Re: Theos-World Jerry- Fundamentalist misrepresentations of the Bible
Mar 25, 2006 12:32 PM
by Jerry Hejka-Ekins
Do you somehow feel that the Theosophical Society of Wheaton, where
I have recently been attending, has departed from the ideals of it's
founders?
I think the Theosophical Society began to fail in 1885, and the first
signs of it beginning to depart from the ideal of it's founders began in
the fall of 1890.
Do you still personally attend there, or have you
altogether ceased?
My wife and I recently attended a weekend seminar at Krotona. We had a
good time. Got to see old friends and walked around the grounds
remembering the many people who once live there are are now gone. I am
a life member of the TS. I still work with the TS whenever they ask my
assistance. For instance, I was helping the former librarian at Olcott
on a project to complete sets of rare journals to be microfilmed at the
American Theological Library Association. Anything I can to to help the
movement, I still gladly do.
So you seem to be saying that they've been a bit political to say
the least. But the same could be said of any incorporated business
or religious organization. Do you feel that they actually did
something bad or wrong?
You must understand that I am an idealist. Self interested politics are
expected in for profit corporations. After all, their sole purpose for
their existence is to make money in any way they can. The interests of
the CEO's is understandably to make sure that they get a nice piece of
that pie for themselves. Religious, philosophical and educational
organizations have very different agendas. Their purpose is to tend to
the spiritual and intellectual needs of the people. There is no place
for self interest in these organizations, and because it happens anyway
does not make it OK with me.
Honestly, I've just been attending some weekly teachings and
courses, paying each applicable donation per visit which is
necessary to run the meetings. Perhaps I will learn some things
there, and I believe that I have already as well.
I'm sure that you will learn quite a lot there. You have a valuable
resource near your door. You are very lucky.
I would suggest that, even if the Bible is so grossly edited as you
assert, we nonetheless have enough of it historically intact to make
useful reading of it. Granted it may be fragmented, but we still
have a reasonable amount to constuctively work with.
We have what we have and the Biblical scholars are doing the best they
can with it. They would just like to have back the 150 or so texts they
know about that were destroyed by the church authorities, and the
unknown more that must have also existed.
What portions of the Bible, if any, do you believe remain
historically valid? Is it all bad, or just parts thereof?
How can I answer this question? They are all historical texts in the
sense that they are old. So in this meaning, they are all historically
valid. But as I mentioned earlier, none of these texts were written as
historical accounts of an event. The Gospels are written around a
series of actions with powerful cultural connotations which touched upon
Greek spirituality and aroused spiritual responses: the virgin birth;
turning water to wine; healing the Bind man; chasing the demons into the
pigs etc. Understanding how the Greeks understood these images requires
a study in Greek religion. That is why when we started our class in the
Origins of Christianity, be began with a study of Greek, Roman and
Egyptian religion, and preceded these by a three year study of Judaism.
As for the presumably historical elements in the Gospel scriptures:
Birth at Bethlehem; flight to Egypt; the 12 apostles; the Jesu Logia;
the over turning of the money changer's tables; the Sanhedrin trial; the
interview with Pilate; the passion, all are riddled with historical
difficulties.
These dangers moreso exist in the context of those who use
illegitimate consciousness-expanding drugs to induce their trances.
I wasn't thinking of drug use. But yes, I agree, it is very risky. I
am saying that certain practices which do not involve drugs, which force
open the "doors of perception" as Huxley called it, can also have bad
results.
Whereas, my own trance-conditioning is completely the opposite, and
revolves around natural physiological conditioning, such as
recycling the waking/sleeping rhythms and fasting/eating rhythms,
more after the manner of an athlete. Hence, my trances are a bit
more difficult to induce, but are easily shut down. Bodily self-
mastery, much like a bodybuilder, versus crass chemical augmentation.
You description reminds me of practices carried on by some Indian
sadhus, and also some Native American practices. They open the lower
psychic realms in induce visions etc. but are useless for the
development of the real spiritual clairvoyance.
Best
Jerry
Vincent wrote:
Jerry
You wrote:
"My relationship with the Wheaton based TS is a bit complicated. I
have been a member of that Organization since 1963 and have outlived
almost all of the leading lights at the time. I think most of them
recognize me for what I am: the loyal opposition who deeply cares
that the Theosophical Movement and advocates that they hold to the
ideals of its founders."
