Khlyst Sect
1600 + - Khlyst Sect - a member of a secret Russian Christian sect that originated in the 17th century or earlier, taught that God becomes incarnate in many Christs through their suffering, and followed ascetic and ecstatic practices. They believed in direct communication with the Holy Spirit and practiced the ritual of radenie ("rejoicing"), which was characterized by dancing, speaking in tongues, and prophesying.
Grigori Rasputin first heard about it from a seminarian from the monastery of Verkhoture. Verkhoture was a breeding ground for the sectarianism. The monks apparently followed the external rules of Orthodoxy but strictly adhered to the precepts of the sect. (a)
According to the Khlysty's own oral traditions, he was the founder of the sect in 1645. He was said to have become a "living god" and delivered twelve commandments to his followers.
Identified as Filippov's successor and named his "new Christ". He is said to have acquired a group of twelve apostles, along with a woman who was called the "Mother of God
Grigori Rasput According to the Encyclopaedia Brittanica was introduced to the Khlysty (Flagellants) sect. Rasputin perverted the already warped Khlysty beliefs into the doctrine that one was nearest God when feeling “holy passionlessness” and that the best way to reach such a state was through the sexual exhaustion that came after prolonged debauchery.
(a) see - gabrielknight.fandom.com
https://gabrielknight.fandom.com/wiki/Khlysty
quote:
Khlysty Sectarians taught that the Church's prayers and rituals were only necessary only for the unawakened. The priests of the Church had missed the true road to God which only the prophets of the secret brotherhood preached. The Church doctrine, which was earthly and lacking in inspiration, clung only to the letter of the law, while the Khlysty teachings were inspired by God. The man, who through grace, was in direct communication with the Holy Spirit no longer needed the laws and ritual forms that the Church devised hinder human reason.
This was the example set forth by Danbila Filipich who before becoming enlightened was a serious student of the Scriptures and other religious writings; but afterwards discarded all of these works and became a seeker of the truth in the "golden book of life."