Theos-Talk Archives (August 2006 Message tt00161)

Dear Pedro,

Your thoughts on the pervasiveness of corruption are all too much to 
the point. We live in Kali Yuga, a real dark age, chained to a 
materialistic ethic that has gone so far now as to threaten our very 
habitat, to say nothing of our ability to endure. It is helpful to 
remember that it is not a question of "them" and "us." "We" are 
"them." Karma brings everyone his or her just desserts. We have 
earned the plight we find ourselves in, individually and 
collectively. But the bright side of that is that we also are the 
only ones who can transmute the forces now weighing so heavily on the 
spirit of humanity, through making informed choices in our own daily 
lives. After all, if the present is the result of the past, it is 
also the creator of the future. I don't know how to make Theosophy 
more widely known, but maybe that is what we are doing here on this 
list. I do hope so. It certainly isn't new. In one way it is all 
there is to know. Everything is a permutation of the ancient wisdom, 
a spark of the mind of God, or the Absolute. I do know that comments 
such as yours, thoughtful, kind, restrained, and informed, are 
immensely helpful to other seekers. Someone has to be point man. I 
think HPB showed us how in this cycle. We just have to keep trying 
and never give up. Everything is changing every moment. There are no 
little things. Every good thought counts toward the sum total of 
Light. Everything that comes to us is another opportunity to choose 
on the side of Light. 

All the best,

Adelasie

On 3 Aug 2006 at 20:39, pedro oliveira wrote:

> Dear Adelasie,
> 
> Thank you very much for your comments. My recent South-East Asia 
> tour has helped me to revise my understanding of the 
> expression 'organised religions', which is so much used in 
> theosophical jargon. You mentioned corruption and yet we know that 
> corruption is a universal malady in human life. How many thousands 
> of lives, for example, were affected by the schemes of Enron's 
> bosses? I am not trying to say that there is no corruption in 
> religion. I was made aware of it even in countries like Sri Lanka, 
> which has a Buddhist majority, and where Hindus and Christians are 
> perceived to be second class citizens. My point is that, for 
> thousands of people, their faith helps them to be better persons and 
> therefore to contribute to peace in the world. The problems are 
> started by religious leaders blinded by hatred and who utilise the 
> platform of religion to advance their own ideology of domination and 
> fear. I would respectfully suggest that even the US is not free from 
> this malady. And I would like to underline your words: compassion 
> can be practiced anytime, anywhere. How do we get out of this 
> deadlock - faith-centred individuals dominated by bigoted religious 
> leaders? A first step would be, imho, to make Theosophy more widely 
> known. 
> 
> Warm good wishes,
> Pedro