Theos-Talk Archives (April 1996 Message tl00112)

Greg:
>One thing I did not understand at all.  Jerry S. writes:
>>Personally I find that idea of a
>>group of students who bend over backwards to be morally upright as
>>entirely opposed to the spirit of occultism.   HPB would probably giggle.
>
>This runs exactly counter to what HPB taught repeatedly, and I ask if you
>could clarify the basis for your comment and especially explain why you think
>she would giggle.
>
>Greg Hoskins

	First of all, Greg, let me tell you that HPB never established
an occult school nor did she serve as guru to occult students.  She
founded and fostered Theosophy and the Theosophical Society, which
is *not* an occult  school.  Her insistence on ethics and morals was
directed to her TS students to keep them out of trouble.  Her teachings
on Chelaship reflect the one-on-one type of training found in India, and
is not reflective of Western schools.  Western occult students, depending
on their experience and understanding, would either be
heedless of such warning or would no longer need it.  I, for one,
practice ethics because it makes common sense to do so (i.e., I
believe in karma), and because I feel it is the right thing to do.  But I
don't "bend over backwards to be morally upright."  Why?  Because it
always inflates the ego, which is exactly the opposite result that
true occultism desires to affect.   I did this in my youth when I was a
good Christian.  I feel, rightly or wrongly, that I have progressed from
those days.
	I have nothing at all against ethics and morals or in learning
and practicing them.  But when people go to the extreme of worrying
about being "morally upright" (which is equivalent to holier than thou)
then I can only feel sorry for them.  Chuck said it well when he said
in a recent posting that such people are "buffoons" and I dare say
that that is how HPB would have seen them too.

	Jerry S.
	Member, TI