Theos-Talk Archives (May 1999ar Message tt00040)

In a message dated 5/5/99 5:01:20 PM Eastern Daylight Time, Richtay@aol.com 
writes:

<< Funny, I would expect to find this kind of statement on "Marxism.com" and 
not 
 on a Theosophical discussion.  It is interestly that in Louis' long diatribe 
 there is not one reference to KARMA.  Why it is that individuals suffer?  
 What kind of external forces shall we blame?
  >>

Hello Rich,

I'm sorry that you found my comments unappealing. I always try to be clear 
and to the point, as you are so often. One thing for sure, I did not intend 
for that post to have any political stamp on it, Marxist or otherwise. My 
only concern here was to address the "link" between what we think and feel, 
on the inner planes and what gets manifested on the physical plane. That is 
not a matter of Marxist commentary but rather, pure esoteric philosophy. For 
me, KARMA, is a given. It is the operative presumption in everything I say 
and think about. That said, I am afraid that I do forget to mention it 
sometime because I assume that everyone knows, that's what I am talking 
about. Sorry, my mistake.

<<But I am under no illusion that even if we were to take up every 
bit of money, power and knowledge and magically distribute them absolutely 
equitably to everyone, within 20 years we would again have serious imbalances 
worldwide.  People would offer to others their goods in exchange for various 
services, or squander their wealth, or misuse it through addiction or 
delusion.>>

Why would that be Rich? If you included information about human spirituality 
and genuine opportunity in that distribution, and it would take at least 20 
years, perhaps longer, to begin to impact a generation, why wouldn't it begin 
to resolve more of human suffering then our current attempts do?  Wouldn't 
some of the things mentioned in your last sentence also begin to get better 
with a proper distribution of empathetic sensitivity. Unless of course your 
suspect a germ of evil in the human heat and soul that cannot be reversed or 
eradicated. Is that possible?

<< And this disease is nothing other than the Buddhist group of three 
miseries: greed, hatred, and ignorance.  And there is no other cure than 
spiritual self-culture and the sharing of THAT wealth.>>

Agreed. This is exactly what I thought I was conveying when I said, the 
problem is one of human greed, selfishness and misdirected will on the inner 
planes. It is NOT one of too many people. 

<<Try as we might, there is NO ONE to blame for our ills other than 
ourselves.  
We must not be lazy and fall back on old yarns like "society" or "prejudice" 
or even "my parents."  They are merely instruments of our karma.>>

Whose causes lie where, If not in our failure to embody the spiritual ideals 
and virtues? Again I thought I was making this point.

<<If hunger and poverty and illness were so easily solved as a redistribution 
of the wealth, wouldn't the Masters last century have cited Karl Marx at 
every turn?>>

Don't think so. After laying down the tenents of Spiritual Idealism and 
Virtuous living (I do not mean restrictive virtues, rather, what it is right 
to do.) Why would they have to? If you mastered the one, you mastered the 
other by definition.  

Once again Rich, I think we really are saying the same thing here. We are 
just saying it differently.

Louis

-- THEOSOPHY WORLD -- Theosophical Talk -- theos-talk@theosophy.com

Letters to the Editor, and discussion of theosophical ideas and
teachings. To subscribe or unsubscribe, send a message consisting of
"subscribe" or "unsubscribe" to theos-talk-request@theosophy.com.