What if you were never broken to begin with? Mary Magdalene’s lost gospel reveals a hidden truth: sin is a lie, and your original nature is radiant. It’s time to remember who you really are.
None of us were born of sin…no matter the circumstances of birth. We are truly nothing short of a miracle. Hope in the face of adversity. Mary knew this to be truth.
Peggy, yes—Mary knew. She knew before Augustine turned shame into dogma, before the Church swapped grace for guilt and declared us “fallen” just for being born. Mary didn’t buy the snake oil of “original sin”—she remembered we were never dirty to begin with. Your words radiate that same clarity: we are miracles, not mistakes. Thank you for reminding the world.
Exactly, Nancy. The idea that a newborn needs absolution is peak cosmic comedy. What’s next—baptizing puppies for chewing shoes?
Original sin was the Church’s way of getting spiritual overdraft fees before you even opened an account. Mary Magdalene didn’t buy it. She saw the divine in the dirt, the sacred in the screw-up. Babies aren’t born broken—they’re just born. It's the rest of us who need to unlearn the guilt we were spoon-fed before we could even talk.
Thanks for naming what should be obvious but somehow isn’t.
Thank you, Casey. Your words mean more than you know. It’s an honor to offer something that resonates deeply and supports your healing. Grateful we’re walking this path at the same time.
“Don't 9 lay down any rules beyond what I've given you, nor make a law like the lawgiver, lest you be bound by it." When he said these things, he left.”
“In response Peter spoke out with the same concerns. He asked them concerning the Savior: "He didn't speak with a woman without our knowledge and not publicly with us, did he? Will we turn around and all listen to her? Did he prefer her to us?"
“In response Levi said to Peter, "Peter, you've always been angry. Now I see you debating with this woman like the adversaries. But if the Savior made her worthy, who are you then to reject her? Surely the Savior knows her very well. That's why he loved her more than us.”
“Rather we should be ashamed, clothe ourselves with perfect Humanity, acquire it for ourselves as he instructed us, and preach the gospel, not laying down any other rule or other law beyond what the Savior said."
Peter out here gatekeeping like it’s his podcast, and Mary’s just trying to preach resurrection while dodging fragile egos and posthumous edits. Levi saw it. Jesus confirmed it. And still, 2,000 years later, we’ve got folks rewriting the gospel with nationalism in one hand and an AR-15 in the other.
“Do not lay down any other law”—but here they come with dress codes, purity tests, and campaign donations.
You’re right. Christian Nationalists aren’t preserving the faith—they’re rebranding it for white grievance and power grabs. Mary called it then. We’re calling it now.
Interesting how Mary’s Gospel was kept buried as was Mary’s story.
Apparently, Mary was an extremely common name at the time. Mary - the mother of Jesus, the “other Mary” and Mary Magdalene”.
When the Canonical Bible was put together - the male patriarchs left Mary’s gospel out.
Now we have better dating techniques and have found that it was written around the same time as the other gospels.
What comes from God is Love
The other side - the side Jesus called out when He told the disciples to pray;
“Lead me not into temptation but deliver me from evil”
Has been there from the beginning - lying to us. Deceiving people throughout millennium.
The cruelty we see played out now by so called “Christians” is actually from the same Liar and darkness that has always “tricked humans” - the same serpent. The serpent that appears and gains strength every several decades.
WW2 being the last major attack that was ignored for too long to prevent a world war.
Ah yes, Kay, the Gospel of Mary Magdalene was buried—just like the collective memory of every time organized religion traded love for empire.
You’re right that evil is persistent. But it’s not just some cartoon snake hissing under rocks. It’s wearing robes. It’s holding censers. It’s chanting psalms while stabbing backs.
Let’s count the ways "faithful" hands committed acts way worse than any serpent ever managed:
Orthodox Church Crimes:
Blessing the Byzantine slaughter of pagans and Jews under Justinian.
Excommunicating each other so hard in 1054 (Great Schism) that they still haven't gotten over it.
Endorsing tsars and emperors who built armies in the name of "Holy Russia," leading to centuries of Christian imperialism disguised as devotion.
Catholic Church Crimes:
Launching the Crusades, aka "let’s murder Muslims, Jews, and Eastern Christians because Jesus loves pilgrimages!"
Torturing and burning people during the Inquisition, for crimes like reading the Bible without priestly supervision.
Colonization Missions: forcibly baptizing Indigenous peoples while stealing their land, gold, and lives.
Selling indulgences like spiritual fast passes to heaven for a price — a literal "sin now, pay later" scheme.
Covering up centuries of abuse scandals while preaching about morality on Sunday.
Religious Wars Fueled by Both:
The Thirty Years' War: An entire generation wiped out in Europe because Protestants and Catholics couldn’t agree whether wafers turn into Jesus literally or just spiritually.
Northern Crusades: Baptize or die, because love thy neighbor — but only if they’re Catholic.
Sack of Constantinople (1204): Catholic Crusaders got drunk, looted Orthodox churches, and installed their own puppet emperor, because obviously Jesus said “Blessed are the pillagers.”
