Theos-Talk Archives (September 2011 Message tt00031)

Dear MKR and  friends

My views are:

>From the article mentioned we have the following words at the bottom of it.......
Theosophical Society
"The Transcendentalists, like the Theosophists, also explored Eastern religions, such as Hinduism, Buddhism, and Confucianism and integrated many of their concepts into their philosophy, including the idea that:

Quote:
"In addition to the body of flesh there exists a spiritual body, which is variously named the oversoul, conscious, or inner light. It cannot be annihilated and continues to live after death, and, eventually, to reach its Source".

There are also P. Parkhurst ****by and several others who founded the New Thought Movement, Helena Blavatsky and the foundation of the Theosophical Society, Rudolf Steiner and the Anthroposophical Society, as well as Alice Ann Bailey and the Lucis Trust. Walt Whitman, was also a theosophist, even though his greatest poem, "Song of Myself," was published twenty years before the Theosophical Society was founded in New York in 1875. The principles of Theosophy underlie all the central images and themes of the poem.

The foundation of the Theosophical Society in New York in 1875 became the activating impulse for the esoteric schools of our age and for the accessibility of the theosophy. "


_____________________________________________________


Well I would for instance not call Lucis Trust a non-sectarian body.
But, let me return your post with the following question....

>>>>>>> WHAT IS THEOSOPHY ACTUALLY? <<<<<<<

Here are a few central quotes by H. P. Blavatsky and W. Q. Judge and from the Constitution and Rules of the Theosophical Society.
Where the latter have as I see it been mutilated with regard to emphaiss on the non-sectarian and non-political aspects by members and administrative leaders at TS Adyar Headquarters in India. --- I will suggest that you take your time to carefully read (or re-read) the below words.


*** 1 ***

CONSTITUTION AND RULES OF THE THEOSOPHICAL SOCIETY (1890):
"1. The title of this Society, which was formed at New York, United States of America, on the 17th of November 1875, is the "Theosophical Society."

2. The Theosophical Society is an International Body.

3. The objects of the Theosophical Society are:

First - To form the nucleus of a Universal Brotherhood of Humanity, without distinction of race, creed, sex, caste or colour.

Second - To promote the study of Aryan and other Eastern literatures, religions, philosophies and sciences, and to demonstrate their importance to Humanity.

Third - To investigate unexplained laws of Nature and the psychic powers latent in man.

4. The Theosophical Society is absolutely unsectarian, and no assent to any formula of belief, faith or creed shall be required as a qualification of membership; but every applicant and member must lie in sympathy with the effort to create the nucleus of an Universal Brotherhood of Humanity. 

5. The Society does not interfere with caste rules, nor other social observances, nor with politics, and any such interference in its name is a breach of the constitution. The Society is not responsible for the personal opinions of its Fellows. "
.......
"ARTICLE XIII
Offences

1. Any Fellow who shall in any way attempt to involve the Society In political disputes shall be immediately expelled.

2. No Fellow, Officer, or Council of the Theosophical Society, or of any Section or Branch thereof, shall promulgate or maintain any doctrines being that advanced, or advocated by the Society."
http://www.teozofija.info/tsmembers/Rules_1890.htm


