Theos-Talk Archives (August 2001 Message tt00176)

Friday, August 17, 2001


Dear Friend:

To be succinct, Theosophy shows how every choice we make affects
our future and that of others around us. It is KARMA in operation
for individuals and for nations, races and religions.

This interlocking network has always existed but has not been
clearly explained. The difference is the fact of individual
responsibility. Karma is produced when we choose. If we do this
according to the laws of Nature we harmonize and support instead
of fighting and degrading our inner and outer environment -- I
mean in addition to the purely physical the "Kama-rupic" element
of selfishness and greed.

Nature (if you will agree to look on it as the GOD-LIKE PRINCIPLE
in all things) did not invent "religions." Men did. Men, who
were selfish, and self-serving, desirous of power and wealth.
And that marks the nature of religion as an exclusive and
orthodoxy and as an "organization" everywhere. But within that
present exterior, there is a core of the original RUTH -- as
envisaged by the Prophet who came to a specific people and at a
specific time to assist them. This is of course the priceless
grain of TRUTH. We can seek and find it in each of them. It is
common to all.

The unfortunate conflicts between current religions as practiced
in their dogmatic and fanatical aspects, have all arisen because
the concept of UNIVERSAL BROTHERHOOD has been submerged by the
priests who have also subverted the original teachings of their
respective prophets. It is they who preach exclusivity instead
of the unity of principle, of ideal, and of VIRTUE that underlies
all in Nature's creative whole.

True religion is all-embracing, kind, compassionate and does not
demand exclusive loyalty or adherence. It looks into the Soul of
things and seeks the origin of the force of life that has brought
them (including mankind) into existence at any one time. It
educates and evokes the Manasic (thinking) faculty and bids its
followers to look into the reasons for things and thus become
truly WISE.

Whether Bible or Koran, if the populace is invited to study it,
then the position of "priest" disappears. Instead the assistance
of a teacher of wisdom and compassion emerges. The difference is
universality, impersonality and charity.

But, at the risk of being long winded, may I also offer the
following for consideration -- as an explanation ?

Religion is more of a hindrance than a help; and leads when not
clearly understood, it can be turned into dogmatism, fanaticism
and, from those emerge the horrors of inflicting unnecessary and
unreasonable pain on others, whom we do not know. But for the
fact or reincarnation into another religion, those who are killed
might be in past lives our relatives, friends, brothers and
parents.

Religious wars always are of this nature and the trail of forced
conversions and unprincipled genocide demonstrate this. When
religious orthodoxy is employed for political and wealth-amassing
reasons, insanity results. That it is permitted to continue is
another insanity. The real problem is that people have not been
taught to think things out on principles. The principles
involved have not been clearly exposed. Theosophy does this.

I think the main question is: what is the value of Theosophy.
Underlying that, what exactly is THEOSOPHY? There are many
definitions, but some simple ones are needed.

If we find that THEOSOPHY is actually an impersonal system, like
a "science," which demands no "blind faith" and no "adherents,"
and, if is offered for us to consider and determine if it is
useful, then there is no imposition or pressure placed on any
one.

Some who have found it useful, have tried to trace its origins.

They found it valuable and sharing it with others, they suggested
that a research might determine if was useful. With this
"non-pressure" approach, and a field that is slightly
different -- as it looks into the causes of things -- several
minds, working together might be able to achieve a consensus or a
"proof" of its value.

The following historical review could be considered.

1.	Antiquity shows many religions and faiths were separated in
space and time. There were many "faiths," and these had a history
of many millions of adherents.

2.	The Age of European Exploration: History then records that
the Nations in Europe generally speaking, had one religion.
Moved by the beliefs and dogmas of this religion, the politics
of expansion, trade, colonization were framed. This included
forcible conversion to Christianity of the militarily weak
"natives" of various regions around the world. It also included
the general destruction of ancient records. Genocide is seen
historically to have been widely practiced

3.	The Age of Questioning, and of "Reformation." From the era of
imposed "Faith," and "Blind Belief," which was the field of
"organized religion" we can see that since the days of the
"Renaissance" and the "Reformation" Europe moved into an era of
independent "inquiry" and "research." This is found to be the
beginning of way out of the supervision of "religion."

4.	The Age of Independent Research opened. Independence of
religious overlays, analysis of Nature and her diversity was
initiated. Academic revolution proceeded, and was gradually
removed from Church dominance. Areas of research widened, and as
discoveries were found to contradict dogmas, secularism set in.
This became the era of scientific research and discovery. Its
field is almost entirely ruled by observation. Materialism as an
answer to observed and recorded data set in. The search for
"Cause" was not pursued except in theories based on materialism.
As fresh discoveries were made those theories as to "cause' were
altered. They are still being altered.

5.	The Age of Research into Causes is upon us. The seeking in
various departments of Nature for the facts and ways of life that
are established there since an incredible antiquity has produced
a paradox: Inquiry into "cause" showed materialism unable to
answer everything. This area of fresh research covers a far
wider area, and intriguingly, it seems to involve a synthesis
rather than an analysis of Natures' laws and ways.
anthropology, psychology, religion, mythology, tradition, and
science. It also covers the fragmentary records left to us all
over the world of the saying and reform efforts of Wise Men in
the past of all nations, sects and countries.