Modern Day Bonus Rounds:
Orthodox clergy blessing tanks and guns in modern wars while pretending Jesus was all about nonviolence.
Catholic politicians funding anti-poverty programs... only if you follow "approved" doctrines about sexuality.
And through it all?
Mary Magdalene stands quietly at the tomb, not blowing trumpets of conquest, but whispering:
"There is no sin of the world — only the blindness that forgets its own divine origin."
Meanwhile, the boys were too busy drafting edicts, sewing flags, and hoarding relics to notice that Love Itself had already risen.
Kay, you're so close.
The serpent you're worried about?
It’s the one that hisses, “Obey or else.”
It’s the one that slithered into councils, crowned emperors, and printed Bibles with half the women ripped out.
It’s not one evil moment.
It’s the ongoing franchise.
And yet:
The true Gospel—Mary’s Gospel—keeps flowering between the cracks of every fallen cathedral.
Because no matter how many wars they wage,
no matter how many scrolls they burn,
the truth written in the heart can’t be un-written.
With the furious compassion of seven exorcised demons and a gin-fueled Episcopalian grin,
And to think: Mary's gospel isn't even the only one that got "edited" out... :-/
Though, I did go looking for it in my hip, modern version of the King James Bible (the one where "thou shalt not suffer a witch [actually, just "bad herbalist" = "poisoner," originally, apparently] to live" got turned into "you shall not permit a female sorcerer to live" because apparently, male sorcerers are just fine X-P), the one that contains the (official?) Apocrypha, and it wasn't there that I could see. :-/
Yes, Nancy! The editorial scissors were holy, sharp, and usually in the hands of men who flinched at the idea of female prophets, herbalists, or anyone with a uterus and a clue. "Thou shalt not suffer a woman to live if she knows where mugwort grows"—pretty sure that was the original Hebrew.
The Gospel of Mary wasn’t just cut. It was disappeared, like a spiritual witness protection program for anyone who dared say the soul is inherently luminous. And yep, funny how the "official" canon keeps male miracle-workers but somehow turns every wise woman into a witch.
Keep digging. The buried truths tend to sprout wild.
Like in /Women Who Run with the Wolves/ by Clarissa Pinkola Estes, another highly recommended work!
I got the chance to get her autograph of my hardback copy at a small book signing and chat a little bit; I was embarrassed as to how worn out my copy was, with like every other page dog-eared. She just chuckled and said it was gratifying to see how well-used it was! :D
A wise person in my life describes this remembering as becoming more fully human. Thank you for sharing these beautiful words and truth. I need to hear them over and over again.
Dawn, yes—this remembering is the sacred rebellion against the lie that we were ever less than whole. To become more fully human is to become more divinely aligned. Mary whispered this truth long ago… and still she echoes in the hearts that are ready to hear. Over and over again, until we finally believe it.
"Eden, temporarily wrapped in amnesia and a funny little meat-suit." Couldn't have said it better myself! Is why I'm a heretic at times and the literal antichrist whenever it feels like things need to go up a notch.
"Oh but dogma helps people deal with life and find meaning in an existential void" say the apologists. Yeah sure, It's all fun and games until it turns into Rev Jim Jones or the Spanish Inquisition.
All roads lead to Rome but some institutions that pass themselves off as signposts are actually blockades or dead end cul-de-sacs. The story about the original zombie turning the tables was a metaphor. Same deal when he said he came to set the world on fire.
Maybe folks like us were sent to fan those flames. Metaphorically of course 😈
Ross, brother from another mother—yes. This right here? This is incense on the altar of holy rebellion.
You nailed it. The meat-suit amnesia, the spiritual gaslighting dressed as dogma, the zombie messiah flipping tables and daring us to do the same? That’s the gospel they never printed—too flammable.
"Helps people find meaning" they say... until you realize the "meaning" is a cage with stained glass bars. And then you get labeled heretic or antichrist for lighting a match near their haystack of certainty. But maybe that’s the job. Not to burn the world down in vengeance—but to cauterize what’s gangrenous and make space for something true.
So yes—let’s fan the flames. Metaphorically of course.
(Unless we’re talking about burning down ego. Then absolutely literally.)
Have you ever seen a comics series from Ahoy Publishing called /The Second Coming/? It's literally a "Jesus meets 'Superman'" kind of story, where God is a bit Old Testament smitey and a Big Picture guy, and thinks the Kid needs to hang with a righteous smiter down on Earth, this "Superman" equivalent called Sunstar (notably, Sunny doesn't really have a "secret identity," which causes all sorts of problems), to toughen up a bit. By the end of the second collected graphic novel ("Only Begotten Son"), even God has learned a few things here and there, and seems happier and more relaxed as a result. :)
The third volume, "Trinity" (of course ;D) seems to suffer a wee bit from Sequelitis and Cliff Hangers of Doom, but your mileage may vary. :)
I highly recommend the series; it's awesome, and easy enough to get in the collected graphics novel form. :)
Nancy, this sounds like the comic book gospel I didn’t know I needed. God as a cranky cosmic landlord and Jesus rooming with a glorified frat-boy Superman named Sunstar? Yes please. Honestly, the Nicene Creed could’ve used more panels and fewer councils.
