Manichaeism: The Silk Road Religion

Gnosticism seminar: www.speakeasy.com/speaker/andrew-henry Patreon: patreon.com/religionforbreakfast

Man, that was the weirdest episode of VeggieTales I've heard of.

The one dislike on this video is from St. Augustine.

I can see why this religion didn’t make it to modernity, but I can’t help but respect Mani’s commitment to syncretism. A common modern view is that “all religions hold a piece of the truth” and Mani must’ve thought that too. He seems ahead of his time in a way.

Any plans to do a video about Nestorianism and it's spread into Asia? It's a very unknown and interesting subject.

Sounds like a pretty complex scheme to get free meals, not gonna lie.

Last time I was this early, Augustine was still Manichean.

I didn't know that's where the word comes from. In spanish "Maniqueísmo" is a pejorative term that describes a tendency to reduce reality to a duality of opposites like what is considered "good" or "bad" for example. Now it makes sense.

I did my senior thesis on religious syncretism on the Silk road and Manicheanism featured a lot in the texts I read. It's a fascinating religion, and the religious syncretism that you described in passing is utterly fascinating when taken a further look at, and Manicheanism wasn't the only one that did it - "Nestorian" Christianity (for lack of a more recognizable term) made fairly heavy use of borrowing religious terms and symbols as well. One of the things I found was that when translating religious texts from one language to another (or more extreme, one culture to another), it makes a lot more sense to borrow the religious terminology of the language you are translating into, so that your text is intelligible. Otherwise you are left with having to transliterate, and confuse your audience. I know in one case, it lead to the phrase "... all the angels and archangels" being translated as "... all the buddhas and bodhisattvas" among many other very notable borrowings.

In Hungary, we still have a plenty of Manichaeian imagery in some of our protestant temples. It's interesting how souch old beliefs could've survived until the reformation.

I just discovered Mani last week in a chinese history book (in Chinese) documenting its influence in Tang dynasty where the Buddhist sect heavily criticized Mani religion as fake Buddhism. What a serepidity to see a video on Mani popped up now!

Went to Cao An, the last remaining Manichaeism place of worship a few years back. Felt surreal

Been fascinated with Gnosticism for a long time. The problem I had was that almost all the available sources were either strongly for or strongly against. Thanks for having a "Just the facts maam" approach.

me: ayo what's your ideology? mani being mani: yes

Would you possibly do the Valentinians or Cathars? I'm interested in more elaboration on traditions surrounding Gnosis

Talking foods is creepy. Imagine trying to eat veggies which suddenly talked cursing you for eating them instead of you cursing for being forced to eat veggies.

In Spanish we have the word Maniqueista, it is used as an acepción of manipulator, derived from the description of a politic that uses a divise discurse (two groups / black and white) to define that he is correct and right, and the ones inside the government are not.

I’d love to hear what Mani thinks of Vegie Tales...

One of my favourite novels of all time is The Gardens of Light, and it’s about Mani and his life. 100% recommended!

So far, the best and most succinct explanation of Manichaeism I have ever encountered in a brief format. You are truly becoming a great teacher.