Theos-Talk Archives (June 1998 Message tt00437)

June 19th

Dear Kym:

Speaking for myself.  I am quite able to express myself without
quotations as you may have noticed from my various postings.

I hold that Theosophy can best be expressed by those who "brought
it."  For our present cycle and age, the job fell to HPB and to
her colleague and co-worker in America, Mr. William Quan Judge.
The "quotations" are intended to put the reader into direct touch
with the source from which we have all met Theosophy, and to
efface myself from that contact, so that I do not influence the
understanding of the reader.  That's all.

HPB brought the same age-old truths that all the Great Teachers
down the ages have spoken of, and which religious reformers down
the ages have eventually made "religions" of.  Such religions to
flourish have encouraged the "masses" not to think, to remain
ignorant, to have "faith," and to put their blind trust in
priests (of whatever denomination or sect).

HPB respected Jesus and spoke in the highest terms of him and his
mission.  The churches have tried uniformly, almost, to spoil his
liberating influence.  He originally came to reform the exoteric
religion of the Jews.  The priestly Levites, and Pharisees and
the orthodox hated him and planned his murder.  Why ?  Because he
destroyed their power, their "authority," and liberated  a few of
the common people from the yoke of "blind belief."  But, as
usual, most people love having someone else to do their thinking
for them, and to be able (subconsciously) to have someone else to
"blame" if things go wrong.

Is it not strange that the reforms of which he spoke are still
not observed in practice even to day by those who say they are
"Christians ?"  Who among us practice in daily life all the
injunctions of the "Sermon on the Mount ?"

Sadly we may say that if that were sincerely attempted most of
our present, so loved civilization would be used in such
completely different ways within a week, that much of it would
not recover, and the so-called "rich and powerful" would turn to
being true servants of the people instead of their leeches.
Vice and crime would vanish.  Fear of so many things would cease.
Think for a moment of what a universal understanding of the
"immortality of the soul, of honest Karma, of "paying all of
one's debts;" and of "reincarnation" would do to world living and
thinking.

HPB spoke harshly of the churches, temples, synagogues, etc...
and gave full reasons.  She did not wish to destroy the
benevolence of Jesus (or of any Great Teacher)  -- as They all
belong to a single Fraternity -- at all.  But she desired people
to begin to study and think for themselves.  That is tough
medicine for most of us, whether we are devotees of a religion or
a science.

Yes, Science has its beliefs, theories and priests who declare
its infallibility, while it will be found to be changing all the
time  -- I can't tell you how many times in my life I have seen
scientific theory reversed and changed, and I have been editor
for a science publishing house for some time.

What I am annoyed at, angry perhaps, is that when I was a child I
was taught those were FACTS, not theories, and only after I
burdened my mind and memory with those "facts," I was later told
that they were untrue and ought to be modified.  Why should I,
you, the world be so constantly lied to ?  Why should our mental
powers be kept submerged by "authority ?"  Why ?   Why does the
educational system in all countries not devote time to teaching
children to think logically, with both heart and head. compassion
and reason ought to develop together.  Brotherhood is  symbolic
of such a change.  The Theosophical Movement is founded on the
Universality of our whole Living.  Nothing less.  There are no
reserved seats.  Yes I know there is talk of occultism,
esotericism, and secrets.  Are there any really ?  If Nature
contains all and Is all, then they are for the discovering.  The
path of learning does not stop with graduation and a job.  It
merely continues.  And as usual it is a climb.
This anyone can observe.  If one develops an invention and does
not care to announce it dangers, then in many cases those who use
it suffer.  I would not call the atom bomb a useful development
of scientific acumen.  It is utterly heartless in concept and
usage. The wars and politics  of nations are also symptomatic of
the disease of selfishness fear and ignorance that burdens us all
to some degree.  How mush do we take for granted either because
we do not care to investigate, or desire to "go out and play"
like the irresponsible children do ?  When does human adulthood
begin ?