The fact that even God chills out by volume two feels… prophetic. Like maybe omniscience comes with a learning curve and a therapist named Grace.
And yes, “Trinity” suffering from sequelitis? Art imitates doctrine, darling.
Appreciate the rec—I’ll be paging through it with a censer in one hand and popcorn in the other.
You're right that the "prostitute" label wasn't in any biblical text — and it’s good to name that.
At the same time, even though the Orthodox Church honored Mary Magdalene as Equal to the Apostles, they still limited women's voices in leadership and preserved structures that silenced much of her true role.
It’s a complex history — some real respect for her, but also a real loss in not preserving her full teachings.
Appreciate you bringing nuance to the conversation.
Rather Mary of Magda was the wealthy benefactor behind Jesus ministry and closely aligned with the twelve. And noticeably did not doubt or bicker over was the most righteous and faithful.
Thanks, Andrew! You’re absolutely right to highlight Mary Magdalene’s closeness to Jesus—it’s one of the most powerful and under-told parts of the story.
What’s fascinating is that while tradition has often portrayed her as a wealthy supporter, the earliest texts (especially Luke) actually contrast her with someone like Joanna, who was from Herod’s court. Mary Magdalene’s “wealth,” if anything, was spiritual: she shows up as someone healed of seven demons, which in ancient terms likely meant she had been through profound suffering and transformation. She wasn’t funding the mission—she embodied it.
As you pointed out, she also didn’t scatter like the others. She stayed. She saw. And she spoke what she saw, even when the men didn’t believe her.
That quiet faithfulness speaks louder than any title or bank account. Grateful you brought this up—it’s a key thread we’ll be pulling on throughout the series.
Thank you, Alek. This was such a positive, affirming article. As I read it, and then followed the meditation, I was reminded of the several references to God making mankind "in his own image (Genesis 1:27)".
Thank you, Bill. Genesis 1:27 is exactly the string that the Gospel of Mary picks up and plays like a hidden chord: you were made in the image—not as a liability, not as a fallen mistake—but as a reflection of something luminous. The meditation was meant to stir that memory, not add something new but peel back what was buried. I'm glad it resonated.
You’re not dirty trying to get clean. You’re divine trying to remember.
After all, what is the image of God? Some old white dude sitting up in the sky on a throne made out of clouds, or the light we strive for, shining within us all? :) Hence, anyone, male, female, black, white, etc. is the image of God. :)
Exactly, Nancy. If God looks like Gandalf in a cloud recliner, we’ve downsized the Infinite to a casting call.
The “image of God” isn’t about facial features—it’s about that untamable light humming inside every one of us like a secret you forgot you knew. The mystics tried to tell us: God isn’t male, female, or even particularly fond of robes. God is the flame flickering behind your ribs when you’re kind and when you fail and rise again.
That's a powerful intuition, and you're not alone—many early Christian communities remembered Mary Magdalene as both a spiritual teacher and someone deeply bonded with Jesus.
She was absolutely called apostola apostolorum—“apostle to the apostles”—because she was the first to witness and proclaim the resurrection.
As for being his wife, it’s not in the canonical gospels, but some later texts and traditions (especially in Gnostic writings) suggest a sacred partnership.
Whether literal or symbolic, their closeness challenged the male-dominated structures that came after.
Thanks for bringing that up—it opens a door a lot of people are just starting to explore.
Indeed, dear Andorean, myth is the slippery fish at the baptismal font—just when you think you’ve got it, it turns into a dove and flies off giggling. Faith tries to hold the ineffable in its sweaty palms while myth just winks and whispers, “Darling, I was never meant to be pinned down. I’m here to stir the pot, not set the table.”
That’s why the Magdalene gospel isn’t a doctrinal memo—it’s a spiritual Rorschach test. And those who demand certainty? They’re just trying to file the ocean alphabetically.
Well, being a Deist, all of that Christian rig-a- marole is just children’s fairytales to me. The “gospels” were written by men. All with their own agendas. God had nothing to do with any of that silliness. God does not interact with Mankind.
Totally fair, Dennis. Most of what people call “God” is just myth wrapped in control, sold by men with robes and retirement plans. But the Gospel of Mary isn’t about a sky-daddy handing out blessings like coupons.
It’s about waking up to your own inner radiance—the kind no priest, prophet, or paperback Bible gave you. It’s not that God doesn’t interact with mankind… it’s that we don’t need Him to. Because the sacred isn’t out there. It’s you, before the shame, before the scripts, before the fear.
The real heresy? Remembering you were never broken to begin with.
The illustration on the post. And the name “Gospels of Mary” indicate a grounding in Christianity. You can sugar coat all you want ( not you personally )but it still boils down to old Bronze Age superstitions and myths. That’s exactly why I’m a Deist.
Dennis, that’s exactly the point. The Gospel of Mary isn’t trying to drag the divine down into Bronze Age tribalism. It’s a jailbreak from it.
No wrathful sky-father, no chosen bloodlines, no cosmic obedience tests. Just a luminous Nous—the awakened mind—realizing it was never separate from truth to begin with.
