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The Goddess in the Gospel of John

by Cissy Capers

 The secret teachings of Jesus were never lost, they just took over 2,000 years to find!

More than any of the other three gospels in the New Testament, the Gospel of John was a favorite among various Gnostic groups.  For over 2,000 years, legends have surrounded this enigmatic gospel and the curious Gnostic propensity toward it.  According to these accounts, the Gospel of John was a repository of arcane wisdom and knowledge which was passed down from directly from Jesus to his favorite disciple.  This knowledge became known as the secret teachings of Jesus.

The most pervasive of the legends pertains in particular to the Cathars of Southern France.  Once considered a heretical Gnostic group, the Cathars were ruthlessly massacred in 1244 C.E. at the hands of the Roman `Catholic Church at their fortress called Montsegur.  Historical accounts relate that a few of the Cathars were able to escape the fiery siege with the treasure, and carry it with them to safety in the nearby caves. The nature of this mysterious and sacred treasure has been the subject of much conjecture over the years, and many theories exist as to the contents of the “Treasure of the Cathars” ranging from their Church treasury which contained a cache of monetary and material artifacts,  to sacred books with  secret genealogies.  Some have even suggested that it may have been the Holy Grail.

But the majority of speculations persist that the treasure they possessed was a sacred text, an alternative version of their beloved Gospel of John. This is a golden thread which runs throughout the fabric of the Cathar tradition, and it is one that would also support the recurrent Gnostic proclivity and reverence for the Gospel of John since the origins of Christianity.  Another reason for this conjecture is that since the Cathars led such austere lifestyles, material objects would seem to be inconsequential to their concept of a treasure.  A spiritual treasure trove would be more in keeping with their noble heritage.  They recognized the transitoriness of life and the vanity of earthly possessions,  and realized the only reality worthy of total commitment was their relationship to God which they  learned through their teachings.

For over 700 years, treasure hunters have sought this elusive cache throughout the land of the Cathars – in their ruins, in their caves and grottoes, in their castles and abbeys, and even in their forests.

Yet it still remained hidden – until now… proving The Goddess IS Alive!!