Theos-Talk Archives (April 2003 Message tt00092)

Saturday, April 19, 2003

DEAR Reed:

Jesus recommend a sword? How about Karma?

He who carries wealth bears worries. They distrust the karmic
attractions that wealth always attracts.

Well I guess, in this case Kama-Manas is having a field day.

Arguments are always efforts of the lower-mend to try to distort that
which is evident. In this case what are the roots?

I see this kind of thing as an effort to try to decry wisdom-oriented
brotherhood and non-violence. A twisted mind can twist anything to
its own ends. Also it seeks the kind of attention that justifies its
prejudices.

What does intuition say? What is that which will survive any
situation?

Do we venerate the thief or the honest man. No we envy the thief, and
hope the honest policeman fails to find him. Does universal Karma act
that way? No.

We hope that Karma is fallible and that our evil thoughts, desires and
acts can somehow slip below the attention of the billions of living
sensors represented by the existence of an ocean of MONADS of, and
in, universal NATURE. Then, I suppose we can cajole God or try to.
But does God pay any attention? No. The "Priest," in whom our
conscience tries to confide for solace and relief, has his hand out.
But is that really the end of the story?
.
As for me, show me the original Aramaic or Hebrew text. No
translation is worth arguing over. Nor are the views of another. What
then is truth?

A universal operative plan and law, that seeks to educate all beings
and raise them all, over a vast period of time, as sensitive points of
awareness, to the level of "conscious God-hood" sounds a better state
of affairs. The haphazards of ignorance and a conflicting sea of
desires is a very insecure place. Has any one ever built a "boat"
that will permit them to survive the death that comes to all?

As far as I can see, that's why the U L T insists on using and
providing for study, only the ORIGINALS -- I see too many
interpretive changes in Theosophical texts altered by those who have
later claimed that they can correct errors made in those "originals."
Who dares to say that they can do better than H P B and the Masters
who certified ( PATH Vol. 8, p. 1-3 ) to have co-edited the text of
The SECRET DOCTRINE?

Survey the titles of articles of H P B's that are on your list. How
many minds can write those, or even with all its admitted faults, an
ISIS UNVEILED ?

Best wishes,

Dal

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

-----Original Message-----
From: Reed C
Sent:	Saturday, April 19, 2003 8:26 AM
To:
Subject:	Jesus required swords

Recently I was reading an article on turn-the-other-cheek. The
reverend
who wrote the article was explaining that what was meant by
turn-the-other-cheek was intended as a maxim to remain in self
control. What made the article particularly interesting was that the
author quoted from the bible.

Just before Jesus was about to be captured before his crucifixion
occurs
this passage:

"Then Jesus said to them, "Then I sent you out without a purse,
knapsack,
or sandals, was there anything that you lacked?" "Not a thing!" they
replied. "But now the one who has a purse had better carry it; and
his
knapsack too. If one does not have them, he must sell his cloak and
buy a
sword" Luke 22:35-36

An exegesis in the Anchor bible explains that Jesus was referring to
"spiritual armor". However the text certainly suggests real armor not
spiritual armor. After all, they were to sell their cloak to get it.

It seems difficult to reconcile this passage with the usual pacifist
image
of Jesus.

Reed