What's the deal with gnosticism?

Seems incredibly confusing without much of a foundation to it. Is there really a solid base to it, or is it a mix of new age religion?

I think it's people having the balls to admit that they just don't know. I think that's fairly intelligent.

Agnosticism?
I thought it was just the doubt of a God.
I thought it was that simple...

Potato based. Ok with pesto sauce.

It's an old and elusive religion based on ancient "lost" texts. It's really difficult to decipher but if you are really interested in it you'll learn.

Let me ask you this. Is there much of a foundation to monotheism? Where is the foundation for these? Prepare for the dawn of a new era. We're taking God out of America.

Goodness... not new age. The Gnostic's have been around thousands of years. Pre Jesus although there was a sect of Christians as well. The short version of gnosticism is that god lies within. That god is the source of life and we are extensions of god by god granting us our life force. There is much more to it, but that is probably what you wanted to know.

Some would say it is the foundation which Jesus laid. Others would say it's garbage that didn't make the final cut. I prefer to lean towards the former.

I agree, it's confusing and elitist - let alone heretical. Some say Simon Magus is one of the original founders. His story is in Acts 8:9-29.

It was actually a form of religious Platonism mingled with a hint of Babylonian astrological theory. There was a philosophical foundation to ancient Gnosticism - you just have to understand that it was usually an allegory for Platonic metaphysical concepts.

Modern Gnosticism, in general, has little or no connection to ancient Gnosticism. Modern Gnostics tend to read ancient Gnsotic Scriptures, ignore the philosophical context altogether, and force an interpretation based on New Age mysticism and a spattering of Hindu and Buddhist philosophy.

Supposedly some people stumbled upon some "secret texts" that had different views of Jesus.

Essentially I think the Gnostics claimed that John the Baptist was the messiah, and Jesus was just one of his followers.