Theos-Talk Archives (August 1999 Message tt00073)

Dr Aidan Rankin wrote:
> However I don't see that it is necessary for all of mankind
>or indeed all Theosophists to adopt vegetarianism,

I also see no reason for the whole world to follow one philosophy, whether 
vegetarianism or whatever. What is right for one person or group can be wrong 
for another, and vice-versa. And, as we know, what is right or wrong for one 
person during one period might be wrong for that same person in another time.

I'm reminded of a dream in which I had been paid $1000 for doing something 
for someone. Then that same person gave me a check for a second $1000. He was 
paying me to kill someone. After some thinking, my dream self returned the 
second check to the person and told him that while it was wrong for me to do 
the killing represented by that check, that it was NOT wrong for that person 
to do it.

Years ago, when I was a relatively new driver filling my tank at the 
self-serve pump, I'd flip the lever to turn off the machine, then I'd drain 
the hose to get a few more pennies of gas for free. Now, I don't do that 
because I've decided, for myself, that it's wrong for me to take that extra 
few drips of gas. I don't believe that I was sinning when I did it in the 
70's, and I don't believe that people who do it today are sinning if they do 
it, but I believe that I'd be sinning if I did that again. A small real life 
comparison to the comment in the first paragraph and the dream in the second.

When someone tells me that everyone should not eat a particular type of food, 
I am reminded of certain southern baptist friends of mine who tell me that I 
shouldn't drink an occasional glass of wine. They tell me that since Jesus 
didn't drink, I shouldn't. (Yes, I refrain from laughing, I remember the 
story about Jesus and the wine). (Those friends also say that's why their 
church serves grape juice for communion, even though the Bible is very plain 
that it was a glass of wine that Jesus shared with the disciples (if memory 
serves) at Passover. If the person just said they do it with grape juice from 
church preference, that would be different, but trying to quote the bible is 
what makes me laugh. One church I visited took it further, they served water 
and store-bought bread for communion the Sunday I visited there, then 
preached that it isn't the elements count, but what's inside our hearts when 
we take the communion that counts.

The world is a world of diversity. I don't think God expects everyone to 
embrace one philosophy, whether it be vegetarianism or theosophy or any one 
religion or whatever.

However, it would be nice if more people, within their own philosophies, 
would start to admit that other philosophies have the opportunity to also be 
as correct as they are. No philosophy, including my own, is 100% perfect.

We are seeing some of that in current events.

Two years ago, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, United 
Presbyterian Church, United Christian Church, and the United Reform Church 
voted to accept each others pastors in their pulpits, serving communion, etc. 
A similar agreement with the Episcopal Church failed to get a 2/3 majority by 
6 votes (out of 1000+ people), but the vote to bring it up again two years 
later was unanimous. The ELCA approved it by a slim margin when it came up 
again just a week or two ago.

On this upcoming October 31, the anniversary of the day that Martin Luther 
posted his 97 theses to the wall of the chapel in Wittenberg, Germany, the 
pope is supposed to announce that Martin Luther was right with some of his 
complaints about Catholocism, one example being that people were taught that 
they could buy their way into heaven. The pope will announce that we only get 
into heaven by the Grace of God (or words to that effect).

When the Pope visited St Louis this summer, he invited a Jewish Rabbi to read 
one of the lessons, and the pope read from Buddhist Literature. I'm sure 
there are other examples.

One piece of humor regarding the upcoming Catholic announcement. After my 
sister converted from Lutheran to Catholic, she told me, repeatedly, that the 
Pope is perfect and never makes mistakes, and that catholocism is a perfect 
religion, and that Lutheranism is wrong because of what a sunday school 
teacher told her (that teacher didn't believe that the wine and bread were 
blood and body of Jesus, just a representation). After the press release 
announcing the agreement for the two churches to lift the condemnations that 
were put upon each other almost 500 years ago, I forwarded that e-mail to my 
sister hoping she'd admit that catholocism and lutheranism might both be 
equally right. She responded by telling me, in very pointed terms, that the 
selling of dispensations (or whatever the buying your way into heaven is 
called) was merely something done by a MINORITY of catholics, and that it 
never represented the official position of the church. She also makes a point 
of reminding me that I cannot take communion in her church.

I choose not to call myself by any one term. I "crash" the theosophical 
meetings in Sulphur Springs because I want to learn more about as many 
different philosophies as I can. (People in the S.S.T.S.Camp know that I 
crash because my mom pays for the whole weekend and only attends half).

I joined this list, and a few other lists, and visit other places for the 
same reason, to increase my understanding. It would be a pretty boring world 
if everyone were the same.

Because I don't want to claim any one descriptor, I coined a term that 
emphasizes my belief that all philosophies worship the same God. In my 
opinion, even the atheists and agnostics are partly right in their thinking. 
Some atheists I met were atheists because they found something wrong with 
every religion they visited. At least they're honest with their reason. 
Instead of looking for what's wrong, I choose to look for the good I can see, 
and look for ways to add it to my way of thinking, which does not match any 
one religion.

John Knoderer
Multidenominational Cafeterealist

P.S. I found some interesting newsletters at <A 
HREF="http://www.shagmail.com/al/affiliates.cgi?276";>this site</A>. You might 
enjoy some, too. Bizarre News, Numerology, Dear Abby, etc.
And, if any of you feel like it, sign <A 
HREF="http://www.planetall.com/main.asp?cid=6100887&s=193";>my address 
book</A>.

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