Theos-Talk Archives (January 2002 Message tt00351)

Dear Bill,

I'll try to say a few things in response to your questions.

On 24 Jan 02, at 16:00, Bill Meredith wrote:

> Hi Adelasie. May I ask a few questions to try and understand you
> better? This was a rather long exchange, so I have included only the
> comments that caused questions. 
> 
> As I read this I wonder Adelasie, would you substitute another term
> for superiority so easily? For instance, are you more aware of
> theosophy than Paul is perhaps? It is a hard sell to offer that you
> and Paul differ so significantly and yet ultimately the difference
> does not matter. May I ask if you can acknowledge a future life or
> time in this life when you might speak as Paul speaks about HPB and
> theosophy? I didn't think so.

I truly don't know what karma has in store for me so can't say what 
opinions I may espouse at some future time. Ultimately I am sure 
that we will all come together in some mutual understanding of this 
and all topics, and in the meantime we have quite a magnificent 
opportunity to dialog and learn from each other. I know for sure I 
don't have the last word on this or any subject in this lifetime. I 
know or think I know a tiny bit of stuff, and as Jerry so succinctly 
pointed out, all that could change. And I understand that all we 
know now is just facets of the one truth, no matter how different our 
points of view may seem to be. But I don't doubt that when we do 
come to some mutual understanding, it will be along the lines of the 
principles of theosophy, now only imperfectly understood by any of 
us, but eternally true nevertheless.
> 
> cut
> > 
> > It is always gratifying to our lower natures to concentrate on
> > personalities instead of principles. In the case of a historical
> > figure like Elizabeth I this may have some justification. She was
> > not a spiritual leader, as far as I know, but a political leader.
> > But in the case of HPB, concentrating on the lower personality seems
> > to take our attention away from the meaning of the work she did.
> >
> 
> Adelasie, If you believe that "concentrating on the lower personality
> seems to take our attention away from the meaning of the work she
> did", then why leap to defend the personality of HPB? Why protest in
> bold letters and challenge the historical record of the personality
> called HPB?

Do I challenge the historical record? I am not aware of that. My 
feeling is that HPB was a great soul who came to bring much 
needed teaching to humanity, that she was informed and guided by 
the Masters, and that all that is due to her from her students is 
loyalty and devotion to her and the work she did. 
> 
> 
> > An example: Humanity is in a crisis in its evolution. 
> 
> On what basis do you draw this conclusion? A crisis? Is this
> current crisis a new phenomenon or an extension of the original sin? 

My understanding is that theosophy was brought out onto the 
material plane again, as it has been many times before, in this 
cycle, because we are entering another phase of our evolution, and 
need another impulse of the ancient teaching to help us make the 
transition, or the next step in our evolution of consciousness. I call 
this a crisis because I understand that much is expected of us and 
that there is very powerful opposition from the forces of separation 
that seek to prevent humanity from successfully attaining to the 
next level of vibration.
> 
> 
> We are on the 
> > brink of a new level of vibration which will bring us closer to an
> > age of brotherhood. We can look around us and see the evidence of
> > suffering that our materialistic age has brought upon us. Humanity
> > is like a starving person and theosophy is like a feast spread in
> > front of him, which can provide all the nourishment he needs to go
> > on in his life. We can eat the food, derive the benefit it offers,
> > and be grateful, and use it for the good of all, or we can find
> > fault with the china it is served upon, or the servants themselves,
> > and miss the opportunity to avail ourselves of the benefits it
> > offers. 
> 
> Why must this be an either/or condition. Can we not eat the food,
> derive the benefit it offers, [and be grateful ???], and use it for
> the good of all, and examine the china it is served upon, comment upon
> the personality of the servants themselves and avail ourselves of the
> opportunity to benefit ourselves and others? 

That would seem to be an ideal situation indeed. Is this what you 
see this is all about?
> 
> >There is 
> > no superiority or inferiority involved.
> 
> Actually the way you present it as an either/or option there is
> superiority involved. This is exactly the either/or choice that is
> imagined by Christianity. Humanity is lost and spiritually starved. 
> Christ is the only saviour. We can either accept him into our hearts
> and be saved or we can be critical of christianity and go to hell.

That is neither my meaning nor my intent. You don't have to believe 
me, but it is the case. How can any of us claim superiority over 
others in anything when we know that in any given life time we may 
have karma to pay that would put us in the most unpleasantly 
blinded circumstances? None of us is all we are in any incarnation, 
and everyone is essentially more than what we seem to be. All we 
can do is the best we can do, and I sincerely believe that everyone 
is doing that. I think I made a couple assumptions, believing I was 
talking to theosophists, that a few things were givens, such as 
loyalty to HPB, acceptance of basic principles of theosophy as 
guides for right living. If I argue for these things, it is because I 
have learned that they help me in my life, and I imagine that they 
would help others. But perhaps I am mistaken in my assumptions, 
and that is why my comments are taken amiss. I have no desire to 
offend anyone, but I do protest that my words would be taken as 
some fundamental Christian dogma. It isn't a matter of who is going 
to heaven or who is going to hell. Not at all. It is rather a matter of 
how long it is going to take for humanity to learn to love each other 
as brothers and treat each other as we want to be treated. So 
simple and so difficult. We all evolve together or not at all, and 
wherever we are going, we are all going there together. If we can 
help each other, we owe it to each other to do it. 

Adelasie