Theos-Talk Archives (September 2001 Message tt00004)

Saturday, September 01, 2001

Dear Friends:


I think your answer was superb. It covered all bases. If you
want more ideas or definitions, then look at these:

When the THEOSOPHIST was first published in Oct. 1879 in Bombay
( Vol. I, p. 5) one of the first articles by H P B was WHAT ARE
THE THEOSOPHISTS ? It is worth re-reading. [Reprints in H P B
Articles -- U L T -- Vol. I p. 48; and, BLAVATSKY: Collected
Works (TPH) ]

What does H P B say?
" [Theosophists are] ... "students of natural law, of ancient
and modern philosophy, and...exact science." (p.
48)..."psychological sciences..." ( p. 49) ...

"examine Spiritualism" ( p. 49) ...

"the leading members of the THEOSOPHICAL SOCIETY in India [ in
1879] are known to be very advanced students of occult
phenomena"... (p. 50) ...

"one of our many objects is to revive the work of Ammonius Saccas
[ see early pages of the KEY TO THEOSOPHY (HPB) ] and make
various nations remember that they are the children "of one
another." .... The Society as a body has no creed, as creeds
are, but the shells around spiritual knowledge; and Theosophy
is in its fruition, SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE ITSELF..." ( p. 50) ...

[seekers] "for the final truth as to the ultimate essence of
things." (p. 51) ...

"the religion of the Society is an algebraical equation in which
so long as the sign = of equality is not omitted, each member is
allowed to substitute his own...idiosyncrasies ..." ( p. 50) ...

"all original thinkers and investigators" ( p. 51) ...

"One need but worship the spirit of living nature, the invisible
Cause, which is ever yet manifesting itself in its incessant
results; the intangible, omnipotent, and omniscient Proteus"
(p. 51)...

" once that a student abandons the old and trodden highway of
routine, and enters upon the solitary path of independent
thought--Godward--he is a theosophist; an original thinker, a
seeker after the eternal truth with "an inspiration of his own"
to solve the universal problems." (p. 52).

On p. 54, the 2nd paragraph (same article) is of course a
wonderful one. But this can be referred to if one goes to the
on-line version available through BLAVATSKY NET.

Best wishes,

Dallas

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


-----Original Message-----
From: E----- P---------
Sent: Wednesday, August 29, 2001 5:15 PM
To:
Subject: What is a Theosophist?

Dear Folks:

Recently, I was asked my religious affiliation. I answered: "All
and none,
I am a Theosophist."
The person looked at me with a genuine surprise and asked: "What
is a
Theosophist?"

Now came the difficult part, at least for me. I could have quoted
about 300
pages of the SD, but then I would have seen her eyes glaze over,
and gone
would have been my opportunity to spread the word. If I had
answered: "I
study the ancient wisdom religion," I would have been compelled
to state
what the ancient wisdom religion was. What was it? If I had
answered: "I
study the kernel of truth that lies as the foundation of all
religions."
Well, even I would have been appalled at how pompous I sounded
and would
have separated myself from me and joined her across the room.

What I finally did say, was: "I believe in the fundamental
principle of ONE
LIFE reflected in all. And that all the religions at the most
basic told
the story of that ONE LIFE. And she answered: "that's
interesting, tell me
more?"

And so I turn to you guys. What do you think I should have said?

Respectfully,
Estela Piscope


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