[mortoc]

Why is this being presented to the HN community?

[tptacek]

Because it's interesting as hell. I'm Catholic, and clicking around in here there's practically nothing religious in it to me at all. No part of my own faith engages with Celsus Description of the Ophite Diagrams. But it sounds like something out of a Clive Barker book --- and, behold, it is like something out of a Clive Barker book:

    He is the Demiurge of this world, the God of Moses described in his creation    
    narrative. Of the Seven archontic demons, the first is lion-shaped; the second 
    is a bull; the third is amphibious and hisses horribly; the fourth is in the 
    form of an eagle ; the fifth has the appearance of a bear, the sixth, that of 
    a dog ; and the seventh, that of an ass named Thaphabaoth or Onoel.

This is like a weird parallel of Greek mythology. But it's got a little extra charge because it ostensibly plugs into a modern religion. Super fascinating.

[bossyTeacher]

Can I ask why do you identify as "Catholic" and not as "Christian"? I have seen that a few times and it does seem like attempt from you to essentially state that you are making your own religion. How much splintering off can you do and still call yourself Christian?

I am asking this in a purely curious way, btw!

[trash88]

This is not an online bible, it's an archive of the surviving material from a movement that has had unimaginable reach and impact on the world we live. You can see first hand how diverse their thelogy was prior to canon and orthodox enclosure.

[gespadas]

Why not? It's a wonderful summary of writings. I'm so glad I found this resource on HN.

[nephihaha]

As I said there, I've used this particular website many times. It's a great historical resource in some ways.

[nephihaha]

Why not? I have been on this particular website quite a few times, but there have been other pages linked on here which I haven't been to so much. It's good to have a variety of interests. I am getting a broader range of websites and articles off here than mainstream media.

[SilverElfin]

Are there other such archives for other religions or cultures?

[qarl]

Why not? They're nice stories. People like stories, even if they're entirely made up.

I guess maybe it does feel a bit like gross proselytizing. Hm.

[DennisP]

The link includes all sorts of stuff that modern Christians generally consider heretical, so I don't think it's proselytizing.

Most people underestimate the diversity of beliefs in early Christianity. A lot of that was violently suppressed by Constantine, to the point that some of it was only dug up in the last century.

[misiti3780]

I, also frequent this sight to avoid religious dogma.

[DiggyJohnson]

That’s not a reason to visit this site.

One of the current top 100 posts relates to western religion. It’s easy to avoid if uninterested. I enjoy that every now and then we have an ancient history, archeology, theology, literature, futurism or etc. post make the front page.

[BigTTYGothGF]

Considering how often, say, lesswrong.com gets posted that may have been unwise.