Theos-Talk Archives (April 1996 Message tl00919)

At 12:35 PM 4/22/96 -0400, you wrote:
>
>Alex,
>
>I am passing on a response to your post from a friend of mine who is a
>theosophist but not a member of our group on the internet.
>
>Nick.
> ----------

Nick: Thank you very much for the posting from your friend Karl Bryan. I
wish we had more posting of this quality.

alexis

To a major degree, it is true that one of the causes of fundamentalism is
the growing influence and political strength of women. But it's a big world
we live on and the Triad is a Western Phenomenon although Eastern Religions
are as male dominated as the Triad it is for different historical reasons.
In the West the male dominance is a function of the triumph of
Judeo-Roman-Stoic ideals over the Celts of Northern Europe who were a
society wherein women had full rights. Therefore in Northern and Western
Europe the "male dominance" only dates to the Victory of Rome and Catholicism.

Probably of much more importance is Christianity's enshrinement of
"ignorance as ideal" and "sheepishness as a goal". Christianity's primary
purpose during the time that has passed between the Council of Nicea and the
Second Council of Constantinople and our present era, has been the
unblinking support of authority and male authority at that. Obviously I
agree with you and I'd like to point out that one of the primary goals of
the "Religious Right" as it is manifesting in the world today, and
especially in this country, is the absolute destruction of public education.
Those so-called "Christian Academies" turn out absolutely nothing but
ignorant bigots, who, as they have been inculcated and indoctrinated with a
total "siege mentality" are incredibly dangerous to the rest of us.

The leadership of the Christian Right are, for the most part, callous
opportunists who peddle "snake oil' for the sake of the attainment of power
and profit for themselves. The so-called "Christian Right" are as much a
danger to mainstream Christians and Jews as they are to people who are part
of the various alternative to religion communities.

The only place where I might have some disagreement with you is vis a vis
Cuba. While Free Education for all is a very good thing, and providing we
find a way to pay for it (I have ideas about how) should be a feature of
this country, along with free medical care. My reservations about Cuba have
to do with personal and political liberties. There are far too many of my
Gay and Lesbian brothers and sisters languishing in prison in Cuba, there is
truly no freedom of thought and opinion in Cuba. Liberty is humankind's most
urgent need and anywhere it is curtailed in any way I oppose it. In Cuba it
is more curtailed than in many places. That is clearly not to say or imply
that it is not curtailed or impaired in this country, it surely is. But then
I have spent the last 41 years (since 1955) working for equal rights for all
people in this country, so I can hardly turn a blind eye to the lack of
rights and freedoms elsewhere.

I think, however, that on most things you and I are in complete agreement. I
am not only a theosophical revolutionary but a revolutionary in all things.

cordially;

alexis dolgorukii