Theos-Talk Archives (January 2007 Message tt00140)

Hi Carlos,

You wrote :
 "As to sexuality, esoteric philosophy guards an universal compassion 
for all ; 
yet it is very firm in teaching that sex, esoterically, is not about 
recreation
or sport ; it is about having children ; for which, of course, men 
need
women, and vice-versa."

I would postulate that sex is about more than procreation and that 
when someone is engaged in lovemaking it is more than recreation of 
course as with everything motives are mixed.
In my mind the act is about connectedness 

As we develop socially much of what we do relates to developing close 
relationships and bonds and finding our place in that society.

Sexual urges and attractions which during the teenage years are 
especially strong  and stay with us to greater or lesser degrees 
through our lives.

People who have attractions sexually to members of the same sex as 
their own cannot help this attraction.

To expect gays and lesbians to not form couplings together and have 
sexual relationships with the partner they find themselves attracted 
to, would be like expecting heterosexual people to never do the same.

Hypothetically if you where asked to council a group of young gay 
teenagers as to how to develop health sexual relationships, what 
would you say?
Practice abstinence? 

If someone is following a self chosen path of celibacy that is 
something that person has chosen when they feel themselves ready and 
able.

However the majority of us are far from ready or able to consider 
that lifestyle.

We need to reconsider our attitudes to many things in life and 
frankly I don't think religion offers much in the way of constructive 
and progressive attitudes and ways of understanding sexuality.

To simply say abstain to me is quite ridiculous and is not helpful in 
any way.
19 century attitudes to sex are quite outmoded and inappropriate in a 
modern progressive society.

Much better to accept the reality of sexual diversity and help people 
develop healthy and respectful relationships with one another as 
getting together is what we as human beings do.

Cheers

Perry  


--- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com, "carlosaveline" 
<carlosaveline@...> wrote:
>
> Perry,
> 
> Thanks.
> 
> You say: 
> 
> "However Peck argues that valid feelings of guilt are important..."
> 
> I say: 
> 
> "In the ML, a Mahatma says that remorse "is a sure sign of Buddhic 
activity". 
> 
> So I must agree with your criticism about "new age" thinking and 
its neurotic avoidance of pain and painful  subjects.  In this, too, 
Scott Peck is perfectly in line and in harmony with esoteric 
philosophy. 
> 
> As to sexuality, esoteric philosophy guards an universal compassion 
for all ;  yet it is very firm in teaching  that sex, esoterically, 
is not about recreation or sport ; it is about having children ;  
for  which, of course,  men need women, and vice-versa. 
> 
> HPB wrote making a direct relation between the decadence and end of 
civilizations and sexual and other forms of physical indulgence nand 
moral decay.  
> 
> Western and Eastern scriptures (Christian Bible, Jewish Torah, 
Taoist 'Wen-tzu') make that direct relation, too.  In fact, I made a 
long comparative study about that, but it is in Portuguese yet. 
> 
> Look at how things are now for our civilization, and you can 
recognize that direct relation between individual indulgence and 
collective decay. 
> 
> 
> Regards,  Carlos. 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> De:theos-talk@yahoogroups.com
> 
> Para:theos-talk@yahoogroups.com
> 
> Cópia:
> 
> Data:Wed, 03 Jan 2007 23:50:07 -0000
> 
> Assunto:[Spam] Theos-World Re: Scott Peck on the Way
> 
> > Hello Carlos,
> > I agree, M Scott Peck's book emphasize the importance of facing 
> > issues squarely and honestly and examines some of the neuroses 
that 
> > can arise from avoidance of honestly facing important issues.
> > 
> > He speaks of what he calls "legitimate suffering" which is the 
often 
> > painful process we may go through when acting on our conscience.
> > 
> > The `new age' mindset and popular culture can often focus on how 
to 
> > avoid suffering and seek pleasure for self by avoiding or 
ignoring 
> > feelings of guilt.
> > 
> > However Peck argues that valid feelings of guilt are important as 
> > they are what hone our spiritual sensibilities and conscience.
> > 
> > Of course there are neurotic and inappropriate forms of guilt but 
by 
> > working carefully through these issues we can learn to discern 
what 
> > areas in our life may need fine tuning and what psychological 
rackets 
> > we may be still perpetuating,
> > 
> > this process can be painful and troubling as we have been 
programmed 
> > into a societal mindset that seeks pleasure and avoids pain.
> > 
> > Some feelings of guilt can simply be religious or parental 
> > programming that when we look at them are actually inappropriate 
and 
> > harmful but we need to go through our own process to determine 
that 
> > for ourselves.
> > 
> > Some of the attitudes that I have seen towards homosexuality on 
this 
> > list for example I would consider to be uncompassionate and 
> > unenlightened but many people still seem to consider 
homosexuality to 
> > be unnatural and a sin.
> > 
> > I would argue that this comes from a societal and more than 
likely 
> > religious program that sexuality has to manifest in a certain way 
and 
> > that it is only for procreation.
> > 
> > However for me this is simplistic and narrow reasoning and stems 
from 
> > the seeming inability of religion to deal with sexuality in any 
kind 
> > of reasoned, sensible and expansive way.
> > 
> > Life is diverse in the way it manifests itself and so are 
different 
> > ways we can examine and process things however if we are to try 
and 
> > look at things freshly and with an open mind we need to try and 
> > determine what is simple programming and what is actually a truer 
> > point of view.
> > 
> > Cheers
> > Perry
> > 
> > --- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com, "cardosoaveline" 
> > wrote:
> > >
> > > 
> > > Perry,
> > > 
> > > Thanks. 
> > > 
> > > I guess Scott Peck's writings are rather compatible with
> > > esoteric philosophy, and useful as to explain probationary
> > > processes. 
> > > 
> > > By the way, tests are unavoidable from the very 
> > > first step in the search for truth. 
> > > 
> > > Probation, or tests, is not exclusive to those who are 
> > > "taken on probation" as disciples. 
> > > 
> > > Probation, seen as tests, occurs at all levels of life 
> > development. 
> > > 
> > > A very good quotation, this, below.
> > > 
> > > 
> > > Carlos. 
> > > 
> > > 
> > > --- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com, "plcoles1" wrote:
> > > 
> > > "The truth is that our finest moments are most likely to occur 
when 
> > > we are feeling deeply uncomfortable, unhappy, or unfulfilled. 
For 
> > it 
> > > is only in such moments, propelled by our discomfort, that we 
are 
> > > likely to step out of our ruts and start searching for 
different 
> > ways 
> > > or truer answers." M Scott Peck
> > > 
> > > Perry
> > >
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > Yahoo! Groups Links
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
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