Theos-Talk Archives (December 2000 Message tt00007)

Looking at theosophy as a historical movement in the past say 
hundred and fifty years... there were probably those who also 
had colonialist ideas as well as those who believed in the 
superiority of european civilization over Asian cultures... In India 
many of the elete were educated in Oxford and led in the 
beginning to believe in the superiority of western european 
civilization. With the world wars however and movements like 
communism and fascism it became apparent that western 
civilization had no corner on humanism or enlightenment, hence 
the rekindling of interest in Buddhism and Hinduism, etc. 

Theosophists in India were prominant in their sympathy for 
Buddhism and later the independence of India.

That fascism and in particular Nazism had an interest in 
esoteric (likely due to an interest in German cultural heroes like 
Siegfried, Parzifal, etc.) as well as astrology ideas must be 
appreciated in the context of the times.. Racism was widespread 
not only in Germany but in practise in the United States as well... 
The belief in the superiority of the Aryan race was a product of 
nineteenth century scholarship .... Examples could be cited in 
esoteric literature of a concept that some races were more 
"developed" or had a more determining role in various ages... 
So what we have is a movement simply reflecting the times.

Other aspects of theosophy seemed progressive in some ways, 
such as the promotion of Peace movement by Katherine Tingley 
or prison reform and basic welfare of starving people. Recall that 
Tingley was serving people in soup lines when she was 
observed by WQ Judge.

I think in some ways the Theosophic movement has lost some 
of it's social equalitarian ideals of a hundred years ago or at 
least no longer is on the cutting edge shall we say ... Yet some 
Anthroposophists continue social and educational experiments.

I think there are also movements outside the traditional 
theosophical movement that show very promising directions in 
progressive social experimentation. 

To me movements that practise nonviolent ways to achieve 
social egalitarianism are few but significant. 

One such movement was prominant in India in the fifties led by a 
protege of Mahatma Gandhi Vinoba Bhave which involved the 
peaceful and voluntary redistribution of millions of acres of land 
to landless peasants.

Vinoba also secured the disarmament of more than one band of 
guirillas fighting in Kashmir in the fifties...

The Jain Anuvrata movement in India is also a movement 
attempting to achieve ideal social relationships based on 
nonviolent philosophy.

The issue of polluting nations verses the rest of the world is 
another great question that has momentous consequences and 
I think can be best addressed with the philosophy of nonviolence 
or Ahimsa. 

