Theos-Talk Archives (May 1996 Message tl00959)

Richtay@aol.com wrote:
>
> Chuck writes,
>
> > Rich T,
> > The probelm with the root races is not with HPB, but rather with her
> > successors.  This is one of those areas where it is important to remember
> the
> > times in which all this was taking place.  The people who grabbed onto the
> > root races were seeking a spiritual justification for their own beliefs,
> > which were common to the culture of their period.
> > If you want your hair to stand on end, read Jinarajadasa's First
> Principles.
>
> Good point (and good suggestion, I've never read Jinarajadasa).
>
> But I think some people dismiss the concept entirely because it has been
> misapplied and misunderstood by some.  When people quote me GdeP or
> Jinarajadasa or whoever with their misunderstandings, I think "Wow.  Bummer
> for them."
>
> But it is important to separate the wheat from the chaff.  I am not at ALL
> prepared to throw away the doctrine of the root races because Hitler used it
> to kill people.  He could have equally well used the Bible, the Church
> certainly has.  Likewise with the Buddhist swastica, many people want it
> removed from the logo of the Theosophical movement.  But I refuse to give up
> a cherished symbol thousands of years old, because some idiots used it for
> white supremacy (and continue to do so).  This reflects THEIR ignorance, not
> the inherent impropriety of the symbol.
>
> I hear what you are saying about Theosophists who have butchered the
> teachings, I merely want to stick up for the teachings as originally
> presented by the Masters, and say that if They claim this is part of the
> wisdom religion, it is worth our attention.  Even if ultimately we choose not
> to accept the teaching.

This might be a good place to bring in what HPB says in Lucifer 1888 in her
article called Lodges of Magic.
"Is it profitable, more over to discuss the question of a Lodge receiving
even theoretical instruction, until we can be sure that all the members will
accept the teachings as coming from the alleged source? Occult truth cannot
be absorbed by a mind that is filled with preconceptions, prejudice or
suspicion. It is something to be perceived by the intuition rather than by
the reason, being by nature spiritual, not material. Some are so constituted
as to be incapable of acquiring knowledge by the exercise of the spiritual
faculty; the great majority of physicists. Such are slow, if not wholly
incapable of grasping the ultimate truths behind the phenomena of existence.
There are many such in the Society; the body of the discontented are
recruited from their ranks. Such persons readily persuade themselves that
later teachings, received form exactly the same sources as earlier ones, are
either false or have been tampered with by chelas or even third parties.
Suspicion and inharmony are the natural results, the psychic atmosphere, so
to say, is thrown into confusion and the reaction, even upon the stauncher
students, is very harmful. Sometimes vanity blinds what was at first strong
intuition, the mind is effectively closed against the admission of new truth,
and the aspiring student is thrown back to the point where he began. Having
jumped at some particular conclusion of his own without full study of the
subject and before the teaching had been fully expounded, his tendency, when
proved wrong, is to listen only to the voice of his self-adulation, and cling
to his views, whether right or wrong. The Lord Buddha particularly warned his
hearers against forming beliefs upon tradition or authority and before having
throughly inquired into the subject."

Misunderstandings are par for the course in such intricate subjects and many
different points can be gleaned from them. I have been studying them and as
yet have no opinion to offer except for the huge scope of evolution offered
by these teachings. It is such a struggle to even get a small idea of what is
involved that it is no wonder that people put it aside and remain
uninterested in it. When there is something I want to know, I get like a dog
with a bone and worry the hell out of it until I get it crunched up even if
it takes forever. It is a time consuming state of affairs and I tell myself
that I am giving up that attitude until something fascinating passes my eyes
and all my good intentions fly away.
Please excuse my square eyes.



   Bee Brown
   Member TSNZ,Wanganui Branch.
   Theos Int & L