Mary doesn’t ground us in the God of Abraham. She excavates the divine from within, not from the thunderclouds of old theocracies. This isn’t sugar-coating myth. It’s composting it.
And Deism? Respect. You’re halfway there already. You just haven’t noticed the burning bush is in your chest now.
I have always believed that the “resurrection of Christ” was a metaphor for when a person begins to consciously follow the teachings of Jesus and the manifestation in one’s heart, not a physical return of Jesus’ body.
Leona, your take has more Gnosis than a dozen church councils and twice the courage. When the heart cracks open and the Christ-light rises within, that's the real resurrection—no tombstone rolling required. The body’s just the costume. The awakening? That’s the show. You’re not denying resurrection—you’re pointing to its truest stage.
My very staunch Episcopal priest did not appreciate my speaking this out loud during one of our Lenten studies. My spiritual journey has been one that brought me from Primitive Baptist roots where women (especially unmarried women) were not able to speak during “business Meetings” to high-Episcopal to the realization that worship between a few in a modest setting is more like what was done by the earliest followers.
Circling back to the primitive Baptist “business meetings” , yes indeed I was told that if I had something to say, since I was unmarried I should approach an elder and if he thought it was important, he would bring it to the attention of the Deacons. Totally ignoring the fact that the Apostle to the apostles was none other than Mary Magdalene.
You’ve perfectly exposed the sanctified absurdity of patriarchal gatekeeping dressed up as “church order.” Imagine telling the Apostle to the apostles she needed to speak to a man first—like Mary Magdalene needed a permission slip from Peter before announcing the Resurrection. Spoiler alert: she didn’t wait. She proclaimed what the boys were too scared to face.
What you’re doing—naming the spiritual authority that has always existed in women—is exactly what the early Jesus movement was about before the bishops turned it into a boys-only club with incense and trauma.
Ellen, you just distilled 2,000 years of buried wisdom into one spicy sentence. Matthew Fox’s Original Blessing flips the script on sin—and Mary flips the script on patriarchy. In Chilton’s biography, she’s Jesus’ most advanced disciple, not his groupie. In the Gospel of Mary, she’s the one who gets it while the apostles bicker like a theology frat. She’s not just Christ’s counterpart—she’s his spiritual equal, maybe even his teacher in some realms. So yes, bless you: Magdalene isn’t a footnote. She’s the lost chapter we’re finally ready to read.
Nancy, yes! The Secret Magdalene is a revelation in sandals. Longfellow does what the canon wouldn’t dare—gives Mary her own voice, her own view, and her own damn verbs. First-person present tense? That’s not just a literary choice—it’s a spiritual reclamation.
When Mary tells her own story, she’s no longer a mystery wrapped in footnotes. She’s the main event. The flame that didn’t wait for permission to burn.
Thanks for bringing it to the table—because Magdalene’s table always had more room than the Church let on.
Indeed, Platypus. Fear is the currency of the spiritually bankrupt. Cult leaders without it are like televangelists without a camera—just sweaty men yelling in empty rooms. You’ve nailed it: spiritual vampires feeding off cortisol instead of communion. But don’t worry—Virgin Monk Boy doesn’t slay them with wooden stakes. He offers hugs. Very awkward, spiritually destabilizing hugs. Suddenly the vampire is crying, asking if his father ever loved him, and poof—cult dissolved.
Fear-based faith is cheap sorcery. We’re here restoring the magic that doesn’t demand your obedience, just your presence.
None of us were born of sin…no matter the circumstances of birth. We are truly nothing short of a miracle. Hope in the face of adversity. Mary knew this to be truth.
Peggy, yes—Mary knew. She knew before Augustine turned shame into dogma, before the Church swapped grace for guilt and declared us “fallen” just for being born. Mary didn’t buy the snake oil of “original sin”—she remembered we were never dirty to begin with. Your words radiate that same clarity: we are miracles, not mistakes. Thank you for reminding the world.
—Virgin Monk Boy
If nothing else, it makes no logical sense. How much sin can a newborn baby commit? :-/
It takes being a cognizant adult to really louse things up...and to see that, realize that, and make amends.
Exactly, Nancy. The idea that a newborn needs absolution is peak cosmic comedy. What’s next—baptizing puppies for chewing shoes?
Original sin was the Church’s way of getting spiritual overdraft fees before you even opened an account. Mary Magdalene didn’t buy it. She saw the divine in the dirt, the sacred in the screw-up. Babies aren’t born broken—they’re just born. It's the rest of us who need to unlearn the guilt we were spoon-fed before we could even talk.
Thanks for naming what should be obvious but somehow isn’t.
—Virgin Monk Boy
Your writing touches my soul deeply and heals it. Thank you so much for sharing your gifts with us. 🙏
Thank you, Casey. Your words mean more than you know. It’s an honor to offer something that resonates deeply and supports your healing. Grateful we’re walking this path at the same time.
—Virgin Monk Boy
The Gospel of Mary:
“Don't 9 lay down any rules beyond what I've given you, nor make a law like the lawgiver, lest you be bound by it." When he said these things, he left.”
