Theos-Talk Archives (November 2009 Message tt00175)

Dear MKR and friends

My views are:

Interesting words.



MKR wrote:
"If theosophy teaches us anything, it is the simple fact that practice
of Brotherhood in our daily lives can improve the quality of life
everywhere - ours, our family members, friends, and everyone with whom
we interact and are affected by what we say or do. The simple
touchstone that seems to help is to view everyone of our actions to
see if it contradicts the principle of Brotherhood and if there is a
self-serving motive or selfish benefit - whether deliberate or
unrecognized one is there in our actions. If there is, then it is time
to think and modify our actions."

M. Sufilight asks four questions:

a) May I ask: How do you think, that one aught to promote the principle of Brotherhood?

b) How to avoid prejudice and the trap of undocumented assumptions?

c) And how can one actually discover whether any long time member are using "persuasive misdirected cleverly crafted reasoning may be presented to mislead the audience to hide the real motivation behind hurtful actions.", when the plank only - appearntly - is taken out of ones own eye?

There are also the fact that wellmeant communications and actions might be taken in a manner not intended.
And it is also difficult to avoid hurting just a few persons when giving a lecture to a crowd or even when emailing at a forum.

d) Can promoting a Messiah in the flesh or a Messiah craze ever promote the principle of Brotherhood? Or will it instead be a principle of imagined spirituality and emotionalism?

Maybe others also are able to help me and others out.

- - -

A few quotes:

Idries Shah:
"Some [Gurus] are frankly phonies, and they don't try to hide it from me. They think that I am one, too, so when we meet they begin the most disturbing conversations. They want to know how I get money, how I control people, and so on."
http://www.katinkahesselink.net/sufi/sufi-shah.html


H. P. Blavatsky said in her Esoteric Section papers:

Lucifer, Vol. III, on the last page of the October, 1888:
"1. Groundless condemnation on hearsay of others, theosophists or not, must be refrained from, and charity to each otherâs faults widely practiced within, as well as without, the theosophical area.
2. Repetition of statements or gossip derogatory of others must be avoided. But condemnation of crime, of social evils and systems of every description, in the abstract, is a duty of every member. Above all, the duty of every member is to fight against cant, hypocrisy, and injustice in every shape.

3. A derogatory or slanderous statement made against a fellow theosophist in the presence of a member, shall not be permitted by him to pass without protest, unless he knows it is true, in which case he should remain silent."
. . . . . . .

"If a member, whether falsely or truly, asserts that he has received letters or communications from Masters, unless directed to divulge the same, he will ipso facto cease to derive any benefit from the teachings, whether the fact be known or unknown to himself or to others. A repetition of such offense gives the Head of the Section the right to expel the offender in discretion. In every case where a member shall receive a letter or communication purporting to come from Master or Masters, and which directs the divulgation of its contents or a part thereof, the same before being divulged shall be communicated to H.P.B. directly, if the recipient is in Europe, and to William Q. Judge, if in America, for transmission to said H.P.B. For deception is easy, and, without great experience, members are not able to decide whether such a communication is genuine or not."
. . . . . . .

STRICTLY PRIVATE AND CONFIDENTIAL THE ESOTERIC SECTION
OF THE THEOSOPHICAL SOCIETY
"5. AS THE LIMBS DEFEND THE HEAD AND HEART OF THE BODY THEY BELONG TO, SO HAVE THE DISCIPLES TO DEFEND THE HEAD AND THE HEART OF THE BODY THEY BELONG TO (in this case Theosophy) FROM INJURY.

(From the Letter of a Master.)

. . . . AND IF THE LIMBS HAVE TO DEFEND THE HEAD AND HEART OF 
THEIR BODY, THEN WHY NOT SO, ALSO, THE DISCIPLES THEIR TEACHERS AS REPRESENTING THE SCIENCE OF THEOSOPHY WHICH CONTAINS AND INCLUDES THE âHEADâ OF THEIR PRIVILEGE, THE âHEARTâ OF THEIR SPIRITUAL GROWTH? SAITH THE SCRIPTURE:-
âHE WHO WIPETH NOT AWAY THE FILTH WITH WHICH THE PARENTâS BODY MAY HAVE BEEN DEFILED BY AN ENEMY, NEITHER LOVES THE PARENT NOR HONOURS HIMSELF."
http://www.katinkahesselink.net/blavatsky/articles/v12/y1890_052.htm



H. P. Blavatsky:
"With the advent of Theosophy, the Messiah-craze surely has had its day, and sees its doom."
http://www.katinkahesselink.net/blavatsky/articles/v12/y1890_027.htm




M. Sufilight


  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: MKR 
  To: theos-talk 
  Sent: Saturday, November 21, 2009 2:53 PM
  Subject: Theos-World Some thoughts on Brotherhood


    
  From time to time, when we see the actions of some of the long time
  theosophical workers, leaders, elders, scholars, professors,
  politicians etc., they surprise ordinary members who are exposed to
  some of the simple fundamental tenets that theosophy presents. These
  actions may be no different from that we see in other settings in the
  world - political, religious, scientific, business, government etc.

  The key note of theosophy is Brotherhood in its all encompassing
  meaning. Simple folks like you and me need not run to any dictionary
  to tell us what is it is. The simple smell test would say what it is
  not.

  Human beings grow up looking up to role models in others and some may
  be under the misperception to look up to leaders, elders, scholars,
  professors, politicians etc. While we can from time to time learn some
  tricks and lessons from others, the life and circumstances of each one
  of us is different from every other. So we have to use our god given
  thinking and analyzing powers.

  If theosophy teaches us anything, it is the simple fact that practice
  of Brotherhood in our daily lives can improve the quality of life
  everywhere - ours, our family members, friends, and everyone with whom
  we interact and are affected by what we say or do. The simple
  touchstone that seems to help is to view everyone of our actions to
  see if it contradicts the principle of Brotherhood and if there is a
  self-serving motive or selfish benefit - whether deliberate or
  unrecognized one is there in our actions. If there is, then it is time
  to think and modify our actions.

  If you apply the above simple test, then actions of the theosophical
  workers, leaders, elders, scholars, professors, politicians etc.
  become more transparent and we may be able to see the real motivation
  behind their actions, especially as they affect the TS and propagation
  of theosophy in the world. This is necessary because, many times,
  persuasive misdirected cleverly crafted reasoning may be presented to
  mislead the audience to hide the real motivation behind hurtful
  actions.

  My 0.02.

  MKR

  There is no Religion Higher than Truth

  Visit theosophy.net and enjoy Theosophical Community.


  

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