Theos-Talk Archives (May 1996 Message tl00960)

On Fri, 17 May 1996, Bee Brown wrote:

> 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
>
>
Bee:

I am very glad to see the quote from HPB. It would do any one a lot of
good to think about what she is saying.

	....doss