Theos-Talk Archives (January 2011 Message tt00178)

Dear fríends

My views are:


Part 2

There seem even today among some of the learned among theosophical seekers, some who are confused to a certain degree about what The Theosophical Society and the Theosophy actually is and was.

I will therefore in the below quote a few words from more article given in the magazine named "The Theosophist". It was the magazine used by The Theosophical Society in 1879 and in alter years to come. The below was taken from the first volume - dated october 1879. The words seem to be quite important, because the Theosophical Society is, as I see it, today certainly also misunderstood back in 1879 than it is today in our claimed more enlightened century, the 21th.


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"WHAT ARE THE THEOSOPHISTS?
Are they what they claim to be -- students of natural law, of ancient and modern philosophy, and even of exact science? Are they Deists, Atheists, Socialists, Materialists, or Idealists; or are they but a schism of modern Spiritualism, -- mere visionaries? Are they entitled to any consideration, as capable of discussing philosophy and promoting real science; or should they be treated with the compassionate toleration which one gives to "harmless enthusiasts?" The Theosophical Society has been variously charged with a belief in "miracles," and "miracle-working;" with a secret political object -- like the Carbonari; with being spies of an autocratic Czar; with preaching socialistic and nihilistic doctrines; and, mirabile dictu, with having a covert understanding with the French Jesuits, to disrupt modern Spiritualism for a pecuniary consideration! With equal violence they have been denounced as dreamers, by the American Positivists; as fetish-worshippers, by some of the New York press; as revivalists of "mouldy superstitions," by the Spiritualists; as infidel emissaries of Satan, by the Christian Church; as the very types of "gobe-mouche," by Professor W. B. Carpenter, F. R. S.; and, finally, and most absurdly, some Hindu opponents, with a view to lessening their influence, have flatly charged them with the employment of demons to perform certain phenomena. Out of all this pother of opinions, one fact stands conspicuous -- the Society, its members, and their views, are deemed of enough importance to be discussed and denounced: Men slander only those whom they hate -- or fear."

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"While, as observed, one of our objects, it yet is but one of many; the most important of which is to revive the work of Ammonius Saccas, and make various nations remember that they are the children "of one mother." As to the transcendental side of the ancient Theosophy, it is also high time that the Theosophical Society should explain. With how much, then, of this nature-searching, God-seeking science of the ancient Aryan and Greek mystics, and of the powers of modern spiritual mediumship, does the Society agree? Our answer is: -- with it all. But if asked what it believes in, the reply will be: -- "as a body -- Nothing." The Society, as a body, has no creed, as creeds are but the shells around spiritual knowledge; and Theosophy in its fruition is spiritual knowledge itself -- the very essence of philosophical and theistic enquiry. Visible representative of Universal Theosophy, it can be no more sectarian than a Geographical Society, which represents universal geographical exploration without caring whether the explorers be of one creed or another. The religion of the Society is an algebraical equation, in which so long as the sign = of equality is not omitted, each member is allowed to substitute quantities of his own, which better accord with climatic and other exigencies of his native land, with the idiosyncracies of his people, or even with his own. Having no accepted creed, our Society is very ready to give and take, to learn and teach, by practical experimentation, as opposed to mere passive and credulous acceptance of enforced dogma. It is willing to accept every result claimed by any of the foregoing schools or systems, that can be logically and experimentally demonstrated. Conversely, it can take nothing on mere faith, no matter by whom the demand may be made."

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"Of atheists and bigoted sectarians of any religion, there are none in the Society; for the very fact of a man's joining it proves that he is in search of the final truth as to the ultimate essence of things."

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"On the other hand the bigoted sectarian, fenced in, as he is, with a creed upon every paling of which is written the warning "No Thoroughfare," can neither come out of his enclosure to join the Theosophical Society, nor, if he could, has it room for one whose very religion forbids examination. The very root idea of the Society is free and fearless investigation."

