Theos-Talk Archives (April 1996 Message tl01071)

At 11:13 PM 4/24/96 -0400, you wrote:
>Alexis:
>
>[writing to Chuck]
>
>>>There are some who think that the TS is going to be the
>>>groundwork for a world religion. There are some people
>>>who would like to see us go to hell, so maybe this does
>>>qualify as a religious list. NAH!
>
>>NAH! is right, and it's right cause you and Alan and JRC
>>and Jerry Schueler and I won't let it!
>
>I detect humor here, but some readers might miss the
>irony and get mad at what they read.

And what, exactly, do they have to get angry about? Do you mean to say there
are some theosophists who want to turn it into a religion and force it on
others? I hope not, even though I constantly am concerned about the trend
towards the religious approach to theosophy so typified by Richard Taylor.
>
>I don't think that the Theosophical Society is suitable
>to form a future world religion. But I do think that the
>results of the theosophical movement, including the
>dissemination of the theosophical doctrines, will help
>germinate future western religions. These religions will
>still have to arise of their own accord, with or without
>our help.

No Eldon that's not so. Now I will not presume to speak for the rest of the
"Gang of Four" but as for myself, I don't want to see Religion, in any guise
at all survive far into the future. I really do believe that H.P.B. would
agree with me, especially in our time frame. And I must call your attention
to Daniel's recent posting of the alleged K.H. Letter (letter 10 in Mahatma
letters to Sinnett..first three editions) Whoever wrote that letter has a
lower opinion of religion than most people. No lower than mine though. In
fact, my book, written before I was aware of this letter, has very similar
language.
>
>You have trouble with the word "religion", but seem to
>appreciate the religious, the sacredness of life, and
>the grandeur and majesty of the inner life. Not having
>those associations, I still find the word useful in talking
>about the creative, self-becoming aspect of life that
>seeks to bring forth more into the world and seeks out
>of compassion to uplift and enlighten sentient beings.

Being not only a Shaman but a very active healer and psychic, I more than
simply appreciate the sacredness of all life both inner and outer. But I
cannot see religion has being properly present in that paradigm. Religion is
about power and control and profit, and that is all it is about, now or ever
in the past. Religion is the crystallization of spirit. Religion is totally
dichotomous with spirit. Religion certainly has nothing to do with
"enlightenment".
>

>
>Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think that the four
>of you are *anti-religious*, just anarchist in temperament.
>That is, you don't want someone else to even have the
>appearance of telling you what to do or think. And
>fundamentalist religions exemplify the extreme of telling
>people what to do and think. Therefore, we have the
>aversion to religious groups. But it is not religion per
>se, nor religions still backed by an inner light, that
>you object to, but dead religions that spiritually entomb
>and suffocate their followers.
>
>-- Eldon

Eldon:

Your are certainly wrong, at least as you refer to me. I am absolutely
anti-religious. I am in your lexicon far more of an extreme Libertarian than
the classical Kropotkin/Bakhunin Anarchist. No, I don't want anyone to have
even the appearance of telling me what to say or think, but that is hardly
anarchist, America was founded by a bunch of people with the same attitude.
I am no more of what you call an anarchist than was Thomas Payne, or Thomas
Jefferson, or my own ancestors John Adams and Edmond Randolf. It's true
though, that Fundamentalist Religions typify the extreme of oppression, but
they're only a little bit worse than the rest. As I see it, all religions
are dead, and none of them have any inner light, though certainly there are
individuals that do. I want people free to develop and free their own inner
light, in a way I'm a sort of anarchist as anyone who reads my book knows,
but it's a kind of anarchy the human race won't be ready for in a thousand
years. I assume the rest of the "gang" will post their own responses.

alexis dolgorukii
The Eclectic theosophist
Shaman, Healer, Psychic
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