Not in his image. Gnostic vision, sacred ecology, and the future of belief (15th Anniversary Edition)

"Lash is capable of explaining the mind-bending concepts of Gnosticism and pagan mystery cults with bracing clarity and startling insight. . . . [His] arguments are often lively and entertaining."— Los Angeles Times Fully revised and with a new preface by the author, this timely update is perfect for readers of The Immortality Key . Since its initial release to wide acclaim in 2006, Not in His Image has transformed the lives of readers around the world by presenting the living presence of the Wisdom Goddess as never before revealed, illustrating that the truth of an impactful Gnostic message cannot be hidden or destroyed. With clarity, author John Lamb Lash explains how a little-known messianic sect propelled itself into a dominant world power, systematically wiping out the great Gnostic spiritual teachers, the Druid priests, and the shamanistic healers of Europe and North Africa. Early Christians burned libraries and destroyed temples in an attempt to silence the ancient truth-tellers and keep their own secrets. Not in His Image delves deeply into ancient Gnostic writings to reconstruct the story early Christians tried to scrub from the pages of history, exploring the richness of the ancient European Pagan spirituality—the Pagan Mysteries, the Great Goddess, Gnosis, the myths of Sophia and Gaia. In the 15th Anniversary Edition, Lash doubles down on his original argument against redemptive ideology and authoritarian deceit. He shows how the Gnostics clearly foresaw the current program of salvation by syringe, and places the Sophianic vision of life centrally in the battle to expose and oppose the evil agenda of transhumanism, making this well-timed update more relevant than ever. "Sometimes a book changes the world. Not in His Image is such a book. It is clear, stimulating, well-researched, and sure to outrage the experts. . . . Get it. Improve not just your own life, but civilization's chances for survival."—Roger Payne, author of Among Whales

Not in His Image describes the rich spiritual world of pre-Christian classical Europe - the Pagan Mysteries, the Great Goddess, Gnosis, the myths of Sophia and Gaia - and its future as a force for rebalancing our lives and reconnecting to the earth. In his riveting account of who the Gnostics really were and what they were protesting against, John Lash identifies who we once were, and what has become of our original genius. He describes the decisive arc of history from the dawn of the Christian Era to the present moment of global terror, a trajectory driven by faith-based violence and fundamentalist politics. No scholar has yet plumbed the depths of the Nag Hammadi Library for the profound cosmological myth of our origins and our intimate bond with Gaia, the living planet.

The Gnostic story of the Wisdom Goddess, Sophia, is directly counterpoised to the one Christianity and other monotheistic religions teach us. It explains why a species made in the image of the Father God cannot live peacefully on earth. In Sophia we discover the true foundations of deep ecology. For those of us perplexed by the state of the world and the plight of the planet, Not in His Image gives us back our true story, a myth to guide us beyond faith-based violence toward a sacred ecological path for the future.

Library Journal

In an eclectic mix of mythology, deep ecology, Tibetan Buddhism, astrology, UFO research, drug mysticism, and speculative science, Lash (Quest for the Zodiac) recommends reviving the cult of the Gnostic earth goddess, Sophia, as a prop to modern environmentalism and as a spiritually healthy alternative to life-denying and oppressive Abrahamic religions. Relying on secondary sources of varying trustworthiness, Lash spins a conspiracy theory in which a rigorist, otherworldly religiosity, the redeemer complex, was spread through an inner cabal of Jewish priests to the Essenes, where it morphed into Christianity and took over the world, destroying ecofriendly, egalitarian paganism in its wake. He also expounds at length on Gnostic cosmology, which he frankly and accurately describes as theological science fiction. Lash's history is propagandistic and amateurish; anyone who cites D.H. Lawrence as an authority in religious history can't be taken too seriously. He oversimplifies the heterogeneous Gnostic movement, which at times could be more ascetic and contemptuous of material creation than anything in Western monotheism, and romanticizes paganism by ignoring its own record of religious persecution. Not recommended. Charles Seymour, Wayland Baptist Univ. Lib., Plainview, TX Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