We sense that inquiry and research into the composition and
operation of our world and universe is unified, so we look for
the evidence that will support elaborated theories. Facts that
are already in place have to be relevant to diversity.

These questions arise? Are there actual laws, energies and
powers that operate (in Nature) beneath the surface of forms we
can sense? Are these not detectable already? Can they not be
brought into a harmony of interacting fields ? Do electricity
and magnetism play a part in this? And if so what causes them to
act as they are found to do?

Now, from that area we are beginning to look into the CAUSES for
"things as they are." A new era opens, the era of research into
the substratum, the basis, the causes that underlie the
situations we now live in.

6.	This is a "transition age." And it is called that because we
are passing from the cycle of research in the physical into the
research of the sub-physical -- of causes, of energies, of
powers, choices, and the nature of free will.

Those have been there all along, but not well recognized.
Chemistry always has been there, but in medieval ages it was
called "Alchemy." And before that it was "Magic." Not
unsolvable mystery, but, the Wisdom of Chemistry in an age when
it was not generally recognized and no general laws formed part
of everyone's education.

Speaking of tracing the common threads in religion I found in The
SECRET DOCTRINE that H.P.Blavatsky seems to have done this in
part in SECRET DOCTRINE I pp. 363, 424-45, II 23, 143-4, 248,
764, 767.

Also if one traces the prevalence of symbology it becomes clearer
that in many cases the older religious philosophies used common
signs and glyphs. In The SECRET DOCTRINE I found the following
pages seemed relevant: S D I 4 - 6, II 551-2, 536, 621-2,

Best wishes,

Dallas

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



-----Original Message-----
From: my email [mailto:christina@md.prestige.net]
Sent: Thursday, August 16, 2001 8:09 AM
To: study@blavatsky.net
Subject: [bn-study] Re: Gopi's post

I am growing a little anxious myself...obviously "religious"
folks cannot
"see the forest thru the trees"...

...one doesn't have to look much further than Isreal...here is a
most awful
thing...a conflict caused EXCLUSIVELY by these devout "religious"
and
political patriots[!]

Why do they do what they do? How can they justify their action
in the name
of what is holy...?!

Let them learn to understand what it means to give and not
receive, and they
will begin to see truth.

But, how are we going to present the truth to these that kill
and take,
with all sincerity, for 'God' ? It is going to take something
other than a
Theosophist's humble and silent knowing, for them to even notice
Theosophy
today and all it has to offer the world.

The different cults and religious sects that are proliferating
demonstrate
that everyone is basically tired of dogmas and confused about
their
[KamaRupa]emotions and what to do with that energy.

Personally speaking, i could care less about the whys and
wherefores of the
Bible versus the Koran [a lot is interesting, but a lot is just
too much
information and we digress from the task at hand].

Extracting the common threads of knowledge from these world
religions
interests me, and further, relaying truthful information to the
world at
large interests me. Let's be succint when it comes to making
Theosophy a
solution. Let's GET IT GOING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Christina Karlhoff
Student at Large

-----Original Message-----
From: Gopi Chari [mailto:ekcvv@juno.com]
Sent: Thursday, August 16, 2001 12:07 AM
To: study@blavatsky.net
Subject: [bn-study] Re: Gopi's post


Hi Larry,

I like your separation of Theosophists from those that started
alternate
movements. I can live with that definition very easily. I am
personally
tired of those that are trying to get their own following started
as if
They have seen the 'Truth'. We should discuss some of the other
groups
later on after getting some important work done, particularly
about the
religions. For me this is urgent. So many people are still
getting killed
or being brainwashed in the name of religion. There should be a
real
effort to try to stop the madness in this century (if possible in
this
decade) and Theosophy is a great solution to this problem.

Thank you again.

Gopi

On Wed, 15 Aug 2001 19:57:05 -0400 Larry F Kolts
<llkingston2@juno.com>
writes:
> Hi again Gopi,
>
> Just a short P.S. to my last post to you. Your posts and
efforts are
> always worth an A in my book. You're always thinking and trying
> Keep up
> the good work.
>
> SOMETIME (not now) we will have to broach the subject of why
you
> lump
> Alice Bailey in with W.Q.Judge and A. Besant. I would think
that
> those
> WITHIN Theosophical organizations (Judge, Besant, Leadbeater,
> Tingley,
> Crosbie, Purucker, Arundale, etc, etc) would be one group,
while
> those
> whe started in Theosophy and the founded alternate movements
> (Steiner-Anthroposophy, Bailey-Arcane School and
> Krishnamurti-Pathless
> Land) would be somewhat different. I guess you could include
all new
> age
> gurus down to and including
> Shirley MacLaine if you went far enough. But yes, all the
followers
> of
> the above should be "reclaimed" to Theosophy if possible. But
some
> of the
> tangential groups no longer fit under the broad umbrella of
> Theosophy.
> (This to your continuing questions about these persons)
Someday,
> maybe
> when the various world religions have been covered, we can look
at
> the
> teachings of these other groups also. we should not be afraid
to do
> this.
>
> Larry Kolts
> Moderator
>
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