Playing Poker with Constantine and the "Christian Poker Association"

Web Publication by Mountain Man Graphics, Australia

Playing Poker with Constantine
& the "Christian Poker Association"

analogy

Origens

_Index of Articles _______


(1) .......... Introduction: CPA and GPS

(2) .........  The Gnostic Playing Cards

(3) .......... A Tabulation of the "Full Decks" for the CPA and the GPS

(4) ...........Introduction to "Twisted Histories" and Moebius

(5) ...........The "Twisted Histories" of the CPA and the GPS

(6) ...........The Nicaean Poker Tournament of 325 CE (Not yet available)

[Index]

Intoduction to the Analogy

In these articles, by the term "Gnostics", we refer to the authors of the "Gnostic Gospels", or rather the "Gnostic Aces" and "Gnostic Kings" that recent archaeological discoveries are highlighting.

The christians revered their playing cards and their game of poker, as did the gnostics. What does the evidence tell us about these religious books, "the playing cards" and the players of the CPA and the GPS, and the natures of their games of poker in antiquity?

[Index]

The Gnostic "Playing Cards"

review

ACES: The Gnostic Gospels

KINGS The Gnostic Acts

QUEENS: The Gnostic Wisdom Sayings

JACKS: Letters and Correspondence

TENS: Gnostic Apocalypses/Revelations

Minor Cards: Gnostic Treatises (25)

The data columns tabulated are as follows: Column 1: Title of the text linked to an Engish translation of the text itself (where possible) Column 2: Attestation Status according to the Orthodox heresiologists, Column 3: Mainstream Chronology, according to a consensus of contemporary academics Column 4: Alternative chronology proposed by the editor of this table. Column 5: Editorial Comments & Notations, Column 6: Year of discovery, Column 7: Date of earliest manuscript evidence, Column 8: Date of Earliest mention, Column 9: Other collated notes. At the conclusion of the tabulation are some editorial comments. [DRAFT PHASE: March 2011]

[Index]

Tabulating the FULL DECK of Playing Cards for the CPA and the GPS
Name of Card	Description of Card	#Cards used by CPA	#Cards used by GPS	#CPA Deck	#GPS Deck
Aces	Gospels	4 Christian Aces The Tetrarchy of Aces of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. (Tetrarchy means the "leadership of four".) The Four Aces were such powerful playing cards that a separate ready-reckoner table, called the "Ace Canon Tables". was routinely packed with each pack of CPA cards, and assisted the CPA Poker players in the playing of, and in the order of playing, their aces.	24 Gnostic Aces An Arabic Infancy Ace, The Ace of Bartholomew, The Ace of Gamaliel, The Infancy Ace of James, The Ace of Judas, The Ace of Mary [Magdalene] The Ace of Nicodemus, The Ace of Peter, The Ace of Philip, The Ace of Pseudo-Matthew, The Ace of the Ebionites, The Ace of the Egyptians, The Ace of the Hebrews, The Ace of the Lord [by Marcion], The Ace of the Nativity of Mary, The Ace of the Nazoreans, The Ace of the Twelve Apostles, The Ace of Thomas, The Ace of Thomas - A 5th Century Compilation, The Infancy Ace of Thomas [Greek Text A].	4	24
Kings	Acts	1 Christian King (of Acts) One (Monotheistic) King - being the Acts performed by the Four Aces Holders on behalf of the One King	29 Gnostic Kings (of Acts) The King of Peter, The King of Andrew, The King of Andrew and John , The King of Andrew and Matthew , The King of Barnabas, The King of Bartholomew, The King of John the Theologian, The King of Luke, The King of Mark, The King of Matthew, The King of Paul and Thecla, The King of Peter and Andrew, The King of Peter and Paul, The King of Philip, The King of Pilate, The King of Polyeuctes, The King of Simon and Jude, The King of Thaddaeus, The King of the Martrys, The King of Timothy, The King of Titus, The King of Xanthippe, Polyxena, and Rebecca, The Death of Pilate, The History of John, The History of Joseph the Carpenter, The King of Andrew, The King of John, The King of Paul, The King of Peter, The King of Thomas, The King of Peter and the Twelve Apostles.	1	29
Queens	Sophia (Wisdom)	*0 Christian Queens ("Sophia")* The "Feminine Influence" is conspicuously absent from CPA playing cards. For reference to the "Logos" see the "John"; for reference to wisdom sayings, see the The Sermon on the Mount presented within the "Matthew". Be aware that when the poet wrote about the divinity "in whom we live and move and have our being ..."; the Greek poet was talking about Zeus.	9 Gnostic Queens ("Sophia") The "Feminine Influence" is conspicuously present in the GPS playing cards, as is the voice of the "Queen of Wisdom", Sophia.	0	9
Jacks	Letters / Epistles	22 Christian Jacks "Letters that 'Jack' wrote" Attributed to the following: Paul (14), Unknown (3), Peter (2), John (3).	6 Gnostic Jacks Some of the letters classified in this section are now regarded as CPA forgeries.	22	6
Tens	Revelations/Apocalyses	1 Christian Ten 10th Heaven Revelation	12 Gnostic Revelations/Apocalyses	1	12
Nines to Twos	Treatises	0 Christian Minor Cards Minor cards (treatises) were generally not recognised as playing cards by the CPA, and possessed little or no value in the hand of Poker at CPA Casinos. It was all power play with four aces and the king of the CPA.	25 Gnostic Minor Cards The GPS appear to have used some of these lesser cards extensively.	0	25
TOTALS	All Cards	Christian Poker Association (CPA)	Gnostic Poker Systems Inc (GPS)	28	105