 yeras ago.

He says that ancients had an understanding of spiritual principles, and that there is a universal spiritual truth. He poses the question is God outside of us or can it be inside us?

Some people see God as an outside force and have fear as a result.

Alexandria was the cultural center of the world at one time. He discusses the Alexandrian library and Gnostic involvement. He says that early Church leaders backed Roman power and then covers the Council of Nicea.

Gnostics were attacked by the Church and a Roman emperor was indireclty responsible for the destruction of the Alexandria library.

Theodosius I rules that all non-Catholic writing was to be destroyed. God was relagated to being an outside force.

Then there came the finding of the Dead Sea Scrolls and a different way of looking at things.

The Book of Thomas is a book of what is supposed to be things that Jesus said but it's older than the 'accepted' Gospels and thus has a more basic form of sayings.

The source of all life is Spirit. The goal of inquiry is to find God.

The traditional God is jealous and vengeful. The other approach is that God does not judge and there is no punishment.

Finding God is a journey of self-discovery. A true spiritual path is a search for Truth.

Life is a process of transformation.

Wisdom is understanding tempered by experiences.

Life should be faith plus works, not faith alone.

Our point-of-view formed during childhood.

There is a need to surrender ego to the authority of the Spirit.

A lot of the book deals with the concept of ego and how it can affect us in a negative way.

The passage to God is not the church but the Spirit within us.Religion is about believing but spirtuality is about becoming.

Souirces for emotions include t raumas, programming, imprinting, forgiveness, non-judgment, issues and inner verification.

The book is really a mix of spirituality and psychology. It's not a passage by passage analysis of the Gospel of Thomas, though. It still is very meaningful and I like its examination of the ego and how it can negatively affect us and block us from obtaining true Spirit.