Theos-Talk Archives (October 2001 Message tt00363)

At 06:57 AM 10/23/01 -0700, you wrote:

> Well, I suppose because they share a religion. The mahatmas
> (Or HPB) said that religion is the cause of a great
> percentage (forget which) of the wars in this world. Seems
> to me they are right. But other causes help to contribute.
>
> Katinka
The reference is from THE MAHATMA LETTERS. The following
citation is from Letter 10 from the online edition,
found at:

<http://www.theosociety.org/pasadena/mahatma/ml-10.htm>

-- Eldon

---- quote follows ----

I will point out the greatest, the chief cause of nearly two
thirds of the evils that pursue humanity ever since that cause
became a power. It is religion under whatever form and in
whatsoever nation. It is the sacerdotal caste, the priesthood
and the churches; it is in those illusions that man looks upon as
sacred, that he has to search out the source of that multitude of
evils which is the great curse of humanity and that almost
overwhelms mankind. Ignorance created Gods and cunning took
advantage of the opportunity. Look at India and look at
Christendom and Islam, at Judaism and Fetichism. It is priestly
imposture that rendered these Gods so terrible to man; it is
religion that makes of him the selfish bigot, the fanatic that
hates all mankind out of his own sect without rendering him any
better or more moral for it. It is belief in God and Gods that
makes two-thirds of humanity the slaves of a handful of those who
deceive them under the false pretence of saving them. Is not man
ever ready to commit any kind of evil if told that his God or
Gods demand the crime?; voluntary victim of an illusionary God,
the abject slave of his crafty ministers. The Irish, Italian and
Slavonian peasant will starve himself and see his family starving
and naked to feed and clothe his padre and pope. For two
thousand years India groaned under the weight of caste, Brahmins
alone feeding on the fat of the land, and to-day the followers of
Christ and those of Mahomet are cutting each other's throats in
the names of and for the greater glory of their respective myths.
Remember the sum of human misery will never be diminished unto
that day when the better portion of humanity destroys in the name
of Truth, morality, and universal charity, the altars of their
false gods.