*** 2 ***

PHILOSOPHERS AND PHILOSOPHICULES 
"New accusations are brought by captious censors against our Society in general and Theosophy, especially. We will summarize them as we proceed along, and notice the "freshest" denunciation.
We are accused of being illogical in the Constitution and Rules of the Theosophical Society; and contradictory in the practical application thereof. The accusations are framed in this wise:- 
In the published Constitution and Rules great stress is laid upon the absolutely non-sectarian character of the Society. It is constantly insisted upon that it has no creed, no philosophy, no religion, no dogmas, and even no special views of its own to advocate, still less to impose on its members. And yet-
"Why, bless us! is it not as undeniable a fact that certain very definite views of a philosophic and, strictly speaking, of a religious character are held by the Founders and most prominent members of the Society?"
"Verily so," we answer. "But where is the alleged contradiction in this? Neither the Founders, nor the 'most prominent members nor yet the majority thereof, constitute the Society, but only a certain portion of it, which, moreover, having no creed as a body, yet allows its members to believe as and what they please." In answer to this, we are told:-
"Very true; yet these doctrines are collectively called 'Theosophy.' What is your explanation of this?"
We reply:-"To call them so is a 'collective' mistake; one of those loose applications of terms to things that ought to be more carefully defined; and the neglect of members to do so is now bearing its fruits. In fact it is an oversight as harmful as that which followed the confusion of the two terms 'buddhism' and 'budhism,' leading the Wisdom philosophy to be mistaken for the religion of Buddha."
But it is still urged that when these doctrines are examined it becomes very clear that all the work which the Society as a body has done in the East and the West depended upon them. This is obviously true in the case of the doctrine of the underlying unity of all religions and the existence, as claimed by Theosophists, of a common source called the Wisdom-Religion of the secret teaching, from which, according to the same claims, all existing forms of religion are directly or indirectly derived. Admitting this, we are pressed to explain how can the T.S. as a body be said to have no special views or doctrines to inculcate, no creed and no dogmas, when these are "the back-bone of the Society, its very heart and soul"?
To this we can only answer that it is still another error That these teachings are most undeniably the "backbone" of the Theosophical Societies in the West, but not at all in the East, where such Branch Societies number almost five to one in the West. Were these special doctrines the "heart and soul" of the whole body, then Theosophy and its T. S. would have died out in India and Ceylon since 1885-and this is surely not the case. For, not only have they been virtually abandoned at Adyar since that year, as there was no one to teach them, but while some Brahmin Theosophists were very much opposed to that teaching being made public, others-the more orthodox-positively opposed them as being inimical to their exoteric systems. 

These are self-evident facts. And yet if answered that it is not so; that the T.S. as a body teaches no special religion but tolerates and virtually accepts all religions by never interfering with, or even inquiring after the religious views of, its members, our cavillers and even friendly opponents, do not feel satisfied. On the contrary: ten to one they will non-plus you with the following extraordinary objection:-
"How can this be, since belief in 'Esoteric Buddhism' is a sine qua non for acceptance as a Fellow of your Society?"
It is vain to protest any longer; useless, to assure our opponents that belief in Buddhism, whether esoteric or exoteric, is no more expected by, nor obligatory in, our Society than reverence for the monkey-god Hanuman, him of the singed tail, or belief in Mohammed and his canonized mare. It is unprofitable to try and explain that since there are in the T.S. as many Brahmins, Mussulmans, Parsis, Jews and Christians as there are Buddhists, and more, all cannot be expected to become followers of Buddha, nor even of Buddhism, howsoever esoteric. Nor can they be made to realize that the Occult doctrines-a few fundamental teachings of which are broadly outlined in Mr. Sinnett's Esoteric Buddhism-are not the whole of Theosophy, nor even the whole of the secret doctrines of the East, but a very small portion of these: Occultism itself being but one of the Sciences of Theosophy, or the WISDOM-Religion, and by no means the whole of THEOSOPHY. 
So firmly rooted seem these ideas, however, in the mind of the average Britisher, that it is like telling him that there are Russians who are neither Nihilists nor Panslavists, and that every Frenchman does not make his daily meal of frogs; he will simply refuse to believe you. Prejudice against Theosophy seems to have become part of the national feeling. For almost three years the writer of the present-helped in this by a host of Theosophists-has tried in vain to sweep away from the public brain some of the most fantastic cobwebs with which it is garnished; and now she is on the eve of giving up the attempt in despair! While half of the English people will persist in confusing Theosophy with "esoteric bud-ism," the remainder will keep on pronouncing the world-honoured title of Buddha as they do-butter. It is they also who have started the proposition now generally adopted by the flippant press that "Theosophy is not a philosophy, but a religion," and "a new sect."..."
http://www.katinkahesselink.net/blavatsky/articles/v11/y1889_060.htm


