Gnosticism for Hairy Foreign Devils
Discover the forbidden wisdom of Gnosticism in Gnosticism for Hairy Foreign Devils, a curated list of essential books on ancient heresy, outsider faith, and the divine spark within. Explore history with Rene Weis's *The Yellow Cross* and religion in Juri P. Stojanov's *The Other God*, alongside the sacred texts of the *Nag Hammadi Library* and *The Gospel of Judas*. Uncover secret knowledge, from Manichaean dualism to Gnostic apocrypha, in this provocative reading list for seekers of the strange and the sacred.
Book
The Other God
by Juri P. Stojanov
This fascinating book explores the evolution of religious dualism, the doctrine that man and cosmos are constant battlegrounds between forces of good and evil. It traces this evolution from late Egyptian religion and the revelations of Zoroaster and the Orphics in antiquity through the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Mithraic Mysteries, and the great Gnostic teachers to its revival in medieval Europe with the suppression of the Bogomils and the Cathars, heirs to the age-long teachings of dualism. Integrating political, cultural, and religious history, Yuri Stoyanov illuminates the dualist religious systems, recreating in vivid detail the diverse worlds of their striking ideas and beliefs, their convoluted mythologies and symbolism. Reviews of an earlier edition: "A book of prime importance for anyone interested in the history of religious dualism. The author's knowledge of relevant original sources is remarkable; and he has distilled them into a convincing and very readable whole."--Sir Steven Runciman "The most fascinating historical detective story since Steven Runciman's Sicilian Vespers."--Colin Wilson "A splendid account of the decline of the dualist tradition in the East . . . both strong and accessible. . . . The most readable account of Balkan heresy ever."--Jeffrey B. Russell, Journal of Religion "Well-written, fact-filled, and fascinating . . . has in it the making of a classic." --Harry T. Norris, Bulletin of SOAS
Book
The Yellow Cross
by Rene Weis
The Yellow Cross is a harrowing tale of a desperate people in a small corner of France who defied the kings of Europe and the Pope. The Cathars, whose religion was based on the Gospels but contradicted the tenets set forth by Rome, found themselves the focus of ruthless repression. In systematic waves of brutal persecution, thousands of Cathars were captured, summarily tried, and burned at the stake as heretics. Yet so ardent was their faith that during the years 1290 to 1329, the Cathars rose up one last time. René Weis tells the dramatic and moving story of these thirty years, offering a rich medieval tale of faith, adventure, sex, and courage. Having spent years exploring a rich trove of untouched information, including trial records and interrogation transcripts, Weis creates a remarkably detailed portrait of the last great gasp of the movement and the day-to-day life of the individual Cathars in their villages. This is an exceptionally vivid re-creation of a fascinating, and otherwise lost, world.