Theos-Talk Archives (June 1996 Message tt00037)

At 05:50 PM 6/25/96 -0700, Richtay@aol.com wrote:

> Without ethics, there IS NO THEOSOPHY. It's my personal belief,
> but I feel it is perfectly defensible, that the entire extended
> teachings, philosophy, principles, cosmology, etc. were given
> out as SUPPORTS for the basic teaching of brotherhood in practice
> and the amelioration of suffering, largely caused on this planet
> by selfishness and immorality.
>
> Rounds, races, etc, etc, fascinate me, and I find them useful in
> many ways, but I think they form only a philosophical framework
> whose centerpiece is "strenuous self-evolution toward altruism
> for the betterment of the whole." Lose the centerpiece, and the
> framework is, as Jerry says, at best useless and at worst frankly
> dangerous.

For many theosophists gathering cosmologic information and
pondering subtilities of karmic law, reincarnation etc seem to be
the main purpose for studying T. This is made the ultimate goal
and BECOMING and LIVING the teachings is taking the back seat, at
best. An emphasis on ethics would turn this around. We all need
"strenuous self-evolution toward altruism for the betterment of
the whole" and if this was our main goal there would be less
hairsplitting and more service affecting the present and future
civilisation for the better.

Mother Theresa is an example of a Chela who is living the path.
There are many shining examples, and they all became what they
are by unselfish service.

Bjorn