Theos-Talk Archives (May 2000 Message tt00211)

In my opinion,of corse my view is MY view,EBT has an eye with a
bigger picture.I agree with him.Race is a human word/term.It seems
humans have the capacity for the vilest atrocity and the noblest deeds
and they have a need to define the undefinable.Trying to define what any
person has written or said may be a waste of time.Paraphrasing and
references are fine but will anyone truly be qualified to explain the
truth behind another humans ponderings.After all,in my opinion,even
HBP's work was prejudiced;of corse none intended but a slant is always
apparant because of ego.
    Query:is clarity of thought an oxymoron?My experience has been that
clarity arises within me in the absence of thought.I do not post often,I
prefer to observe,however I do appreciate the conversation of this group
and the acceptance of all interaction.
                    Sincerely(a neo-phyte)Scott  









Eldon B Tucker wrote:
> 
> In THE SECRET DOCTRINE, I. 480, HPB says:
> 
>  > Since only a certain portion of the secret teachings can be given out
>  > in the present age, if they were published without any explanations or
>  > commentary, the doctrines would never be understood even by
>  > theosophists. Therefore they must be contrasted with the speculations
>  > of modern science. Archaic axioms must be placed side by side with
>  > modern hypotheses and comparison left to the sagacious reader.
> 
> Blavatsky was writing in terms that westerners of her age would
> understand. Her references to science, to how things were viewed in
> her era, were clothed in the language, myth, metaphor, and prejudice
> of the time. If she were writing the same materials in our age, it'd
> likely be in different words.
> 
> If Blavatsky were writing in the middle ages, her words would have
> to conform to the prejudices of the time, in order to not be
> violently stamped out. The language of the Mysteries, which she
> sought to express, would have to be more thickly veiled.
> 
> The very lowest part of ourselves, the animal-physical nature, called
> the vital-astral-physical monad, has definite features, traits,
> genetic code that has a strong influence on what it is and what
> happens to us. But that is not the real "us." We are the intermediate
> nature, a conscious entity of mind and heart, pulled down by our
> animal nature and uplifted by our spiritual core.
> 
> While we may have a physical body of a certain appearance, with
> certain traits, our actual self is quite independent. Someone
> may be born in China, with one appearance, yet feel more at home
> in California. Another person may be born in a crowded European
> slum, yet find most comfort in the life of a woodsman.
> 
> In Blavatsky's time, the term "race" may have been useful. In our
> day the same term more likely denotes prejudice based upon superficial
> things likes someone's appearance. (Of course, there are many forms
> of prejudice, some acknowledge as bad, others openly practiced,
> like the hateful shunning of fat people, as though there were something
> wrong with them.)
> 
> Earlier root races and subraces may have different physical
> appearances. But the physical form is not the determining factor.
> One can have a particular physical form and yet be in any currently
> existing so-called race.
> 
> The races are more like cultural theaters. They are also like
> special classes at school. Some are at different grade levels; but
> many are just different courses, subject areas, specialized experiences
> that any of us may, through karmic necessity, chose to go through.
> Yet another way to describe them is as different specializations of
> the collective unconscious, several active at any period of history,
> new ones arising as others fade into oblivion.
> 
> In considering human evolution through the races, we need to
> keep clear the distinction between the evolution of races,
> cultures, societies, on a macro scale, as distinguished from the
> evolution of the individual on a micro scale, who through personal
> karma slips into and out of one race after the other, not
> necessarily in a particular sequence.
> 
> Various cultures have persisted over time. There have been
> general improvements in most or all of them. For the most part,
> slavery is gone, both based upon race, nation of birth, and
> social standing. Women are getting more of an equitable position
> in life. Disease and starvation are being wiped out in some parts
> of the globe, though still rampant elsewhere. Constant warfare,
> crime, and violence is on the decline, although again there are
> hot spots on the globe where things are still awful. More and
> more people are getting the basics of food and shelter taken
> care of, leaving them a bit of time for philosophy, a consideration
> of art, for doing things for others and wondering about life and
> the world.
> 
> Coming finally to the comment regarding the Australian natives
> as degenerate remnants, this means that the culture-form, the
> type of society and life-experience that they currently have, is
> old, worn old, losing its life energy, becoming less and less
> attractive, as less-and-less people chose to be born into it.
> This is not to say that renovation isn't possible there. In any
> part of the world, certain pioneering spirits, certain advanced
> humans may be born that can bring about revolutionary changes in
> a culture's psyche, transforming it into a place highly-attractive
> for incarnating souls -- be it there, or in the uncaring heart
> of a major western metropolis like New York City, or in our
> own neighborhood!
> 
> -- Eldon
> 
> At 10:18 PM 5/20/00 -0400, you wrote:
> >In the Secret Doctrine I found a reference to the "Negroid" race as a
> >degenerate remnant of the Lemurian race that would soon die out.  She
> >describes them physically and actually names examples of certain peoples (I
> >believe the Australian natives were one of them.)  What do you make of that?
> >Its pretty hard to write that off as a reference to a a totally spiritual
> >race.  If you dont believe me i can fish out the quote I believe I have it
> >highlighted.
> 
> -- THEOSOPHY WORLD -- Theosophical Talk -- theos-talk@theosophy.com
> 
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