“In response Peter spoke out with the same concerns. He asked them concerning the Savior: "He didn't speak with a woman without our knowledge and not publicly with us, did he? Will we turn around and all listen to her? Did he prefer her to us?"
“In response Levi said to Peter, "Peter, you've always been angry. Now I see you debating with this woman like the adversaries. But if the Savior made her worthy, who are you then to reject her? Surely the Savior knows her very well. That's why he loved her more than us.”
“Rather we should be ashamed, clothe ourselves with perfect Humanity, acquire it for ourselves as he instructed us, and preach the gospel, not laying down any other rule or other law beyond what the Savior said."
Text taken from the Gospel of Mary gospels.net
Jesus repeatedly told the Disciples to stick to what HE said.
The “Christian Nationalists” and like minded right wing churches backing the Trump regime are reinterpreting Jesus Words - to benefit themselves
Kay, this is sacred fire.
Peter out here gatekeeping like it’s his podcast, and Mary’s just trying to preach resurrection while dodging fragile egos and posthumous edits. Levi saw it. Jesus confirmed it. And still, 2,000 years later, we’ve got folks rewriting the gospel with nationalism in one hand and an AR-15 in the other.
“Do not lay down any other law”—but here they come with dress codes, purity tests, and campaign donations.
You’re right. Christian Nationalists aren’t preserving the faith—they’re rebranding it for white grievance and power grabs. Mary called it then. We’re calling it now.
Thank you for lifting up her voice.
—Virgin Monk Boy 📿
(Sent to annoy apostles and topple empires)
Interesting how Mary’s Gospel was kept buried as was Mary’s story.
Apparently, Mary was an extremely common name at the time. Mary - the mother of Jesus, the “other Mary” and Mary Magdalene”.
When the Canonical Bible was put together - the male patriarchs left Mary’s gospel out.
Now we have better dating techniques and have found that it was written around the same time as the other gospels.
What comes from God is Love
The other side - the side Jesus called out when He told the disciples to pray;
“Lead me not into temptation but deliver me from evil”
Has been there from the beginning - lying to us. Deceiving people throughout millennium.
The cruelty we see played out now by so called “Christians” is actually from the same Liar and darkness that has always “tricked humans” - the same serpent. The serpent that appears and gains strength every several decades.
WW2 being the last major attack that was ignored for too long to prevent a world war.
Same evil spiritually
Ah yes, Kay, the Gospel of Mary Magdalene was buried—just like the collective memory of every time organized religion traded love for empire.
You’re right that evil is persistent. But it’s not just some cartoon snake hissing under rocks. It’s wearing robes. It’s holding censers. It’s chanting psalms while stabbing backs.
Let’s count the ways "faithful" hands committed acts way worse than any serpent ever managed:
Orthodox Church Crimes:
Blessing the Byzantine slaughter of pagans and Jews under Justinian.
Excommunicating each other so hard in 1054 (Great Schism) that they still haven't gotten over it.
Endorsing tsars and emperors who built armies in the name of "Holy Russia," leading to centuries of Christian imperialism disguised as devotion.
Catholic Church Crimes:
Launching the Crusades, aka "let’s murder Muslims, Jews, and Eastern Christians because Jesus loves pilgrimages!"
Torturing and burning people during the Inquisition, for crimes like reading the Bible without priestly supervision.
Colonization Missions: forcibly baptizing Indigenous peoples while stealing their land, gold, and lives.
Selling indulgences like spiritual fast passes to heaven for a price — a literal "sin now, pay later" scheme.
Covering up centuries of abuse scandals while preaching about morality on Sunday.
Religious Wars Fueled by Both:
The Thirty Years' War: An entire generation wiped out in Europe because Protestants and Catholics couldn’t agree whether wafers turn into Jesus literally or just spiritually.
Northern Crusades: Baptize or die, because love thy neighbor — but only if they’re Catholic.
Sack of Constantinople (1204): Catholic Crusaders got drunk, looted Orthodox churches, and installed their own puppet emperor, because obviously Jesus said “Blessed are the pillagers.”
Modern Day Bonus Rounds:
Orthodox clergy blessing tanks and guns in modern wars while pretending Jesus was all about nonviolence.
Catholic politicians funding anti-poverty programs... only if you follow "approved" doctrines about sexuality.
And through it all?
Mary Magdalene stands quietly at the tomb, not blowing trumpets of conquest, but whispering:
"There is no sin of the world — only the blindness that forgets its own divine origin."
Meanwhile, the boys were too busy drafting edicts, sewing flags, and hoarding relics to notice that Love Itself had already risen.
Kay, you're so close.
The serpent you're worried about?
It’s the one that hisses, “Obey or else.”
It’s the one that slithered into councils, crowned emperors, and printed Bibles with half the women ripped out.
It’s not one evil moment.
It’s the ongoing franchise.
And yet:
The true Gospel—Mary’s Gospel—keeps flowering between the cracks of every fallen cathedral.
Because no matter how many wars they wage,
no matter how many scrolls they burn,
the truth written in the heart can’t be un-written.