*** 3 *** 
 "IS THEOSOPHY A RELIGION?"
"Moreover, we shall be told these beliefs have been put forward, explained and defended by these very Founders who have declared that Theosophy is not a Religion. What is then the explanation of this apparent contradiction? How can a certain body of beliefs and teachings, an elaborate doctrine, in fact, be labelled "Theosophy" and be tacitly accepted as "Theosophical" by nine tenths of the members of the T. S., if Theosophy is not a Religion? -we are asked.
To explain this is the purpose of the present protest.
It is perhaps necessary, first of all, to say, that the assertion that "Theosophy is not a Religion," by no means excludes the fact that "Theosophy is Religion" itself. A Religion in the true and only correct sense, is a bond uniting men together-not a particular set of dogmas and beliefs. Now Religion, per se, in its widest meaning is that which binds not only all MEN, but also all BEINGS and all things in the entire Universe into one grand whole. This is our theosophical definition of religion; but the same definition changes again with every creed and country, and no two Christians even regard it alike. We find this in more than one eminent author. "
.......
"Thus Theosophy is not a Religion, we say, but RELIGION itself, the one bond of unity, which is so universal and all-embracing that no man, as no speck-from gods and mortal down to animals, the blade of grass and atom-can be outside of its light. Therefore, any organization or body of that name must necessarily be a UNIVERSAL BROTHERHOOD. 
Were it otherwise, Theosophy would be but a word added to hundreds other such words as high-sounding as they are pretentious and empty. Viewed as a philosophy, Theosophy in its practical work is the alembic of the Mediaeval alchemist. It transmutes the apparently base metal of every ritualistic and dogmatic creed (Christianity included) into the gold of fact and truth, and thus truly produces a universal panacea for the ills of mankind. This is why, when applying for admission into the Theosophical Society, no one is asked what religion he belongs to, nor what his deistic views may be. These views are his own personal property and have nought to do with the Society. Because Theosophy can be practised by Christian or Heathen, Jew or Gentile, by Agnostic or Materialist, or even an Atheist, provided that none of these is a bigoted fanatic, who refuses to recognise as his brother any man or woman outside his own special creed or belief. "
http://www.katinkahesselink.net/blavatsky/articles/v10/y1888_085.htm


*** 4 ***

LETTER FROM H. P. BLAVATSKY TO THE SECOND AMERICAN CONVENTION 
"But let no man set up a popery instead of Theosophy, as this would be suicidal and has ever ended most fatally. We are all fellow-students, more or less advanced; but no one belonging to the Theosophical Society ought to count himself as more than, at best, a pupil-teacher-one who has no right to dogmatize. "
http://www.katinkahesselink.net/blavatsky/articles/v9/y1888_035.htm


*** 5 ***

H. P. Blavatsky wrote:
["ORIGINAL PROGRAMME" MANUSCRIPT] 
"To oppose materialism and theological dogmatism in every possible way, by demonstrating the existence of occult forces unknown to science, in nature, and the presence of psychic and spiritual powers in man; trying, at the same time to enlarge the views of the Spiritualists by showing them that there are other, many other agencies at work in the production of phenomena besides the "Spirits" of the dead. Superstition had to be exposed and avoided; and occult forces, beneficent and maleficent--ever surrounding us and manifesting their presence in various ways-demonstrated to the best of our ability."
.......
"But if the two Founders were not told what they had to do, they were distinctly instructed about what they should never do, what they had to avoid, and what the Society should never become. Church organizations, Christian and Spiritual sects were shown as the future contrasts to our Society."
.......
"A complete answer is thus found in the above lines to the paper framed by the two Theosophists. Those who are now inclined to repudiate the Hand that traced it and feel ready to turn their backs upon the whole Past and the original programme of the T.S. are at liberty to do so. The Theosophical body is neither a Church nor a Sect and every individual opinion is entitled to a hearing. A Theosophist may progress and develop, and his views may outgrow those of the Founders, grow larger and broader in every direction, without for all that abandoning the fundamental soil upon which they were born and nurtured."
http://www.katinkahesselink.net/blavatsky/articles/v7/yxxxx_019.htm