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"With every man that is earnestly searching in his own way after a knowledge of the Divine Principle, of man's relations to it, and nature's manifestations of it, Theosophy is allied. It is likewise the ally of honest science, as distinguished from much that passes for exact, physical science, so long as the latter does not poach on the domains of psychology and metaphysics.

And it is also the ally of every honest religion, -- to wit: a religion willing to be judged by the same tests as it applies to the others. Those books, which contain the most self-evident truth, are to it inspired (not revealed). But all books it regards, on account of the human element contained in them, as inferior to the Book of Nature; to read which and comprehend it correctly, the innate powers of the soul must be highly developed."

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M. Sufilight says:

And now very important. Earliere in Part 1 it was stated that Theosophy is the exact science of psychology. And this is interesting.
And psychology is as we know it the science on the mind. And with that we also know, that the teachings in Mind Control and psychological anti-cult teachings are a new and even growing aspect of present day psychology among the ordinary scientific etablishment. And Theosophy are of course aware of this new important topic. And therefore these words.

Because where do we today find a teaching better forwarded on the science of anti-cult psychology and the problems the use of Mind Control most often creates - than by various Theosophists? Or am I mistaken?
If so, I can only suggest that the Theossophists change their basis and aim.  

So each Theosophist has his or her own view. The members of the Theosophical Society merely aims at forwarding the hypothesis that at the core of all of the major religious philosophies we find a mutual truth about the meaning of life, with the exception of Christianity and Islam, because they are dogmatic religions. And this mutal truth Yet, the Theosophical Society  has no creed, because each member have their own individual views, and they most often differe, and sometimes considerably. - yet despite of this, som of the various theosophical ofshoots find that one has to forward theosophy as a creed - and that ones organisation should prmote a creed. This false teaching aught to be correted and shown to the public, so it can see what it is and is not. Therefore I find it important that present day theosophical groups put more emphasis on this issue, and the new growing science called exact psychology - also known as Theosophy - as well as the new growing science among the ordinary scientific etablishment known as the ordinary scientific term Mind Control, ( psychologically speaking - and - not spiritually speaking).

Because is it not true to say, that the Psychological Key to Theosophy has been misunderstood by many theosophical Seekers, who has taken The Theosophical Society as a creed - a sect, and that they have merely sought a new place where to live socially - and a new "Bible" to use? - And is it also not true to say, that the Psychological Key to Theosophy has been misunderstood by many "esteemed" scientists and similar dogmatic priests within Islam and especially Christianity in the past decades  since the articles form the above magazine The Theosophist given in 1879 --- because they have only looked at the superficials instead of its original basis and the basis of its organisational aims. These aims which I for instance have quoted in part in the above from the magazine The Theosophist?

So I will conclude, that since the Theosophical Society is no creed, and does not have a creed promoted on its behalf, - it can therefore not be a religious movement.
It is much more precisely put a science and a philosophy seeking the truth about the meaning of life - based on altruism.

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This is how I defines som of the above used words...

(1) Dogma and dogmatic: 
Dogma is the established belief or doctrine held by a religion, ideology or any kind of organization: it is authoritative and not to be disputed, doubted, or diverged from. 

(2) Mind control: 
Mind control (also known as coercive persuasion, thought control, or thought reform) refers to a process in which a group or individual systematically uses unethically manipulative methods to persuade others to conform to the wishes of the manipulator(s), often to the detriment of the person being manipulated - Also implies leaders who disallow wellmeant criticism. - Here we are only dealing with it in its religious sense. 

(3) Altruism: 
Altruism is selfless concern for the welfare of others. 


(4) Sectarian person: 
A narrow or bigoted person or persons. 
Sect: The term is occasionally used in a negative way to suggest the broken-off group follows a more negative path than the original. 

Bigotry added to explain the word sectarian: 
A bigot is a person obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her own opinions and prejudices. The correct use of the term requires the elements of intolerance, irrationality, and animosity toward those of differing beliefs or views. 




All the above are however just my views.



M. Sufilight














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