Demiurge, pronounced like Demee-Urj, is a Greek word meaning "designer" or "builder" as in a literal architect or mason. But the word lost its common usage and people like Socrates and Plato began using it to refer to the hypothetical principle or entity which designed creation. But then the word took on another meaning...
by William Blake
"Demiurge" took a new meaning when it was adopted by Gnostic Christians.
The Gnostics (NAH-stick. G is silent. Same root word as "know") were an early sect of Christianity whose teaching was supposedly built on the traditions of Egyptian philosophy.
They were a rather mysterious group, lost to history, until the discovery of the Nag Hammadi Library; an ancient text which, like the Dead Sea scrolls, was discovered by accident in the 20th C.
The Nag Hammadi Library includes a text entitled "The Hidden Gospel of John" which describes the cosmological beliefs of the Gnostics.
The Gnostics believed that Jehova, the god of Abraham, was not the true God; the true origin of all things. Rather, they believed that Jehova was a vain and evil meddler who posed as the real God in order to enslave humanity. By reading the Old Testament, one can see how they came to this conclusion. They called this evil being Yaldabaoth, and called him the Demiurge to describe his control over the material world.
The Nag Hammadi Library includes a text entitled "The Hidden Gospel of John" which describes the cosmological beliefs of the Gnostics.
The Gnostics believed that Jehova, the god of Abraham, was not the true God; the true origin of all things. Rather, they believed that Jehova was a vain and evil meddler who posed as the real God in order to enslave humanity. By reading the Old Testament, one can see how they came to this conclusion. They called this evil being Yaldabaoth, and called him the Demiurge to describe his control over the material world.
The Demiurge Yaldabaoth is often depicted as a snake with the head of a lion.
This site is filled with images from ancient religious and mythological works. Highly recommended.
The Gnostic view on the god of Abraham was an unforgivable heresy to the more Judaic Christian factions. The Gnostics and their philosophies were quashed by roughly the same groups of Christians which gang-raped and dismembered the Pagan philosopher Hypatia; the same faction which would later become the Roman Catholic church.
And this is the reason why a lot of people haven't heard about Gnosticism. Here is a faintly dismissive summary of Gnostic beliefs by mainstream Christians.
With the advent of the internet though, apocryphal and pseudepigraphical ideas such as those of the Gnostics are beginning to spread again. They are of course, also being remixed and reinterpreted and corrupted all over by association with the weirdest fringe theories and beliefs.
http://www.enemies.cc/ is a neat example of this. Here, Gnostic beliefs are thrown in with all the other stuff that didn't make the official cut of the bible; giants, Nephilim, Lilith, and so on. The resulting neo-mythology is perfect for people who reject mainstream beliefs, but will still believe anything. (search "archon" on youtube. You'll see what I mean.)
Seriously, this stuff is like HEAVY METAL magazine, except free! It makes awesome inspiration for weird, gonzo D&D settings. Highly recommended.
And the Armchair?
An Armchair General is someone who studies military science for fun, and his knowledge is entirely academic, right? And a Dungeon Master creates worlds, but his works are entirely imaginary. So, Armchair Demiurge means Dungeon Master.
Seriously, this stuff is like HEAVY METAL magazine, except free! It makes awesome inspiration for weird, gonzo D&D settings. Highly recommended.
And the Armchair?
An Armchair General is someone who studies military science for fun, and his knowledge is entirely academic, right? And a Dungeon Master creates worlds, but his works are entirely imaginary. So, Armchair Demiurge means Dungeon Master.
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