Theos-Talk Archives (November 1997 Message tt00294)

Catherine wrote:

Dear Sveinn:

>>
 Your point about "religious dogma" is well made. But dogma doesn't need to
be "religious" to be dogma. I have met an exceptional amount of people who
make HPB's writings and the other TS figures into a dogma. In my humble
opinion, dogma is dogma regardless of who said it. If what one individual
said was the end of an issue we would never evolve. I long ago concluded,
accurate or inaccurately, that when we fall on "dogma" we stop thinking for
ourselves. I place AAB along side (not above) HPB and the other "founders or
foundations" of Theosophical Teachers. As Buddha said: "If it agrees with
your consciousness use it, if not disregard it." (paraphrase). If HPB's
writings are treated as dogma is that person fit for a group studying
comparative studies?

My opinion: Let each person believe as they see fit even the dogmatic can
offer something.

Catherine >>
__________________

Dear Catherine.

Thank you for your thoughtful letter.

You say: < "I have met an exceptional amount of people who make HPB's
writings and the other TS figures into a dogma." >
My comment: Sorry to hear this.
One must make a difference between an earnest theoretical student, and
a fanatical dogmatic devotee.

You say: <"If what one individual said was the end of an issue we would
never evolve." >
My comment: I have said this many times.

You say: <"If HPB's writings are treated as dogma is that person fit for a
group studying comparative studies?" >
My comment: Blind and mindless belief in a written text, is not truth seeking.
It is stagnancy; no matter what text it is.

You say: <"I long ago concluded, accurate or inaccurately, that when we
fall on "dogma" we stop thinking for ourselves.">
My comment: I share your opinion.

You say: <"I place AAB along side (not above) HPB and the other "founders or
foundations" of Theosophical Teachers.">
My comment: I agree with you and say: The best is yet to come.

You say: <"My opinion: Let each person believe as they see fit even the
dogmatic can offer something.">

Your gentle comment is wise.


Best wishes,

Sveinn Freyr

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Extracts from a letter: Date: Wed, 12 Nov 1997
>From: "Sveinn Freyr" <meta@isholf.is>
>Subject: - Our place in Cosmic Evolution.

>> "(See ~Letters on Occult Meditation~ and ~Esoteric Healing~ by AAB)."

 Why those books.?

At best, when we deal with ideas, we should try, not to refer to writers.
By referring to writers, we limit pour possibility of free thought.
And then we create a climate of controversy, because all writers have their
pro and against.

Those books written by AAB, should have the respect they merit.
But what is that.? I will - in brief - tell you my opinion.

Some of the books; she wrote herself, as a person.
The other books, she wrote as a secretary, for a certain Ashram - A School
of Thought -
She wrote for more than one person, some of them students in the Ashram, and
the books are therefore different in quality.
It is not without reason, that in those books we find the sentence:
"Notice that my first two books are different." We can say, that the three
books are different, as we must include "The Letters," as a book:
Those books are not error free. There are mistakes to find in them.

A few proof reading errors have been corrected by later versions.

I think that the meaning behind the sentence: "Notice that my first two
books are different." Is that; - there is a change in the style of writing
when A.A.B. begins to write by the seed thought method.
Then sometimes she has to long a laps and gets off track.
Seen in our time, it seems to be that she did not notice it.? But still, many
of her books are of rare quality.
By my opinion: The best book of those she wrote by the seed thought method,
is the book: Esoteric Psychology - Volume II. - That book is by my opinion;
a mind work of a Chohan.

Then we find also in her books a breed of fanaticism.
That is perhaps the reason why those who in a blind way accept the
writings of A.A.B. as a religious dogma; are unfit to take part in a group
work for comparative studies.

There is no question in my mind, about the sincerity of A.A.B.
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