Theos-Talk Archives (February 2001 Message tt00033)

Dear Jim:

I think the tone of settle conviction, which students of
theosophy who have studied it vigorously for many years, emerges
because it is not a belief system at all.

It is said to present ideas and study concepts that have been
current for millions of years and studied in far greater detain
than our sole contact with the universe this incarnation though
the medium of the tangible matter we deal with daily provides.

The Science and Art of Theosophical systems include also the
philosophy, psychology and religious views of those who in
ancient times, as in more modern ones,, here in the West, abs in
the East, have developed, checked and verified by minute
comparison of the activities and workings of Nature.

The concepts of Universal Law, of the evolution of the Mind/soul,
not only in humans, but also in other beings, animals, for
instance, and those men who have surpassed our limited mental
capacities, reincarnation, karma, cooperation, interaction,
benevolence, generosity, assistance and service -- far surpass
any limited views developed with this concept of personality as a
selfish, isolated, and territorially limited for this single
life, concept ever has.

The vista of the field of learning stretches out into the future
with no apparent limits (save the illusion of death and
dissolution we find developed and manufactured for us to stumble
into.) The vista of the past is also found to be limited by the
senseless destruction of libraries and monuments. It is not
necessary to go into the many details of a sad destruction of
history we all suffer from.

Then there is the systematic mutilation of ancient texts basic to
all religions and social mores -- which are, as presently
translated, shaped by the modern ideas of antiquity for which no
sound base can be found established except in fancy -- calling
our ancestors savages, and ignorant in no way elevates us, as we
see modern savages and great ignorance right at hand everywhere
as far as our civilization goes.

To drive a car, steer a boat, fly an airplane or type and run a
calculator is no sign of great ability -- 2,000 years from now
these various pieces of apparatus will be destroyed and hardly
any traces of them will exist. What then is imperishable?

Books -- well perhaps 2,000 year if they are on some imperishable
fabric, but I have books in my library that are 50 or 75 years
old and they are disintegrating.

When we come to ideas which are not all inscribed we say there
will be no tangible evidence of their existence. Yet, they need
to be immortalized. Scrutinized. Checked for accuracy, etc...
This is precisely what Theosophy does: it records, it teaches,
it asks for intense scrutiny, it claims no AUTHORITY, no
UNIQUENESS. It seeks to evoke from the depths of each persons'
consciousness the living record of metaphysics, of morality and
ethics, of the capacity to rediscover that wisdom inherent in
each of us. It makes of each man and woman their own priest and
resists most strongly the blind acceptance of authoritative
proclamations. What could be freer or more desirable to possess?

Theosophy seeks no proselytes. It presents a survey of our
universe and opens doors for us to carry on our own development.
It recommends our searching within our own selves for the great
secrets and wisdom Nature had preserved for us there.

It is necessary to study the message of theosophy and discover
for ones' self the fundamental concepts displayed for us to
consider and use if we wish to. It does not cater to a host of
"blind believers." It asks for minds to open and seek the light
of the ages which shines from within each of us. To find that
our terrene eyes need to become clearer.

What is faith? It is either the memory of what we have
experienced, or it is the display of what others have experienced
or rationalized. In either case the methods used, the
perceptions and events witnessed have inherent patters that
relate to universal ideas, concepts, and experience. It is for
us to transform "belief" into "certainty" by applying these three
touch-stones to any memory, or account we are presented with.

Best wishes,

Dallas

===========================


From: Jim Rodak [mailto:rodakjl@pcola.gulf.net]
Sent: Thursday, February 01, 2001 7:29 PM
To: Theosophy Study List
Cc: Theosophy Study List
Subject: Faith vs. Fact

Greetings ~ The more I read on these lists, the greater my sense
is that
many respondents are so convinced of their positions re: whatever
is under
discussion that much of what is being presented as fact are none
other than
models of what their whole structure is purported to be. And
where did the
information that the models are based on come from? From the
experiences
and readings the originators - and from those with whom the
originators -
were exposed to. There is very little that I have read that is
"original"
with the founders of whatever belief system is under discussion.
Much of it
is nothing more that a synthesis of the originator's experiences
and
writings, regurgitated and given a spin in the form that we see
presently.
Therefore, are we not expected to take it on "faith" that what is
presented
has credibility and validity - i.e., "faith" as defined as " the
firm belief
in something for which there is no proof; complete confidence
that what is
postulated is true but not based on fact?"

I believe that I can safely state that every so often we all get
an
intuitive "gut feeling" that some ideas and proposals have "a
ring of truth"
to them. However, I also strongly believe it essential that we
always keep
in mind that when we are discussing many of these subjects that
we are
examining none other than another person's model of that person
beliefs as
to "how things are" and discriminate between what are facts of
the matter
and what are matters that we are simply putting our faith in. By
examing
these subject areas in this context, I believe that we rise above
the
tendency to get bogged down, emotionally and intellectually, with
matters
that may, in reality, be nothing more than a chimera.

Until next time! Fraternally and respectfully, Jim Rodak


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