Theos-Talk Archives (May 1996 Message tl00299)

Rich:

[writing to JRC]

>I will agree with you that brotherhood is the single most
>important doctrine among the bunch.

This statement of Rich's is important, something that we overlook
far too often. The idea of "universal brotherhood", under whatever
sanitized words we want to call it, *is a doctrine*.

Just like reincarnation and karma, the universality of life,
spiritual evolution, the seven principles, etc., it is a doctrine.
It is a collection of ideas about life based around certain seed
thoughts. It can be studied in the abstract, or work its way into
our everyday experience. We can study it or make it a part of our
lives.

As far as doctrines go, it is not any more supreme than any of
the others. It can, though, be discussed in as great a depth as
any of the others, going from superficial, casual descriptions
into views that are profoundly occult.

Perhaps some of the strong advocates of this particular doctrine
could attempt to spell out with some detail and substance how
they understand the doctrine. It would be also interesting to
hear how they might be anti-doctrine except for this one.

-- Eldon