Theos-Talk Archives (August 2003 Message tt00080)

Mauri,

As Bart pointed out I will use another manner to mark my comments instead of bold.

You wrote:

Ed wrote: <<What Theosophical threat are you talking 
about?>>

I'm speculatively referring to what might be called a 
"continuation of a threat," (say?), that seems to have surfaced a 
while back when the missionaries in India, with the 
cooperation of the Coulombs (in the nineteenth century) seem 
to have found fault with Theosophy, HPB, etc. In other words, 
it has occurred to me (and no one else?) that there might be 
some people in some religions that might tend to see some kind 
of threat in SOME forms of Theosophy, maybe.

>>>Well I will say this: I had a supervisor who was baptist who tried to convert me. When he asked about religion and I mentioned Theosophy he knew about it (basics) because he said that his church had taught him about the various religions - and how to argue against them to show that their way was the best.



And, being 
rather speculatively inclined, at the moment, I tend to wonder 
about what some such religious individuals might actually do 
about their perceived threats and competitors (ie, though others 
might weightily argue that the Theosophical Movement is so 
miniscule in its influence in relation to the mainstream religions 
that they can't see how anybody in their right mind could see 
Theosophy threatening or competing in any kind of mainstream 
sense).


>>>>>I don't think that any main stream religions have a very concentrated effort to try to "combat" Theosophy. Then again, there may be but I just may not know about it.


That is, though the Theosophical Movement, today, might be 
seen to be lacking in some sort of "mainstream influence" (in 
some sense, possibly?), I can't help thinking that, since 
Theosophy does seem to represent, as I see it, an alternative or 
choice in the field of "spiritually engaging thought and 
activity," (in a sense, potentially?), in general, that there might 
be those who might tend to ... whatever ... That is, I seem to be 
currently suffering (if not particularly severely, as I see it, 
would you believe?) from a tendency to speculate about such 
as how some detractors of Theosophy might go about 
detracting (not that I'm beyond reproach, myself, being as 
speculatively inclined as I am).



>>>>That, I suppose, would depend on the detractors belief system. For instance, my savior is the only one and if you don't believe in him in my way you will go to hell, etc etc. Any philosophy/religion can be "attacked" with either theological counterpoints or scholarly counterpoints. Every philosophy has points that have to be taken on "faith" until they can be proven otherwise. For instance HPB quotes from sources that have never conclusively been found (i.e. The Voice of the SIlence, The Stanzas of Dzyan). While I believe that they are texts that exist (based on my belief that HPB knew what she was talking about and had no reason to make them up) - a scholar may argue that "we have never seen these texts therefore they must be made up." In the end this type of thing can be done with any belief system (i.e. who wrote the Bible? since this sutra "appeared" hundreds of years later is it really the teachings of the Buddha? etc. etc.) Every belief system can be "attacked" and
has it's detractors. No belief system is impervious because at the very least some will argue against it's basic tenets (i.e. an athiest will say there is no God therefore a belief in God is mistaken at its very root, etc.). So while Theosophy, as well as any other system, can be "detracted" from - in the end it's up to the individual to find out what is useful to them and makes them happy and a better person and helps them grow. Personally I find the Theosophical presentation of the basic beliefs that seem to run through all religions useful and compelling.

Speculatively,
Mauri

>>>>-Ed Griffin




_______________________________________________________________________

"What makes a good artist, a good sculptor, a good musician? Practice. What makes a man a good linguist, a good stenographer? Practice. What makes a man a good man? Practice. Nothing else...-Henry Drummond





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