"Lash is capable of explaining the mind-bending concepts of Gnosticism and pagan mystery cults with bracing clarity and startling insight. . . . [His] arguments are often lively and entertaining." Los Angeles Times In Not in His Image John Lamb Lash explains how a little-known messianic sect propelled itself into a dominant world power, systematically wiping out the great Gnostic spiritual teachers, the Druid priests, and the shamanistic healers of Europe and North Africa. Early Christians burned libraries and destroyed temples in an attempt to silence the ancient truth-tellers and keep their own secrets. But as Lash reveals the truth cannot be hidden or destroyed. Not in His Image delves deeply into the shadows of ancient Gnostic writings to reconstruct the story early Christians tried to scrub from the pages of history, exploring the richness of the ancient European Pagan spiritualitythe Pagan Mysteries, the Great Goddess, Gnosis, the myths of Sophia and Gaia. Long before the birth of Christianity, monotheism was an anomaly; Europe and the Near East flourished under the divine guidance of Sophia, the ancient goddess of wisdom. The Earth was the embodiment of Sophia and thus sacred to the people who sought fulfillment in her presence. This ancient philosophy was threatening to the emerging salvation-based creed of Christianity that was based on patriarchal dominion over the Earth and lauded personal suffering as a path to the afterlife. As Derrick Jensen points out in the afterword, in Lashs hands Jesus Christ emerges as the agent provocateur of the ruling classes. "Sometimes a book changes the world. Not in His Image is such a book. It is clear, stimulating, well-researched, and sure to outrage the experts. . . . Get it. Improve not just your own life, but civilizations chances for survival."Roger Payne, author of Among Whales "Fully revised and with a new preface by the author, this timely update is perfect for readers of The Immortality Key. Since its initial release to wide acclaim in 2006, Not in His Image has transformed the lives of readers around the world by presenting the living presence of the Wisdom Goddess as never before revealed, illustrating that the truth of an impactful Gnostic message cannot be hidden or destroyed. With clarity, author John Lamb Lash explains how a little-known messianic sect propelled itself into a dominant world power, systematically wiping out the great Gnostic spiritual teachers, the Druid priests, and the shamanistic healers of Europe and North Africa. Early Christians burned libraries and destroyed temples in an attempt to silence the ancient truth-tellers and keep their own secrets. Not in His Image delves deeply into ancient Gnostic writings to reconstruct the story early Christians tried to scrub from the pages of history, exploring the richness of the ancient European Pagan spirituality-the Pagan Mysteries, the Great Goddess, Gnosis, the myths of Sophia and Gaia. In the 15th Anniversary Edition, Lash doubles down on his original argument against redemptive ideology and authoritarian deceit. He shows how the Gnostics clearly foresaw the current program of salvation by syringe, and places the Sophianic vision of life centrally in the battle to expose and oppose the evil agenda of transhumanism, making this well-timed update more relevant than ever"--Publisher's description Not In His Image Describes The Rich Spiritual World Of Pre-christian Classical Europe?the Pagan Mysteries, The Great Goddess, Gnosis, The Myths Of Sophia And Gaia?and Its Future As A Force For Rebalancing Our Lives And Reconnecting To The Earth. In His Riveting Account Of Who The Gnostics Really Were And What They Were Protesting Against, John Lash Identifies Who We Once Were, And What Has Become Of Our Original Genius. He Describes The Decisive Arc Of History From The Dawn Of The Christian Era To The Present Moment Of Global Terror, A Trajectory Driven By Faith-based Violence And Fundamentalist Politics. No Scholar Has Yet Plumbed The Depths Of The Nag Hammadi Library For The Profound Cosmological Myth Of Our Origins And Our Intimate Bond With Gaia, The Living Planet.--jacket. Conquest And Conversion -- A Story To Guide The Species -- History's Hardest Lesson -- Reclaiming The Sophianic Vision. John Lamb Lash ; Afterword By Derrick Jensen. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.