Theos-Talk Archives (May 1996 Message tl00932)

Alexis:

Many of my comments on the subject I've just made in
a reply to Jerry S, and so I won't repeat them hear.
I'll just comment on anything different that you say.

>As you may recall, I got into some really terrible trouble on
>this list recently for having the gall to suggest that the
>entire "Root-Race" and so-called Racial Hierarchy concepts
>of so-called "Core Theosophy" was pure balderdash. ... I am
>beginning to think that those of us who are not racists or
>other "ists" really had best make it clear that we will not
>accept this aspect of Theosophical Institutional History.

Based upon what I've read on theos-l and what I know of
people on it, I don't think we have any racists on board.

The idea that the concept of the cyclic nature of life,
in both cosmic and human terms, is not offensive. The
problem is a shortcoming of human nature. One person may
use "root races" to somehow feel superior, another may
use citizenship in a particular country, a third may use
the possession of an advanced degree from a top-notch
university. The basic problem is found in vanity and
self-pride, and not in the particular thing that someone
uses for peacock feathers.

>And based on information I am getting from Europe and
>India, this is just the tip of the iceberg. Do you
>remember when Chuck was complaining bitterly about George
>Arundale and N. Sri Ram writing paeans to Adolf Hitler?
>Well, I am beginning to think there's more to it than just
>silliness.

There may have been a problem in their thinking. And I'm
not sure if in Leadbeater he promotes the idea that
being born into a particular race indicates a particular
state of advancement, which would be wrong. But neither
of these are the actual theosophical doctrine of the
cyclic nature of cultures and the progressive unfoldment
of humanity along predefined evolutionary guidelines.

You're not finding fault with the theosophical idea,
because it is not as you describe it. What you're doing,
as I perceive it, is finding fault with the misunderstanding
and abuse of the theosophical idea, a misunderstanding and
abuse that I'd agree can often be there.

-- Eldon