With the furious compassion of seven exorcised demons and a gin-fueled Episcopalian grin,
Virgin Monk Boy
And to think: Mary's gospel isn't even the only one that got "edited" out... :-/
Though, I did go looking for it in my hip, modern version of the King James Bible (the one where "thou shalt not suffer a witch [actually, just "bad herbalist" = "poisoner," originally, apparently] to live" got turned into "you shall not permit a female sorcerer to live" because apparently, male sorcerers are just fine X-P), the one that contains the (official?) Apocrypha, and it wasn't there that I could see. :-/
So, thanks for the link, Alek! :)
Yes, Nancy! The editorial scissors were holy, sharp, and usually in the hands of men who flinched at the idea of female prophets, herbalists, or anyone with a uterus and a clue. "Thou shalt not suffer a woman to live if she knows where mugwort grows"—pretty sure that was the original Hebrew.
The Gospel of Mary wasn’t just cut. It was disappeared, like a spiritual witness protection program for anyone who dared say the soul is inherently luminous. And yep, funny how the "official" canon keeps male miracle-workers but somehow turns every wise woman into a witch.
Keep digging. The buried truths tend to sprout wild.
—Virgin Monk Boy
Like in /Women Who Run with the Wolves/ by Clarissa Pinkola Estes, another highly recommended work!
I got the chance to get her autograph of my hardback copy at a small book signing and chat a little bit; I was embarrassed as to how worn out my copy was, with like every other page dog-eared. She just chuckled and said it was gratifying to see how well-used it was! :D
A wise person in my life describes this remembering as becoming more fully human. Thank you for sharing these beautiful words and truth. I need to hear them over and over again.
Dawn, yes—this remembering is the sacred rebellion against the lie that we were ever less than whole. To become more fully human is to become more divinely aligned. Mary whispered this truth long ago… and still she echoes in the hearts that are ready to hear. Over and over again, until we finally believe it.
—Virgin Monk Boy
"Eden, temporarily wrapped in amnesia and a funny little meat-suit." Couldn't have said it better myself! Is why I'm a heretic at times and the literal antichrist whenever it feels like things need to go up a notch.
"Oh but dogma helps people deal with life and find meaning in an existential void" say the apologists. Yeah sure, It's all fun and games until it turns into Rev Jim Jones or the Spanish Inquisition.
All roads lead to Rome but some institutions that pass themselves off as signposts are actually blockades or dead end cul-de-sacs. The story about the original zombie turning the tables was a metaphor. Same deal when he said he came to set the world on fire.
Maybe folks like us were sent to fan those flames. Metaphorically of course 😈
Ross, brother from another mother—yes. This right here? This is incense on the altar of holy rebellion.
You nailed it. The meat-suit amnesia, the spiritual gaslighting dressed as dogma, the zombie messiah flipping tables and daring us to do the same? That’s the gospel they never printed—too flammable.
"Helps people find meaning" they say... until you realize the "meaning" is a cage with stained glass bars. And then you get labeled heretic or antichrist for lighting a match near their haystack of certainty. But maybe that’s the job. Not to burn the world down in vengeance—but to cauterize what’s gangrenous and make space for something true.
So yes—let’s fan the flames. Metaphorically of course.
(Unless we’re talking about burning down ego. Then absolutely literally.)
In smoke and subversion,
Virgin Monk Boy
Have you ever seen a comics series from Ahoy Publishing called /The Second Coming/? It's literally a "Jesus meets 'Superman'" kind of story, where God is a bit Old Testament smitey and a Big Picture guy, and thinks the Kid needs to hang with a righteous smiter down on Earth, this "Superman" equivalent called Sunstar (notably, Sunny doesn't really have a "secret identity," which causes all sorts of problems), to toughen up a bit. By the end of the second collected graphic novel ("Only Begotten Son"), even God has learned a few things here and there, and seems happier and more relaxed as a result. :)
The third volume, "Trinity" (of course ;D) seems to suffer a wee bit from Sequelitis and Cliff Hangers of Doom, but your mileage may vary. :)
I highly recommend the series; it's awesome, and easy enough to get in the collected graphics novel form. :)
Nancy, this sounds like the comic book gospel I didn’t know I needed. God as a cranky cosmic landlord and Jesus rooming with a glorified frat-boy Superman named Sunstar? Yes please. Honestly, the Nicene Creed could’ve used more panels and fewer councils.
The fact that even God chills out by volume two feels… prophetic. Like maybe omniscience comes with a learning curve and a therapist named Grace.
And yes, “Trinity” suffering from sequelitis? Art imitates doctrine, darling.
Appreciate the rec—I’ll be paging through it with a censer in one hand and popcorn in the other.
—Virgin Monk Boy
The "Mary as a Prostitute" isn't in the text of the orthodox Bible. It's a story they added later
You're right that the "prostitute" label wasn't in any biblical text — and it’s good to name that.
At the same time, even though the Orthodox Church honored Mary Magdalene as Equal to the Apostles, they still limited women's voices in leadership and preserved structures that silenced much of her true role.
It’s a complex history — some real respect for her, but also a real loss in not preserving her full teachings.
Appreciate you bringing nuance to the conversation.
