Theos-Talk Archives (April 2005 Message tt00616)

Dear M.
I think it is a superb piece of thinking. Will think on it for a few days to see if anything arises in my consciousness that may add to it, but it looks pretty well allright to me.
Regards
Cass

"M. Sufilight" <global-theosophy@stofanet.dk> wrote:

Hallo all,

My views are:


Here in the below are som words - of a sort of non-dead-letter nature - to support a theosophical view. Anyone on
the list may agree or disagree on this as they want :


- - - Sufi-schools Esoterical-schools and Theosophy-schools - - -




SUFI, ESOTERICAL and THEOSOPHICAL attitudes TOWARD RELIGIOUS and OTHER CULTS

1. True Sufis, Esoterists and Theosophists (in the following these three are mentioned as "Theosophists") - 
are opposed to fanaticism and closed minds, believing that
these lead to oppression.

2. Many cults using the name "Sufi", "Theosophical" or "Esoterical" have arisen over the centuries.
They have caused harm to their followers, and have, at times, given
the word "Sufi", "Theosophical" and "Esoterical" an undesirable flavour.

3. For the above two reasons, initial Theosophists activity has, for
centuries, aimed at explaining the nature of real Theosophists aims and also
at clarifying the undesirable effect of what today are called
conditioning systems.

4. It has been observed by scholars and others that the Theosophists are
almost alone in having assessed and described the two undesirable
factors referred to above. In so doing, they may have paved the way
for contemporary knowledge on mind-manipulation. While others, for
example, were still thinking in terms of "the Devil is behind cults,"
the Theosophists have pointed out the causes of cults as being purely
psychological.

5. Among the characteristics of a "false or misguided path," the
Theosophists have noted the following features which help to identify it:

i) The claim that the organisation is the sole repository of truth,
or is the only "path";

ii) The mistaking of emotional for spiritual states;

iii) Separation of the followers of the group from the populace at large;

iv) Failure to do one's human duty to everyone, regardless of such
people's confessional position;

v) The emphasis upon hope and fear, and upon reward and punishment;

vi) Material richness of the organisation, and especially of its leaders;

vii) The uniqueness of a leader, asserting superhuman or other
qualities or responsibility;

viii) Secretiveness as of major importance ;

ix) Inability to laugh at things which appear funny to people outside
the "path";

x) Employment of stereotyped techniques and/or rituals and exercises,
not adapted according to the principles of "time, place and people";

xi) "Idolatry": which includes investing people, animals or things
with a special meaning;

xii) "Teachers" who are themselves ignorant.

6. Theosophists do not actually oppose such cults, since Theosophists are tolerant:
but they find it essential to describe them, in order to show the
differences between cults and Theosophy, and to help to prevent people
interested in Theosophy from forming or joining such organisations or
groups.



INDICATIONS OF AN AUTHENTIC THEOSOPHY SCHOOL

First, elimination: the school, its teachers and students should be
observed for signs of the features (item 5, above) which identify a
spurious school. Second, it should be noted that the following are
among the marks of an authentic Theosophy school:

1. It does not restrict attention to any specific literature or
teachings, but expects its students to have a good knowledge of a
wide range of literature, while at the same time specialising in
appropriately measured studies.

2. It will be able to explain and interpret past formulations of the
Theosophy Way, as contained in the whole range of Theosophy literature.

3. It will be able to explain the process of supersession of materials.

4. It will not be culture- or language-based. That is to say, it will
not need to bring in, except at times for illustration or analogy,
words or practices belonging to cultures and/or language other than
those of the people among whome the Theosophists are working.

5. It will not use outlandish clothes (robes) or words, etc.,
extraneous to the local culture.

6. It will not accept slogans or "sayings" from past teachers unless
they have an illustrative function.

7. It does not use intonations, movement, music, etc., as a
quasi-religious ceremony or as a spectacle, but has knowledge of such
things as parts of a comprehensive system of applying stimuli.

8. It will neither claim to have a mission to teach everyone, nor
will it enrol everyone. It will first make sure that the interested
person has enough information and experience to come to a decision
about Theosophists and Theosophy in an appropriate manner.

9. It will make clear the nature of the "instrumental function" of
ideas, techniques, etc., rather than regarding them as immutable,
sacrosanct, "traditional," and so on.

10. It will deal with everyone according to capacity and character,
being neither benevolent nor the reverse: for kindness and cruelty,
while effective and understood in ordinary relationships, operate as
part of a conditioning system within a teaching or group situation.


*******

Feel free help me to enhance these points in the above.



from
M. Sufilight

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