Theos-Talk Archives (May 2002 Message tt00166)

May 15 2002

Re GOD ? WHO ? WHERE ? WHAT ?


Dear Christina:


In our youth, most of us, under the influence of some religious sect
or another, were all brought up to believe in a "personal God." WE
are given the impression that "HE" owns us. "HE" made us. HIS
PRIESTS by their special training are closer to HIM than we are, and
can in some mysterious unexplained way ,"intercede" for us --[Are they
a band of lawyers ?] --

But I digress --

That is, a "God" -- "all powerful, all "just," all "merciful," who
if properly approached, with our sincerity and devotion (through his
priests -- whose "sincerity" and "ability" we cannot fathom )
responds to "our" (and their intercessive) prayers. And further, He
might, if pleased with our praise, hold off the dire effects of our
wrong doing.

And this means we already know WE HAVE DONE WRONG, and we DID IT
DELIBERATELY. Where did we get that knowledge ?

In other words He would break His own laws of JUSTICE in our favor --
and withhold from us the woe and sorrow that are our known due for ill
doings. Now, does this sound right ?

If this were true, are we living in a Universe under a "God" we cannot
trust ? If he singles us out for his "favors?" Then what about
others who may wish us ill? Maybe they can secure from Him something
more powerful than our pleas? So, is there any end to this confusion?
Who ends up paying the "kitty ?" In any case why does "god" need any
favors from us, or money or property? He already owns everything he
has made.

If God makes Man, and endows him with a "soul" ( what is that ?) then
why does not God save a lot of trouble by making us "Perfect" to begin
with ? We, and God would be endlessly joyful and happy -- in fact it
would be the fabled "Paradise on Earth." Oh, I forgot about the
serpent, the apple of wisdom and Eve the incorrigible curious one.

So why are we "created" imperfect? Any one answering? Any good
logical answer to that ? And what happens to the wealth and the power
that the priesthood accumulates on Earth ? Why are churches and
monasteries, chapels and such, built by the churches and temples ever
destroyed if they have got God's protection ?

What about two armies of the same religion opposing each other and
fighting for political reasons ? How does a just "God" distinguish
between the prayers and hopes of one side vs. the other ?

Are our promises and "repentance" of any value to a God which is
designated "All Powerful?" Or, are they solely of value to a
priesthood who take advantage of the average persons laziness, and
credulous ignorance ?

It was also posited that this Personal God is a "jealous God" He is
portrayed as one who demands faith and loyalty but is "inscrutable"
and may or may not respond to our prayers, praise, or petitions.

In point of fact WE KNOW that "God" plays no favorites, or he would
be neither "just" nor "merciful."

No, on analysis it is a sham God, in all ways, as portrayed by the
CHURCHES and SECTS. Where does the priesthood acquire a power over
men's minds? It is FEAR induced by IGNORANCE. And ignorance is
fostered by laziness. It is a refusal to make ones' self THINK.

We first notice this in school when children present themselves to the
educational system. Some desire nothing, others desire only limited
and specific subjects. Most have an aversion to some specific
subjects. A few are avid learners, and seek out information on
everything, as though they were reading a series of novels, or
listening to a drama, for entertainment.

If men and women and children refuse to THINK, the "priestly
authority" takes over. It's a grand ENRON-type business, and as full
of shams and double-talk as any road-side shystering tent on the
"Great White Way" outside a Circus. All people are considered
"clients" by the priestly class of all religions, and those who think,
and who question, and are independent, are considered the "enemy."
They are shunned or vigorously attacked by any means available.

Who are responsible? I say that it is a vested interest -- a huge
business --- a "profit making" enterprise continued for centuries and
for as long as there are gullible and incurious people who wish to
have their thinking done for them. It is the priests and clergy of
every sect, creed, or religion. And it has always been so. Look at
the Bible and the in-fighting between the Levites and the Pharisees,
between the Nazarenes and the Orthodox Rabbis. If we break away from
the dominance of any priesthood, and free ourselves of worry over
their claims, we can approach our "Scriptures" by going to their
SOURCE. Then we can read, study and analyse them as PHILOSOPHY, as A
DESCRIPTION OF THE LAWS OF NATURE.