- Art



--- In theos-talk@egroups.com, dalval14@e... wrote:
> Dec 4th 2000
> 
> Dear friend/s:
> 
> I agree that in no way the exponent of a philosophy which is
> based on UNIVERSAL BROTHERHOOD can in any way be 
considered a
> narrow and bigoted racist.
> 
> THEOSOPHY does NOT advocate physical heredity as a basis 
for
> "racial purity." It demands the highest ethical standards based
> on fairness, justice, and above all SERVICE to the weakest 
among
> us but the "STRONGEST." It asserts that no SPIRITUAL EGO 
(which
> forms the basis for any person, anywhere, and at any time or 
era)
> can be considered superior to or inferior to another. [SD II 425,
> bottom of the page refers to this position.]
> 
> THEOSOPHY is not a philosophy of BULLIES, but of devoted 
donors
> who sacrifice all they have for the sake of those who are 
weaker
> and need more than they do. It is considered an honor for the
> "STRONG" to make their strength available as a free service to
> the weakest among us.
> 
> Do we not instinctively honor those who present in their lives
> such a devotion? Are not virtues and ideals instinctively
> honored? If so, why? Why do thieves and murderers pretend 
to be
> honest and protectors of the "the Law?" How many great men 
and
> women are remembered? Compare that with the roster of 
BULLIES
> who have despoiled the multitudes and devastated the
> country-sides!
> 
> HPB is most careful to explain that the special use of the word
> "RACE" is entirely different from the way in which the word is
> ordinarily used. If anything it also indicates a division of
> time during which evolution takes another series of steps with
> the help of all those involved in a specific area and condition.
> 
> If anything it might be said that a group of Egos with similar
> broad PERSONAL characteristics are drawn by their individual
> KARMA to incarnate together. A "race" arises, lives for a few
> centuries and when the need for that kind of a personal
> environment changes, the quality of the Egos that incarnate 
also
> changes and the "race: may then decline and eventually 
disappear.
> 
> Theosophy indicates there are SEVEN broad groupings (in 
terms of
> character and quality of development. They are not superior or
> inferior to one-another, only different in outlook. To use an
> example already 5,000 years old: In the BHAGAVAD GITA, 
Krishna
> speaks to Arjuna of the THREE divisions (GUNAS) of the 
Universe;
> which, when combined, make up 6 pairs, and in the (neutral)
> center, alone stands Krishna/Vishnu (the PRESERVER) as the
> synthesis of those 6 + 3 = 9. Or:
> 6 + 1 = 7 + 3 primaries = 10 (the perfect NUMBER in
> manifestation).
> 
> SATTVA (Spirituality, Righteousness, Idealism) is opposed by
> RAJAS (Desire, Vice, Selfishness, Activity) and TAMAS (Inertia,
> laziness, carelessness, selfishness). This gives rise to
> Sattva-Rajas, and Sattva-Tamas. Similarly for the other two, 
two
> other "pairs" are generated. We thus have 3 primaries and 6
> secondaries = 9 in total. Add Krishna at the Center = 10 (the
> perfect number).
> 
> A wonderful amalgamation of diverse ethnic groups drawn 
from all
> over the world is in the process of development today in this,
> our modern era; first in the Americas, and now spreading to
> Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, and other countries and islands
> as travel has made un-traditional families possible, and as 
work
> or leisure makes travel easier and wider for various reasons.
> 
> The Nazi, Hitlerian type of racism (or any such narrow concept)
> is found to be directly opposed to the THEOSOPHICAL view of 
an
> enormous "host" of immortal and Eternal Pilgrims traversing 
the
> world in the pursuit of their individual and joint perfection.
> 
> If each incarnation is considered a "day in school," then the
> "graduation" at the end of the 'Course" brings a complete
> knowledge of all the laws and qualities of matter which have 
been
> sampled, observed, dealt with, manipulated , etc... by each
> immortal "Pupil" each in his or her turn.
> 
> It is UNITY that is important and not the ISOLATION of selfish
> UNITS. Nature works by COOPERATION, and the seeming 
competition
> we observe around us, is only a mal-application. From that
> torture, death and delay in the great program has occurred.
> 
> These are of course only my own thoughts on the subject, 
based on
> such Theosophical principles as can be found in the original
> literature of the founders of the THEOSOPHICAL MOVEMENT, 
such as
> H. P. Blavatsky, who wrote THE SECRET DOCTRINE. The 
whole of the
> philosophy has to be considered, not selected portions.
> 
> Best wishes,
> 
> 
> 
> W. Dallas TenBroeck
> 
> ===============================================
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Compiler [mailto:compiler@w...]
> Sent: Sunday, December 03, 2000 2:05 PM
> To: basic@b...
> Subject: [bn-basic] Re: The Secret Doctrine and Racism
> 
> There is nothing in the entire history of HPB's life and work,
> and in all of her
> writings, that would suggest that she was racist and would in 
any
> way, shape, or
> form condone Nazism. On the contrary, "Universal 
Brotherhood" is
> the rock-solid
> foundation and whole theme of her work and mission, and the
> eternal THEOSOPHICAL
> MOVEMENT. Just because Hitler and his cronies may have 
took ideas
> from Theosophy
> and "The Secret Doctrine', and twisted them, for their own 
racist
> ways, in no way
> should HPB or Theosophy be held accountable. It is my 
opinion and
> contention that
> if HPB could have had the chance to advise Hitler in any way, it
> would have been
> to try to help him to see the great faults in the ways he was
> thinking about
> humanity, and to change directions.
> 
> Compiler
> (John DeSantis)
> -------
> 
> M8452@a... wrote:
> 
> > I was reading Nicholas Goodrich Clark's book "Occult Roots 
of
> Nazism" and was
> > rather surprised by the fact that he called it esoterically
> racist. I read
> > Joscelyn Godwin's book Arktos Polar myth and he felt the 
same.
> Is it fair to
> > label theosophy and the SD as racist? How would everyone 
here
> refute this
> > argument?
> >
> > ---
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> > http://www.blavatsky.net/talk/bnbasic/basicSyllabus.htm
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> 
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