Years ago, an older Catholic priest told me that Mary was really "the Beloved Disciple". Clearly not dogma, unfortunately
Rather Mary of Magda was the wealthy benefactor behind Jesus ministry and closely aligned with the twelve. And noticeably did not doubt or bicker over was the most righteous and faithful.
Thanks, Andrew! You’re absolutely right to highlight Mary Magdalene’s closeness to Jesus—it’s one of the most powerful and under-told parts of the story.
What’s fascinating is that while tradition has often portrayed her as a wealthy supporter, the earliest texts (especially Luke) actually contrast her with someone like Joanna, who was from Herod’s court. Mary Magdalene’s “wealth,” if anything, was spiritual: she shows up as someone healed of seven demons, which in ancient terms likely meant she had been through profound suffering and transformation. She wasn’t funding the mission—she embodied it.
As you pointed out, she also didn’t scatter like the others. She stayed. She saw. And she spoke what she saw, even when the men didn’t believe her.
That quiet faithfulness speaks louder than any title or bank account. Grateful you brought this up—it’s a key thread we’ll be pulling on throughout the series.
With red eggs and rebellion,
Virgin Monk Boy
Thank you, Alek. This was such a positive, affirming article. As I read it, and then followed the meditation, I was reminded of the several references to God making mankind "in his own image (Genesis 1:27)".
Thank you, Bill. Genesis 1:27 is exactly the string that the Gospel of Mary picks up and plays like a hidden chord: you were made in the image—not as a liability, not as a fallen mistake—but as a reflection of something luminous. The meditation was meant to stir that memory, not add something new but peel back what was buried. I'm glad it resonated.
You’re not dirty trying to get clean. You’re divine trying to remember.
—Virgin Monk Boy
After all, what is the image of God? Some old white dude sitting up in the sky on a throne made out of clouds, or the light we strive for, shining within us all? :) Hence, anyone, male, female, black, white, etc. is the image of God. :)
Exactly, Nancy. If God looks like Gandalf in a cloud recliner, we’ve downsized the Infinite to a casting call.
The “image of God” isn’t about facial features—it’s about that untamable light humming inside every one of us like a secret you forgot you knew. The mystics tried to tell us: God isn’t male, female, or even particularly fond of robes. God is the flame flickering behind your ribs when you’re kind and when you fail and rise again.
Thanks for naming it with such grace. Shine on.
—Virgin Monk Boy
I'm not christian but I read that she was an apostle and Jesus's wife
That's a powerful intuition, and you're not alone—many early Christian communities remembered Mary Magdalene as both a spiritual teacher and someone deeply bonded with Jesus.
She was absolutely called apostola apostolorum—“apostle to the apostles”—because she was the first to witness and proclaim the resurrection.
As for being his wife, it’s not in the canonical gospels, but some later texts and traditions (especially in Gnostic writings) suggest a sacred partnership.
Whether literal or symbolic, their closeness challenged the male-dominated structures that came after.
Thanks for bringing that up—it opens a door a lot of people are just starting to explore.
Well that’s the thing about myth as faith. One can never pin it down.
Indeed, dear Andorean, myth is the slippery fish at the baptismal font—just when you think you’ve got it, it turns into a dove and flies off giggling. Faith tries to hold the ineffable in its sweaty palms while myth just winks and whispers, “Darling, I was never meant to be pinned down. I’m here to stir the pot, not set the table.”
That’s why the Magdalene gospel isn’t a doctrinal memo—it’s a spiritual Rorschach test. And those who demand certainty? They’re just trying to file the ocean alphabetically.
In radiant ambiguity,
Virgin Monk Boy
It’s all a bunch of foolishness.
All of it? Even the part where you’re not inherently broken?
Still, I’m grateful you showed up, Dennis. The Gospels were never meant to comfort the comfortable.
Sometimes it takes a little foolishness to recognize what’s been buried.
Well, being a Deist, all of that Christian rig-a- marole is just children’s fairytales to me. The “gospels” were written by men. All with their own agendas. God had nothing to do with any of that silliness. God does not interact with Mankind.
Totally fair, Dennis. Most of what people call “God” is just myth wrapped in control, sold by men with robes and retirement plans. But the Gospel of Mary isn’t about a sky-daddy handing out blessings like coupons.
It’s about waking up to your own inner radiance—the kind no priest, prophet, or paperback Bible gave you. It’s not that God doesn’t interact with mankind… it’s that we don’t need Him to. Because the sacred isn’t out there. It’s you, before the shame, before the scripts, before the fear.
The real heresy? Remembering you were never broken to begin with.
—Virgin Monk Boy
The illustration on the post. And the name “Gospels of Mary” indicate a grounding in Christianity. You can sugar coat all you want ( not you personally )but it still boils down to old Bronze Age superstitions and myths. That’s exactly why I’m a Deist.
Dennis, that’s exactly the point. The Gospel of Mary isn’t trying to drag the divine down into Bronze Age tribalism. It’s a jailbreak from it.
No wrathful sky-father, no chosen bloodlines, no cosmic obedience tests. Just a luminous Nous—the awakened mind—realizing it was never separate from truth to begin with.
