Manichaeism

This was one of the major Gnostic religions founded by an Iranian prophet  Mani that lived from 216- 276 Ad.

Manichaeism spread fastly to all parts of the world because of its doctrine of dualistic cosmology that was compatible with customs and traditions of pagans of Eastern block as China and Western region as the Roman Empire.

At a time, it stood as the main opposition to Christendom in the struggle to replace classical paganism and apostolic flock.

Mani taught extensively on dualistic syncretism which focus on competition between a good, spiritual world of light, and an evil material world of darkness. He contend that with passage of time, light gradually move away from the physical world and returned to the world of light where it came from.

As a passive teacher, Mani was influenced by the thoughts of Zoroaster who was on ardent teacher of moral dualism.  The concept of good force being identified as divinity and the evil force being identified as Satan was amplified by the teachings of Zoroaster of Persia.

History upheld that the Hebrews learnt about dual forces of divinity by around 300 BCE when under Persian captivity.

When Yahoshea Meshiyach manifested on the land of Hebrew with his ministration, one of his frank doctrine is his rejection of existence of force of darkness that is presently identified as Satan.  Yahoshea maintained before his Hebrew brethren and elites that Satan do not  exist rather all power belong to Yahweh who is referred as the force of all good.

Yahoshea kept his faith with one force doctrine which strongly uphold the existence of Karma (law of sow and reap) and re-incarnation which deals on continuity of individual souls after transition through rebirth in a new human body or form.

Manichaeism or Manichean is widely used to represent the thought of moral dualism (forces of good versus evil).

History And Influence

History prove that Mani wrote seven books and a unique version of Syriac script called Manechaen script. Manichaeism spread rapidly while existing religions in form of Christianity and Zoroastrianism kept gaining political influence.

Mani's religious sect was favoured by heretic royalty of Russian Empire but when the successful royalty came on board, there was no known romance.

As Mani was opposed by Zoroastrian clergy, he was arrested and detained and he died in prison waiting for execution by the Persian Emperor Bahrami.

Mani was one of the famous heretic Gnostics that influenced the apostolic flock negatively.  He taught that the teachings of Buddha, Zoroaster and Yahoshea Meshiyach were incomplete and that his revelations which he called the “Religion of Light” was the final and all corrective message to the whole world.  Mani claimed to be the re-incarnation of ancient religious figures as Buddha, Lord Krishna, Zoroaster and Yahoshea.  He equally claimed to be the seal of the prophets.

Mani was a mixer of numerous religious thoughts from which he drew his doctrinal conclusion.  He incorporated symbols and deities of various indigenous traditions with special regard to Hindus-deity-Canesha into his sect. Such culture enhanced the spirit of toleration amongst Manicheans and other religious communities. Such communities assisted the sect towards gaining support of secular authorities as well as for easy converts.  Manichaeism is related in one way or the other to various forms of religions as Judaism, Christianity, Buddhism,  and Egyptoism.

From these variety of religious communities,  he borrowed various doctrines and percepts that form Manichaeism. 

For instance, the Manichaeism borrowed the doctrine of transmigration of soul from Buddhism and the quadripartite structure to which male and female monks (the elect) and the lay followers (the hearers) appears to be also copied from Buddhism.

Anti-Semitic Of The Body

Mani hated Old Testament scriptures of Hebrew religion without apology rather saw more spiritual light on the New Testament scriptures.  His consciousness of dualism set it apart from the doctrine of Yahoshea that hung on unity of all spirits and beings. 

The church copied the doctrine of dual forces in which the creator is addressed as father of light and love while satan identified as father of darkness and illusion from Zoroastrian and Manichaean religious communities.

With regards to satan's existence, in Book V, section 10 of Manichaen scripts carried as follows, “I still thought that it is not we who sin but some other nature that live within us.  It flattered my pride to think that I incurred no guilt and, when I did wrong, not to confess it.  I prefer to excuse myself and blame this unknown thing which was in me, but was not part of me.  The truth of course, was that it was all my own fault, and my own impiety had divided me against myself.  My sin was all the more incurable because  I did not think myself a sinner (confessions, Book V, section 10).

By the provision of this confession of Manicheists, it differs from the religious points of Yahosheans in both doctrines and content. Yahoshea taught that mortals err through lusts of their flesh and that he who sins must reap the wrath of his act because whatever one soweth, same shall he reap.

