Theos-Talk Archives (November 2007 Message tt00208)

Hi All,

Goodness. It seems that rhe subject of race, like those of religion 
and politics, can spark some lively discussion!
 
Ramadoss says:
> The fact is, around the world, due to ease of transportation, people move
> and relocate and this leads to race intermixing. While there are practical
> social problems to be dealt with, it is becoming a fact of life.

We could extend this thesis to include most of modern life. For 
instance, because of the internet, we can interact with people all 
over the world. And, amazingly, we don't know what color their skin 
is, and it doesn't matter at all! In cyberworld we deal with each 
other without worrying about whether we look different from each 
other. Because that is all our preoccupation with race is, a matter 
of being able to identify the other as different from us and therefor 
somehow not as good, or as deserving, or as intelligent, or whatever. 
Fear of the unknown, or even that which might be unknown, makes us 
choose  to be exclusive, rather than inclusive, sending us down the 
primrose path of separatism into the abyss. 
 
> Who can tell how the world will look a 1000 years from now!!!

Since "constant change is here to stay," (a note on the office door 
of one of the wisest women I know) it might be a good thing that we 
are shaken more and more out of our complacency by the ever growing 
fluidity of our life styles. Kali Yuga is going to have to end 
someday, one hopes.

Frank says:
> > If I understand my Purucker correct, race intermixing is not supported at
> > this time by theosophy.

It might be important, when considering the statements in 
theosophical literature relating to ideals, ideal conditions, ideal 
situations, ideal levels of conscious development, to remember that 
we are not living at the level of perfection yet. We are relatively 
ignorant and flawed, for all our aspirations and hard work. We are 
given the idea to aspire to, but we are also given the injunction to 
be merciful, to be compassionate, to be forgiving and kind, to resist 
judging out brother and sister human beings. Racial intermarriage 
might fit under the category of "two opposite opinions can both be 
true," the ultimate paradox of the ancient wisdom. Seek perfection 
while realizing at the same time that the present is perfect just as 
it  is. Seek to improve conditions while accepting the fact that 
karma provides perfect balance all the time, whether we can see it or 
not. It might just come down to faith, whether we have been learning 
our lessons in life or not, whether we have realized that life is 
bringing us exactly what we need, and that all we really have to do 
is accept and embrace it with gratitude and joy.

> > > > Does the frst aim support multiculturalism and therefore the
> > > destruction of
> > > > all peoples (except one people?)?
> > > > Does it support to enkindle civil wars to become great masses of
> > > refugees
> > > > and human trafficking and gain profits from it?

Or perhaps the first aim supports the idea of the Unity of All Life. 
That  material gain is not an excuse for visiting suffering on any 
other being. That we humans are blinded now by selfishness and greed 
and find all sorts of excuses for committing acts of atrocity against 
our fellow human beings, forgetting, to our future suffering as karma 
adjusts the balance, that they are us and we are them, regardless of 
color of skin or social customs. 

Cass says:
> > > > > > The thing is Adelasie, God is bisexual and half black and half
> > > > white.

We could even go further and say the God is everything and no thing, 
that God is all there is, that there is nothing outside of God. 

If
> > > > > > the discriminators realised this they would have no leg to stand
> > > > on. Why is
> > > > > > it that discrimination still rears its ugly head in the US, we
> > > > too, in
> > > > > > Australia, are multi-cultural and discrimination occurs only in
> > > > about 1
> > > > > > percent of the population. The other 99 percent couldn't give a
> > > > rats doodle
> > > > > > about what colour or religion one practices, provided it is not
> > > > forced down
> > > > > > any one elses throat.

It is very interesting to consider why one people would be more 
prejudiced than another. It might be connected with material success, 
that the more "we" (here meaning the WASP majority) have, the less we 
want to share it with anyone else.

 > > > > > > Ironically, I believe it is the christian majority that 
causes
> > > > all the
> > > > > > racial problems in the US.

It is said that all wars are religious wars in the end. When we take 
the pure spiritual impulse and twist it and work it and pervert it to 
support the opposite from what it was originally meant to represent, 
when we say, "God wants me to kill you and take all your stuff..." we 
must be creating an inner landscape that would be filled with clouds 
and confusion and it isn't surprising that all parts of life suffer.

Adelasie