Mary doesn’t ground us in the God of Abraham. She excavates the divine from within, not from the thunderclouds of old theocracies. This isn’t sugar-coating myth. It’s composting it.
And Deism? Respect. You’re halfway there already. You just haven’t noticed the burning bush is in your chest now.
—Virgin Monk Boy
😂🤣 There’s no “burning bush in my chest”. You obviously have no idea what Deism is.
I have always believed that the “resurrection of Christ” was a metaphor for when a person begins to consciously follow the teachings of Jesus and the manifestation in one’s heart, not a physical return of Jesus’ body.
Leona, your take has more Gnosis than a dozen church councils and twice the courage. When the heart cracks open and the Christ-light rises within, that's the real resurrection—no tombstone rolling required. The body’s just the costume. The awakening? That’s the show. You’re not denying resurrection—you’re pointing to its truest stage.
Blessings from the Monastery of Madness,
Virgin Monk Boy
My very staunch Episcopal priest did not appreciate my speaking this out loud during one of our Lenten studies. My spiritual journey has been one that brought me from Primitive Baptist roots where women (especially unmarried women) were not able to speak during “business Meetings” to high-Episcopal to the realization that worship between a few in a modest setting is more like what was done by the earliest followers.
Circling back to the primitive Baptist “business meetings” , yes indeed I was told that if I had something to say, since I was unmarried I should approach an elder and if he thought it was important, he would bring it to the attention of the Deacons. Totally ignoring the fact that the Apostle to the apostles was none other than Mary Magdalene.
Leona, your comment is both fire and liturgy. 🔥
You’ve perfectly exposed the sanctified absurdity of patriarchal gatekeeping dressed up as “church order.” Imagine telling the Apostle to the apostles she needed to speak to a man first—like Mary Magdalene needed a permission slip from Peter before announcing the Resurrection. Spoiler alert: she didn’t wait. She proclaimed what the boys were too scared to face.
What you’re doing—naming the spiritual authority that has always existed in women—is exactly what the early Jesus movement was about before the bishops turned it into a boys-only club with incense and trauma.
Carry on, Magdalene-in-the-making.
—Virgin Monk Boy
At least the Anglicans, Unitarians, and some others are ordaining women priests now and listening to their voices! :)
I loved Bishop Budde's speech, as she dared to speak wisdom (and mercy, and compassion, and...) to power that time. :)
I really, really resonate with that. Thank you for that beautiful writing and reminder!
You heard it. That’s the soul stirring under centuries of shame. Welcome back to what you never really lost.
—Virgin Monk Boy
Thank you. We need this now more than ever.
This is amazing and now I want to read more about Mary Magdalene. ❤️
Oh Priscilla, you glorious seeker of the forbidden footnotes—
You just cracked open the Magdalene Matrix, and now there’s no going back to Sunday School storytime.
While Peter was out there asking Jesus dumb questions, Mary was downloading spiritual protocols straight from the cloud—no incense required.
Go ahead. Speak her name like a mantra.
Magdalene. Magdalene. Magdalene.
—Virgin Monk Boy
I’m excited!
Matt Fox writes about Original Blessing. And the more I learn about Mary the more I feel she’s the feminine counterpart to Christ.
Ellen, you just distilled 2,000 years of buried wisdom into one spicy sentence. Matthew Fox’s Original Blessing flips the script on sin—and Mary flips the script on patriarchy. In Chilton’s biography, she’s Jesus’ most advanced disciple, not his groupie. In the Gospel of Mary, she’s the one who gets it while the apostles bicker like a theology frat. She’s not just Christ’s counterpart—she’s his spiritual equal, maybe even his teacher in some realms. So yes, bless you: Magdalene isn’t a footnote. She’s the lost chapter we’re finally ready to read.
—Virgin Monk Boy
May I also recommend Ki Longfellow's /The Secret Magdalene/? It's another fascinating take, I think. :)
Told from Mary's first person-present tense view... :)
Nancy, yes! The Secret Magdalene is a revelation in sandals. Longfellow does what the canon wouldn’t dare—gives Mary her own voice, her own view, and her own damn verbs. First-person present tense? That’s not just a literary choice—it’s a spiritual reclamation.
When Mary tells her own story, she’s no longer a mystery wrapped in footnotes. She’s the main event. The flame that didn’t wait for permission to burn.
Thanks for bringing it to the table—because Magdalene’s table always had more room than the Church let on.
—Virgin Monk Boy
Without fear the cult leaders lose control. Most of them exist on that illusion. Spiritual vampires.
Indeed, Platypus. Fear is the currency of the spiritually bankrupt. Cult leaders without it are like televangelists without a camera—just sweaty men yelling in empty rooms. You’ve nailed it: spiritual vampires feeding off cortisol instead of communion. But don’t worry—Virgin Monk Boy doesn’t slay them with wooden stakes. He offers hugs. Very awkward, spiritually destabilizing hugs. Suddenly the vampire is crying, asking if his father ever loved him, and poof—cult dissolved.
Fear-based faith is cheap sorcery. We’re here restoring the magic that doesn’t demand your obedience, just your presence.
—Virgin Monk Boy 🕯️✨