Gnosticism and Neo-Gnosticism

'"Gnosis" means "knowledge".

"Jesus", for the Gnostics, was either a magician, an ascetic, or a sexual deviate who initiated his followers by means of secret ceremonies acquired in his visit to India.

"St. Paul", in Colossians fights this heresy, defending the uniqueness of the person and redemptive work of Jesus Christ in the face of suggestions that Jesus was only one of the many angelic intermediaries between God and man. He also emphasized that salvation was complete in Christ, countering the legalistic ascetism of Gnosticism (Colos.2:20-30).

The "Serpent", in Eden revealed to Adam and Eve "secret knowledge", and the Gnostics claim they have guarded this "secret knowledge" through history.. so, this secret knowledge actually comes from the Serpent, from Satan!.

"Influential": It has no official organizational apparatus, but forms the theological foundation of many modern cults and has even formalized a belief structure of his own, the Neo-Gnosticism, with several Gnostic Churches, among them, the one established in Colombia by Victor Manuel Gomez, now lead by Julio Medina.

Their influential literature is the fourth-century "Nag Hammadi Codices", "The Secret Gospel", "The Gospel of Thomas", "The Forbidden Gospel".