Theos-Talk Archives (September 1995 Message tl00853)

> (2) What do you know about Theosophy? What books on Theosophy have you
read?
> Could you please post a short account of what you think Theosophy is all
> about? You might divide you account into 2 parts: (1) give a brief
account of
> what Theosophy teaches and (2) then own opinions on those teachings.

I thank my friend Ron Rhodes who helped me with the following research.

"Who do you say I am?" The question was
first asked of Peter by Christ nineteen centuries ago, and has
continued since then to the present day to be the litmus test of
spiritual authenticity. Perhaps never in the history of the
Christian church has this question been more relevant than it is
today. One reason for this is that Theosophists have taken the New
Testament sculpture (if you will) of Christ, crafted an esoteric/mystical
chisel, and hammered away at this sculpture until a completely new
image has been formed.

The new sculpture is one that fits nicely on a display shelf
with sculptures of Buddha, Krishna, and other "holy men." This
Christ is broad-minded and non-judgmental. He is a "Master" among
"Masters," who -- with the others -- is leading the human race into
a New Age of enlightenment and harmony.

I know that an Avatar is One who "descends" into human form from
above, never having gone through reincarnation. Such a one is
considered a manifestation of divinity and seeks to reveal divine truths
especially important to a particular age.

Theosophy teaches an escoteric form of Christianity with no true foundation
whatsoever.

P.P. Quimby certainly has revealed his mind.

Theosophy and Quimby's teachings are two trees which grew side by
side, having been planted close to the same time (the mid to late
1800s) in the same soil, fertilized with common ingredients
(nineteenth-century transcendentalism, the philosophy of Emmanuel
Swedenborg, the influx of Hindu monism, etc.). Certainly, in many
respects these two have distinct beliefs and different goals, but
they both took root and flourished in the same mystical climate.
Taken together, these represent an appropriate starting point for
a study in New Age Christology.

The Aryan rootrace and other "races" were declared by Blavatsky's
reception of some type of revelation experience. I wonder which
Christ entered her? Maybe an angel of light.

Anyway...The five incarnations of Christ in the five subraces of the
Aryan rootrace were Buddha, Hermes, Zoroaster, Orpheus, and Jesus.

Theosophists reject any suggestion that Jesus died on the cross
to pay for man's sins. May I remind you that the Holy Scripture
declares the the Cross of Christ is foolishness to those that are
perishing. Man supposedly saves himself through continual reincarnations.
This spiritual evolution leads men further and further away from the
physical plane and closer and closer to spiritual planes of existence.
Because of this process, every human being -- regardless of race or
religion -- is a potential "Christ".

Sixth Messiah

Annie Besant first announced the coming of this Messiah in
1906. Her aim was to groom Jiddu Krishnamurti for the role of World
Teacher or Messiah. In 1925 she claimed for this young Indian man
the title of "Messianic Leader and Reincarnation of the World
Teacher." But by 1929, Krishnamurti became convinced it was all a
MISTAKE. On November 20 of that year, he "refused to receive
further adoration, 'I am not an actor; I refuse to wear the robes of a
Messiah;
so I am again free of all possessions.'" Theosophy's Christ remains to
appear.

And of course I too look for the Sixth coming of Christ...but objectively
it will be the second and final.

Theosophy where friends can be friends.

Dr. Rudolf Steiner was an active member of the Theosophical
Society and headed the German charter of the group. However, when
a Theosophical subgroup, the "Order of the Star of the East," began
promoting Krishnamurti as the new incarnation of the Christ,
Steiner threatened to expel any member of the German charter who
joined the Order. Annie Besant retaliated by cancelling Steiner's
charter. Steiner then founded the Anthroposophical Society in 1912,
and most of the German membership of Theosophy joined with him.

>From the foundation you now have Steiner reading the Akasha records
where he was able to establish the significance of Christ on the human
Jesus.

And this is where I first encountered the difference between the
physical earth and the etheric earth. Jesus's purpose is to be the
mediator between the two realms.

Steiner believes that Christ's crucifixtion and resurrection was the
avenue for success of this mediation. You probably don't want
to know what he thought about the blood.

As for Alice...

She eventually became critical of the organization's policy that one could
not
become a disciple of a Master (which Bailey believed she already
was) unless one was notified by Annie Besant (who seemed to have
overlooked Bailey in this). This led to her dismissal from the
Society, and shortly thereafter in 1923, she and her husband Foster
founded the Arcane School.

Like Theosophy and Anthroposophy, Bailey believed that Jesus
was a medium who allowed the Christ to use his body. But Bailey
distinguished her beliefs from Anthroposophy by arguing that the
"second coming" referred to the Christ coming in a single Avatar,
not in all humanity.

Then there is Guy and Edna...but I have not yet heard much on theos-l
about I AM so I will refrain from posting here.

I must admit that the terminology you all use is complex but it certainly
reveals the foolishness of man regarding the simple truth about Christ.
I aslo haven't heard much about Benjamin Creme on this list.
I suppose because He has been proven a false prophet.

Then you have Spangler who who described what the Christ
accomplished through Jesus. For example, Spangler says that the
Christ was occultly crucified (which resulted in placing his
cosmic presence within the cross of matter, space, and time). The
Christ was laid in a tomb (the tomb representing a level of life
characterized by "great density" [i.e., the physical world], as
opposed to the "low density" spiritual realm he was accustomed to).
There he would stay until the resurrection (the outflowing of
Christ-energies from the etheric earth) and ascension (the
ascension of Christ-consciousness in humanity). Through this
sacrifice, the cosmic Christ became a savior in that he no
longer stood outside the evolution of the earth, but entered into
that evolution by becoming incarnate into the earth. There he
would function as a guide of man's spiritual evolution.

Then you have Quimby which I have not read much about on this list.

Anyway here is a start...to MY understanding about theosophy.

Pls correct me where the above is in error.

Daniel