Do you somehow feel that the Theosophical Society of Wheaton, where
I have recently been attending, has departed from the ideals of it's
founders? Do you still personally attend there, or have you
altogether ceased?
"They know that I am well read in the literature and understand the
Besant-Leadbeater teachings as well as they, and the Blavatsky
teachings better than most of them. They also know that I
understand how the TS works from a political point of view, and know
the history of the TS, the history of its various splits, and the
history of those other organizations too."
I'm not that personally familiar with Blavatsky's writings and don't
even own any copies of her books. Yet I've had opportunity to
peruse some of her excerpts over the internet, via some gracious
people on this website.
"Nevertheless, I have from the beginning, consistently refused to
join the ES, LCC or Co-Masonry, which are necessities for those who
want to rise through the political ranks. Yet I have a pretty
comprehensive collection of Blavatskian and post-Blavatsky ES
documents here and know all of their ES "secrets" which others have
taken years and years to have been given in return for their loyalty
to the leadership."
So you seem to be saying that they've been a bit political to say
the least. But the same could be said of any incorporated business
or religious organization. Do you feel that they actually did
something bad or wrong?
"So, for that minority in the TS who know what is going on and are
unhappy with the way things are, I represent an unsung breath of
fresh air--one who will give voice to things that others dare not
speak. On the other hand, there are others who have been very
careful that I not come into a position where I would have any power
within the political structure lest I might actually do something to
effect changes. I hope this makes sense to you.
Honestly, I've just been attending some weekly teachings and
courses, paying each applicable donation per visit which is
necessary to run the meetings. Perhaps I will learn some things
there, and I believe that I have already as well.
"That is precisely the problem. The Church did a thorough job of
destroying its own early history. The only writings we have are
Paul's and even with them, some of the writings are not his, and the
others have been shown to have been edited and interpolated."
I would suggest that, even if the Bible is so grossly edited as you
assert, we nonetheless have enough of it historically intact to make
useful reading of it. Granted it may be fragmented, but we still
have a reasonable amount to constuctively work with.
"The problem is that the "systems" of James and Peter are no longer
extant. Yes, we have in the canonized text some epistles attributed
to Peter and James, but they had been long ago theologized into the
Catholic tradition. The Christianity we know today was mostly
formulated between the 4th and 6th centuries."
What portions of the Bible, if any, do you believe remain
historically valid? Is it all bad, or just parts thereof?
"Of course I know nothing about what you are doing without an
extensive interview. But I need to say one thing, whether it
applies to your situation or not: In practices, particularly those
which involve "trancing" in the classical sense of the word, there
is a real danger of opening doors which cannot again be shut."
These dangers moreso exist in the context of those who use
illegitimate consciousness-expanding drugs to induce their trances.
I totally abhor drug usage and strictly refrain from it, due to it's
vast destructive effects on the body. Illegitimate drug-users
easily open up doors to the subconscious psyche with the use of a
pill or somesuch, but then they have a hard time closing that door
if they have a 'bad trip'. Foreign chemicals simply serve to open
up the subconscious psyche prematurely.
Whereas, my own trance-conditioning is completely the opposite, and
revolves around natural physiological conditioning, such as
recycling the waking/sleeping rhythms and fasting/eating rhythms,
more after the manner of an athlete. Hence, my trances are a bit
more difficult to induce, but are easily shut down. Bodily self-
mastery, much like a bodybuilder, versus crass chemical augmentation.
"In the development of visionary powers, one must be in complete
control at every step and at every moment. If that is not the case,
then the method is not safe and can, and probably will, cause
permanent harm."
I would prefer to paint a very different picture in this regard.
The sheer fact is that we as mortals simply lack bodily mastery from
the very start, when it comes to trance-conditioning. We lack
control rather than possess control. And bodily trance-conditioning
generally renders 90% bad experiences for the novice, with a
conversion to 90% good experiences only being achieved after many
arduous years of bodily physical conditioning. Again, I am
referring solely to chemical free trance-conditioning, after the
disciplined manner of an athlete.
Blessings
Vince
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