*** 6 ***

Dogmatism in Theosophy by W.Q. Judge
"THE Theosophical Society was founded to destroy dogmatism. This is one of the meanings of its first object - Universal Brotherhood. And Col. H. S. Olcott in his inaugural address in 1875, at Mott Memorial Hall, New York, said that such was the object in view, citing the bad effect that intolerance had had in the past."
.......
"If our effort is to succeed, we must avoid dogmatism in theosophy as much as in anything else, for the moment we dogmatise and insist on our construction of theosophy, that moment we lose sight of Universal Brotherhood and sow the seeds of future trouble. "
.......
"There is a great likelihood that members of the Society will insist on a certain orthodoxy in our ranks. They are already doing it here and there, and this is a note of warning to draw their attention to the danger. There is no orthodoxy in our Society. Even though nine-tenths of the members believe in Reincarnation, Karma, the sevenfold constitution, and all the rest, and even though its prominent ones are engaged in promulgating these doctrines as well as others, the ranks of the Society must always be kept open, and no one should be told that he is not orthodox or not a good Theosophist because he does not believe in these doctrines. All that anyone is asked to subscribe to is Universal Brotherhood, and its practice in the search for truth. For the efforts of those who are thus promulgating specific ideas are made under the sanction of the second object of the Society, which any one is free to follow or to refuse to follow as he sees fit. One may deny - undogmatically - reincarnation and other doctrines, or may assert belief in a personal or impersonal God, and still be a good member of the Society, provided Universal Brotherhood is subscribed to and put into practice. "
http://www.katinkahesselink.net/other/Dogmatism.htm

________________

QUESTIONS

Therefore I and a number of theosophical seekers are saying: THERE IS NO RELIGION HIGHER THAN THE TRUTH.

--- Why do you run a sectarian-like forum on theosophy?
--- Why run Theos-talk and for instance also Theosnet.ning.com in a sectarian manner with no elections and no direct influence given to the members?
--- Why run Theos-talk and Theosnet.ning.com - ONLY - in cyberspace? 
--- Does ALTRUISM not require it to also be run in the real life and centers and groups to be founded and formed, --- well ---- that is, if your aim truluy and honestly is ALTRUISM?

As long as you honourble and esteemed readers fail to recognise the above questions and their importance, I think we will find that the altruistic idea will remian in remotely hidden away. - Try to read the above quotes and in fact the articles as such - and - than you might better understand why I ask these questions.

I am also saying that: Dogmatism and various sectarian promotions are leading to what the leading Anti-cult psychologists and Exit-Counsellors today call subtle Mind Control. And without making each other aware of the problematic aspects of subtle Mind Control and what it really is and can be - I find that the Theosophical Society will fail in its mission called: Altruism and Universal Brotherhood/Sisterhood for all humanity. - And one could call this a Psychological Key to Altruism.

But I am used to receiving no answer and no honest exchange on these vital matters at this forum. And at other forums they are almost considered heretical to ask, where "trigger-happy" moderators delete peoples posts - and - some are calling them attempts to promote a heated debate. - So I rest comfortable, with the fact that no answer also is an answer.




M. Sufilight

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: MKR 
  To: theos-talk 
  Sent: Sunday, September 18, 2011 5:43 AM
  Subject: theos-talk A good writeup on theosophy


    
  A good writeup on theosophy:

  <http://www.amateurphilosopher.com/article.php?id=39>

  MKR

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