If further, we investigate in the same way the scriptural sources of
other religions we soon find parallel statements of facts and laws --
so it becomes increasingly clear that every single religion has as
SOURCE one PHILOSOPHY, and that is the HISTORY OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF
ALL BEINGS, and particularly of the mind-race : of mankind.

Our problem as ordinary people is that we consider ourselves to be too
busy making a living, and managing a family, or having "fun," to do
much serious investigation. It is only when things "go wrong," or
"God does not respond" promptly and helpfully, that we begin wondering
if He exists at all.

We then look or "quick fixes." A teaching of mystic lore, or someone
who promises to give us Powers that ensure our domination over others,
a change of religion, without having to learn and study its
fundamental tenets and teachings -- anything that will avoid
self-discipline and self determination. In other words anything that
satisfies the emotions and avoids a serious inquiry (how boring) into
the validity of emotion itself. This illustrates the power of the
lure of entertainment. Even "Bliss" is advanced without definition.
for what exactly is bliss? Is it doing NOTHING ? Is it
irresponsibility? Is it all that eases the emotions and the desires?
And if so, then how long does that last? Does it ever grow boring and
satiatingly cloying ?

But I digress again --

This means WE KNOW when we do wrong.

How is that ?

Here is where the PHILOSOPHY of Theosophy steps in. It declares that
the HISTORY of all the past and of everyone is recorded immutably and
ineffaceably on the tablets of the AKASA. Hence in a just Universe
where LAW prevails it is NATURE ( or the Deific principle innate in
every being)

I think that makes far more sense. I mean to have GOD WITHIN
OURSELVES and to be always directly responsible to IT. If we could
all adopt that concept and attitude, BROTHERHOOD would be no problem
but a normal way of thinking and acting, and living.

So, fundamentally, we need to give up dependence on others "authority"
and become knowledgeable and wise on a logical and compassionate
basis. And only WE, the IMPERISHABLE HIGHER SELF within can do that.
It is the true RULER of the body (and the ruler of the desire-nature)
and, has always been the "Son of God." it is our HIGHER SELF
Atma).

The 3 "fundamentals of The SECRET DOCTRINE " help:

UNIVERSALITY OF SPIRIT-IDEALS;

UNIVERSALITY OF EXACT AND JUST LAWS,

UNIVERSALITY OF EVOLUTION because every being is a MONAD and is
imperishable, always growing in intelligence as the ONE CONSCIOUSNESS
working in and through it, transmutes matter (or substance) into
imperishable IDEAS which provoke, inevitably, spiritual actions. [Each
speck of matter (or of substance) is itself an imperishable Monad, and
is engaged in its own evolutionary "path" -- in the company with
every other Monad, regardless of their status in terms of how we might
rate "Intelligence." This is the basis for Universal Brotherhood --
and for this the THEOSOPHICAL SOCIETY was established as a living
paret of the great, all-encompassing and universal THEOSOPHICAL
MOVEMENT.

At least, that is what Theosophy has taught me and it sounds
reasonable to me.

How do you feel about it ?

Best wishes,

Dallas

-----Original Message-----
From: christina
Sent: Tuesday, May 14, 2002 9:46 PM
To: t
Subject: RE: God

Perhaps to many people God personified must be complicated, and much
bigger, smarter than we are. The intellect can sometimes get in the
way
of understanding, can't it?

The simpler we make it, the less said, the closer to the truth it is.

IT IS.

[good Dal!]
=)

-----Original Message-----
From: dalval14@earthlink.net [mailto:dalval14@earthlink.net]
Sent: Tuesday, May 14, 2002 5:54 AM
To: study@blavatsky.net
Subject: [bn-study] RE: God


May 14, 2002

Dear Friends:

Re: "God"


If we personalize this concept we dwarf it.

If we perceive that the DIVINE PRINCIPLE is universal, we admit that
it
is everything and cannot be separate from or different from anything
in
Nature (the Universe.) We as well as everything else are included.
God
is within each of us, as well as in all else.

How then will we, as immortal spiritual beings, treat other immortal
spiritual beings ?

CUT