How many times have priests (of various religions) claimed to be
the hearers of the latest orders from "Heaven, " or from "God's
own mouth ?"  And how can anyone believe for a moment that there
is TRUTH in that ?  If the priests are powerful, and have the ear
of God, then why have they not already arranged to banish evil
and suffering, torture, genocide, famine, and oppression from the
Earth ?  If they have power then why have they not used it ?  And
so on.

Ah, yes, there is a "devil !"  And who is stronger God ?  The
priest would desire us to believe that, but cannot at the same
time account for his weakness.  Ah yes.  Providence and divine
dispensation, the testing of the moral mettle of the poor
ignorant parishioners or their "Faith." etc... nonsense !  Or as
HPB might put it:  "Flapdoodle ! "

As to authorities in Theosophy.   You are the sole authority, and
you read and decide what is reasonable.  No "organization" or
"Theosophical body" speaks for any kind of orthodoxy as theosophy
is essentially heterodoxy, and respect for individual opinions.
Brotherhood is tolerance, but it is not ignorance, nor does it
encourage permissiveness.

If you look on Karma as a "party pooper" then consider how much
fun it would be putting your bare hand in the fire.  Or trying to
dry your clothes under a waterfall.  No we accept those rules of
nature that we are able to understand.  what is so difficult
about trying to behave honestly and sincerely ?  What kind of
perverted pleasure is there in anonymously harming another, or
drugging oneself into insensibility with alcohol or various
drugs, so that one is no longer in command of one's actions.  Why
is insensibility considered fun, at the expense of careful and
cautious responsibility and the spontaneous care for the
well-being of others around us ?  Yes, I know for some the
pressures of the day are deemed to bring some due and justifiable
relaxations at the end of the day -- a rest -- but is this to be
a reasonable or an unreasonable immersion into a psychic pleasure
time ?  All those questions are ETHICAL questions, and so far,
most of us have been prevented from considering them.  Either
they are too difficult or they are not subjects for polite
discussion.  And why so ?

Why is it unpopular to say that any evil thought or act will draw
from Nature a painful response ?  Why is it that we look on "good
fortune" as our due, and on suffering and pain as unjust to us ?
Is it that we have never been shown the intimate connection
between ill thinking, ill acting, and suffering of a personal
kind -- disease, accidents, reverses of fortune, etc...  Why are
we such awful cowards that we would do to unknown persons harm in
the dark, when we cannot be recognized, so as to be held directly
accountable for what we do that is ill ?  Is it so awful that we
suddenly find out that nature has been looking at us directly all
this time, and that everything we have done has ben accurately
entered into our karmic account ?

What we ought to be asking is why are we being told this fact so
late in life !  Why did not our parents and our teachers tell us
that we would be unable to evade the direct consequences, in due
time, of all that we think and do ?  Why does this conspiracy of
silence
continue ?  What is it in us that likes to "live dangerously ?"
Why do we like continuing to be ignorant ?  these questions ought
to be asked of ourselves by OURSELF.  We have no doubt done this
before.  But where except in Theosophy have explicit answers been
given ?

I think this is enough for one early morning.  best wishes,
Dallas

> Date: Thursday, June 18, 1998 10:55 PM
> From: "Kym Smith" <kymsmith@micron.net>
> Subject: Gamblers Anonymous

>Daniel wrote:
>
>>But without viewing HPB as
>>the "messiah
>>of Theosophy" and her works as "the bibles of Theosophy", I
certainly
>>think
>>HPB's works are worthy of reading and studying.
>
>I certainly agree.  However, I was most curious about whether
one could be a
>Theosophist without ever having read HPB.

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DALLAS :

Of course.  HPB was only a Messenger.  The rules and laws of
Nature have existed way before her exposition.  They are the
innate common-sense we all have.  They are CONSCIENCE, the voice
of the Wisdom that we have interiorly acquired over aeons of
experience.  We are immortals, and carry a memory of all we have
been through the "Voice of Conscience" always warns us BEFORE we
make a choice.  When we make a bad one, we often feel remorse,
which is reflecting on the results that will accrue to us,
inevitably, from either good or wrong doing.        Dal.

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