Hooked on Gnostics

Regardless of your personal beliefs (or lack thereof) regarding the Judeo-Christian religion or the rest of the pantheon of gods, this is an interesting story.

Gospel of Judas surfaces after 1,700 years

An early Christian manuscript, including the only known text of what is known as the Gospel of Judas, has surfaced after 1,700 years. The text gives new insights into the relationship of Jesus and the disciple who betrayed him, scholars reported today. In this version, Jesus asked Judas, as a close friend, to sell him out to the authorities, telling Judas he will "exceed" the other disciples by doing so.

Though some theologians have hypothesized this, scholars who have studied the new-found text said, this is the first time an ancient document defends the idea.

It seems that, at least according to this text, Judas wasn't the bad guy he's generally made out to be and may, in fact, have been the most devout and valued of his band of merry men.

The account goes on to relate that Jesus refers to the other disciples, telling Judas "you will exceed all of them. For you will sacrifice the man that clothes me." By that, scholars familiar with Gnostic thinking said, Jesus meant that by helping him get rid of his physical flesh, Judas will act to liberate the true spiritual self or divine being within Jesus.

That would certainly put a different spin on all the stories I heard growing up.