Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeWaters
If you read The American Religion by Bloom, he makes frequent mention that Mormonism, as taught by Joseph Smith (not so true today in modern Mormonism), is a reinvention of Jewish and Christian Gnosticism.
It's not that JS had access to these ideas or works, but rather it was his "religious genius" that allowed him to recreate/reveal them.
I'm not sure that Bloom argues that similarities would be proof of God's revelation. But it's interesting nonetheless.
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However, Bloom and others like to quote that, but which doctrines does he exactly point to as "gnostic". Having looked at gnosticism a bit, other than the claim to hidden knowledge, I don't see the resemblance, but perhaps I'm missing an aspect of gnosticism with which Bloom is familiar and I am not.
People speak so often in generalities, without linking the specifics.