Theos-Talk Archives (October 2011 Message tt00092)

M. Sufilight wrote:

>There is no middle-ground here, as I see it. Either you are seeking altruism or you are not seeking altruism. That is the central thing I get from the above answer from you. There was no "inflamed pen" thrown by Blavatsky. I understand however what you say in the below: "One feels the power in her words and the great spirit at work. But it is also easy to be swept away from a poised, altruistic heart centeredness from such writing." - But, no. Because you cannot have it both ways. Either you seek altruism and its promulgation or you do not. This is the view, when we consider that the Theosophical Society was founded with the aim of promulgating altruism.

Could you elaborate on what you mean by altruism?  Does it mean always
putting oneself last?  Does it mean being available to help anyone who
needs it, no matter what one wants to do?  Does it mean giving all of
one's money to anyone who asks for it?  Does it mean deliberately
losing a tennis match because one believes that one's opponent would
rather win it?  Or does it mean to regard oneself as equally important
as everyone else, so that justice, not generosity, is the ideal?