Theos-Talk Archives (September 2004 Message tt00584)

Sept 21 2004



RE: CHOOSING -- Good or BAD ? 



Can we "escape" the BAD EFFECTS of BAD choices ?



Dear Zakk:



Your good scenario involves, as I see it, a change in attitude and
understanding.



>From vicious tyranny of the defenseless you depict a reversal of
protectiveness - directed as a shield for the cousin, simply because it is
the "cousin" - a near relative. This is personalizing it. There is nothing
very special in that is there?



Regardless of the cousin also being a paraplegic, it is terrible to heap on
any one whether disadvantaged or not, senseless and pointless ridicule. Yet
as one observes this can happen anywhere and at any time. What is the
nature of such persons? That is the important question. How did they get
to be like that?



Try to universalize your scenario. What is the Law of Karma going to do
with such a mistaken obnoxious persons' attitude? How to show him the
opposite side? 



How would Nature (Karma) handle it? 



We don't know, and are unable to bring all the factors that Nature can, to
bear - so our answers are at best speculative. They can be broad and general
- but the Law of Karma is straight, and has no twists or hiding places in
it. It is One Law for All. Lets see if we can define some of these factors:



If one who has been doing wrong realizes that wrong doing is bad, then to
that extent he becomes wise, and thereafter, depending on his remorse and
conscience, he may try to reverse or mitigate the Karma due to him for his
carelessness and lack of brotherhood. 



To me it is clear that he has to immediately try to make the person he has
abused aware of his contrition and of his desire to recompense, to assist
and to continue to be of help. I hope it is not too late for that to be done
in this incarnation.



I find that most religions (and psychologists) try to relieve the "sinner"
of his "guilt." But I feel strongly this is a false approach. It is better
to assist the individual who has erred to understand how he managed to make
such a huge error. He has to learn how to analyse his own motives, or
nothing definite is gained. 



Just saying "there, there!" and patting him on the arm -- and asking for a
fee or a charitable donation -- is quite insufficient. This is not getting
him to UNDERSTAND how he did the wrong, or how his character permitted him
to act in such a churlish way. 



This is the real duty of the practitioner who desires to help another. Get
him to know himself, and, and then learn how to deal directly with his own
Lower Self, then he becomes his own physician. 



He has to be shown that there inside of him a Superior Man - a Wise Thinker
who deals in universals and impersonal factors - who accepts his
responsibility for what is past (now irreversible), and is therefore brave
enough to accept the inevitable future. And, for whom no excuses are
possible. Then the "law of Forgiveness" becomes a "Law of Self-Reform."



Can you really imagine that there is "anyone" or "anything" Grand enough, so
as to "forgive" and withhold the Universal LAW from it regular operations?
Can you imagine the confusion that would be created everywhere remember
that in the world and Universe, everything impacts everything else. Why
should the guilty not accept punishment? 



Where is the brave man who stands up for his errors?



Why should anyone grovel and beg for "forgiveness" when it is totally
impossible for such to be done? If there were a "Personal God" with the
power to break his own laws - then he is whimsical, illogical, and subject
to praise and flattery. Have you ever carefully analysed the nature and
phrasing of common "prayers?"



I ask again: who recompenses the victims? Why should the wrong-doer not be
obliged to do that? 



I say: It is the DUTY of those who do wrong to actively seek to make
restitution. Are they afraid to do that? Do they fear their public image
will be tarnished? If Karma, is both old and true it does away with lies,
theft, sneaking, and all kinds of vicious dissimulation. 



If all realized that Karma is implacable, then who would be so foolish as to
hurt another - when they know with utter surety that it is they who will
suffer in the long run? 



The silly notion that we can somehow escape from culpability has made
religions possible, and this includes the impossible "remission of sin."



The whole value of such an exercise (as in your scenario) is, to me, the
LEARNING involved. If we go thorough life without any application and trying
to learn then of what use is it?



We also have to take into account the matter of soul immorality - and that
the end of this body does not mean the end of the responsibility for its
good and bad thoughts and actions. This is a most vital consideration.



Theosophy does away with the fear of death, because, for the Soul there is
nothing more than a sleep between two "days" (lives) of study and
advancement. 



Under Karma we all return with both our friends and our enemies - and we
continue to live and work together - so, why not be friends and brothers all
the time?



You cover this, in a way, by making his cousin also a victim, and his
defense of that individual is made into a personal response on the "good"
side. 



But WHERE IS THERE SOMETHING LEARNED, in general, for future good? 



Analyse the nature of the man who ridicules - what is his motive.



Analyse the change in attitude - the cause for the change.



Ask yourself how impersonal just and fair Nature would handle this
situation? How would the handicapped person be compensated? 



How would the abuser - a senseless tyrant - be made to experience what he is
inflicting on the helpless one.



"There is no religion higher than truth."



Best wishes.



Dallas

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-----Original Message-----
From: Zakk D
Sent: Monday, September 20, 2004 8:26 PM
To: 
Subject: [theosophia] Re: Y Factor cont'd



Dallas,



The following is a scenerio in which might explain the question of
compensation in regards to the Y Factor and the Forgiveness Path, along the
line of thinking that was presented.



Scenerio : A young man is in high school. In his junior year, a new student
attends. The new student is also his new next door neighbor. The next door
neighbor is a handicapped person.


He is restricted to a wheel chair. For the following two years of high
school, the young man ridicules and "picks on" the handicapped individual. 



During this time he is accumulating karma
for his actions (referred to as "bad" karma). At his graduation a cousin he
had not previously met attends. His cousin is bound to a wheelchair. The
young man's friend and fellow participant in the ridiculing of the handicap,
proceeds to do this to the young man's cousin. The young man informs his
friend to stop. At the same time, the young man has seen things in a
different light.
He has contriteness in the heart of the actions that was his in the past. He
sets his mind to change his being and not participate in such a mannner
again. 



Due to the contriteness of the heart, a new Path is opened. One of change.
The young man may chose the change or continue as he was. 



This particular Y Factor involves Universal Forgiveness.



Karma on the "right variant" will be the "bad karma" accumulated. An example
of "bad karma" on this variant is the young man experiencing a car accident
which paralyzes his legs. This places him in a condition of which he can
experience that which he was ridiculing and possibly "learn"
from it. This is seen as an enactment of the Linear Law of Demerit. 



Karma on the "left variant" will be the "Forgiveness karma". Because the
young man chose to change, the example of the "bad karma" will not be
experienced. The young man has already "learned" and the "bad karma" will
not be needed to "learn". 



Through the Law of Forgiveness, the Demerit karma of badness becomes the
Demerit karma of goodness. There are consequences
to our actions. Through the Law of Forgiveness, the young man may experience
a karma on the left variant which is the founding of an organization to
assist the handicap's needs. The next
door neighbor is now his friend and may be a co-founder in the organization.
Not only is the next door neighbor compensated, but many others. Nothing
"bad" happens to the young man due to his past "infractions". "Punishment"
is not the karma experienced. The "punishment" for his actions were
Forgiven. Instead "Restitution" became his karma. This is seen as an example
of an enactment of the Non-Linear Law of Forgiveness.



This is one scenerio out of the infinte possibilies that may exist as to the
Y Factor and the "Law of Forgiveness". Because the Law of Forgiveness is a
Non-Linear Law, it supersedes the Linear Law of Demerit. "Goodness" is
experienced versus "Badness".
"Restitution" is experienced vs. "Punishment". 



I hope the concept, and the way it is stated, is understandable. It is but a
line of thinking and a perspective and it is not implied that all have or
should have the same manner of thought. 









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