Theos-Talk Archives (April 2004 Message tt00015)

--- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com, "kpauljohnson" <kpauljohnson@y...> 
wrote:
> My faulty memory may not be much help here, but if I recall 
> correctly Gregory Tillett asked Radha this question outright and 
she 
> answered in the negative. Even if my memory is correct on this, 
I'm 
> not sure that the same answer would be given within the sanctum 
> sanctorum of the ES. Similarly, I think I recall Grace Knoche 
> saying no to this question in print, but this public reply might 
not 
> be taken as final by her most ardent admirers.

I doubt this is true anymore, but years ago when the Rosicrucians 
were run by Ralph M. Lewis, and especially before that when it was 
run by his father H. Spencer Lewis, the claim was made that the 
leaders were in contact with the Masters and that advanced students 
could in some cases be taken under their tutelage as well. In fact, 
being accepted as a chela was the end result aimed at by their course 
of instruction. Membership did not guarantee chelaship, but a few 
advanced members did claim to have been initiated. These claims were 
ridiculed by Manly P. Hall, but I think without sufficient 
justification.

> Kinda like "salvation" 
> with Christians, who have argued for centuries about who has it, 
> with little serious examination of what it is exactly and what 
> evidence they have for believing in it.

Excellent point. "Salvation" is a totally meaningless concept today, 
but in sncient times it seems to have meant an ongoing connection 
with the Higher Self. Readers of Plato (esp. THE SYMPOSIUM and THE 
APOLOGY) will remember that Socrates was advised by an inner voice he 
referred to as his daimonium (usually referred to as daemon.) In an 
effort to discredit Socrates the word "dasemon" was redefined to 
mean "evil spirit" and the original meaning of "salvation" fell 
away, It is notable that the "daemon" of Socrates is what was 
referred to in the OT as a "familiar spirit", the possession of which 
ws punishable by death under Mosaic law. Being cut off from 
communication with the Higher Self was therefore thought to be an 
excellent thing by the most ancient of Jews, although one could 
wonder whether they were against mystical experience or charlatanry. 
According to the views of later mystics, some of the crimes they 
committed, such as pillaging Egypt and destroying the Canaanites, 
would have caused them to have the spiritual isolation they so much 
desired. Yet Elijah, with his "still small voice" seems to have 
broken with that tradition.

Anyway, that should answer all the questions implied in your 
statement.