Religious communities of doctrines with opposing backgrounds and percepts do not have any common relationship to share but due to persecution of the apostles of Yahoshea Meshiyach, some of Manicheans moved into the assembly and influenced the creeping of deadly errors or heresies into the scriptural doctrines of Yahoshea Meshiyach.

Many religious figures of 4th century were Manichean.  For example, Augsutine of Hippo was a Manichean before his conversion to Christianity in 387.  Augustine left Manichean shortly after the Roman Emperor Theolosius I issued a decree of death penalty for Manichean in 382.  In 391, the emperor declared Christianity as the only legitimate religion for Roman Empire.

Persecution And Spread Of The Movement

Manicheanism spread with speed in Roman Empire as it entered the kingdom in 280AD. It had  a monastry at Rome in 312Ad during Pope Maltiades.

The speedy spread of the sect became threat to other religious communities who started persecution of Manicheans.  In 291, persecution of Manicheans started at Persian empire that saw to the massaccre of many Manicheans.

In 296Ad, Emperor Diocletian decreed against the Manicheans in the following wordings – “We order that their organizers and leaders be subject to the final penalties and condemned to the fire with their  abominable scriptures”.

Later, Emperors and Popes set their torch of persecution against the Manicheans. For example, Emperor Theodosius I stripped Manicheans of their civil rights and issued death sentence for Manicheans in 382Ad.

As Manicheans incurred serious massacre at west (Roman Empire) Its Eastern body (China) kept flourishing till 9th century when Emperor Wuzong of Tang gave the order to kill all Manichean priests as part of his campaign against Buddism and other religions. Such prompted death of almost half of Manicheans. Likewise, Caliph Abdullah Al-Mahdi killed thousands of Manicheans and Al-Mugtadir killed so many in Baghdad which was the headquarter of the religion. This brought end of Manichean religion.

During middle ages, some religious movements sprang and were described as Manicheaism by Roman Catholic church.  These groups were persecuted as Christian heresees through the establishment of inquisition in 1184.  Such group included Cather Churches and Paulician movement that arose in Armenia.

Equally, many books that condemned Mani as a heretic hold him as a false prophet who came to deceive the world with his self made heresies.

For instance, Eusebius made the following comments about Mani – “In the mean time, also that madman Manes (Mani is of Persian or Semitic origin) as he was called, well agreeing with his name, for his demonical heresy, armed himself by the pervasions of his reason, and at the instruction of Satan to the destruction of many.  He was a barbarian in his life, both in speech and conduct, but in his nature as one possessed and insane.  Accordingly, he attempted to form himself into a Christ and then also proclaimed himself to be the very peraclete and the Holy Spirit, and with all this was greatly puffed up with his madness.  Then, as if he were Christ, he selected twelve disciples, the partners of his religion, and after patching together false and ungodly doctrines, collected from a thousand heresies long since extinct as swept them off like a deadly poison from Persia, upon this part of the world.  Hence the impous name of the Manicheans spreading among many, even to the present day.  Such then was the occasion of this knowledge, as it was falsely called that sprouted up in these times”.

Again Higenionius reported that Mani said “ it is the Prince of Darkness who spoke with Moses, the Jews and their priests.  Thus, the Christians, the Jews, and the pagans are involved in the same error when they worship this God.  For he leads them astray in the lusts he taught them “He continued as thus – “Now, he who spoke with Moses, the Jews, and the priests is the archont of darkness, and the Christians, Jews and pagans (ethnic) are one and the same, as the revere the same god.  For in his aspirations,  he seduce them, as he is not the god of truth.  And so all those who put their hope in the god who spoke with Moses and the prophets have (this in store for themselves, namely) to be bound with them, because they did not put their hope in the god of truth.  For that one spoke with them (only) according to their own aspirations”.

Truly, Mani and his sect are anti-Yahweh and Yahoshea because they believe on the doctrine of compromisation and thus reject Yahweh and his elects who hold opposite to their belief.

So all claims of Mani with regards of being incarnate of Yahoshea, being an apostle of Yahoshea or being the manifested comforter are deeds of heresies which influenced the Church of Rome as many of his followers fall into church and took expensive seats that warrant them to apply the Manichean doctrines they knew and believed into church system.