Theos-Talk Archives (May 1996 Message tl01047)

At 02:56 PM 5/17/96 -0400, you wrote:
>>>>>cut<<<<<<<
>There are other guys, like Hans Liebenfels, if I recall his name correctly
>who probably *did* misuse the SD and perverted the theory of races.

Oh there are large numbers of Nazi metaphysical and racial theorists
Liebenfels was just one of many.
a.d.

>One who knows more on this subject is Paul K. Johnson, who was (is?) a
>subscriber
>to this list. He sometimes referred to Goodrick-Clarke's book: 'The occult
>roots
>of nazism', a book which I still have to buy and read.

There are a lot of books on this subject, because truly one can't really
comprehend Hitler and his movement unless one understands the occult nature
of his  philosophical roots.  Hitler was much more of an occultist than he
was a politician. Many of the people who surrounded him, especially at the
beginning of his rise to power, were also occultists.

>Otherwise, I have to agree with your last sentence that the TS's bear some
>Karmic
>responsibility for the results of this doctrine of races. It might interest you
>that HPB realised herself very well that teaching esoteric doctrines is loaded
>with karmic responsibilities. She mentions this explicitly somewhere (I think
>in her esoteric instructions).

Of course she knew this and she worried about it.

>I myself belief that Atlanteans, etc. have existed. Plato mentions briefly
>the existence of some island in this respect (in some myth narrated in his
>writings).

Plato mentions "Atlantis" (and it's more than briefly) in his dialog Phaedo.
And he very clearly calls it history and not myth. I myself believe in a
"Precursor Culture" that we don't YET know enough about to discuss, and I
don't think creating fantasies about it, as has been done in the past, is
productive of growth of understanding.

>Yet I don't regard this theory of races as very useful in our current epoch-
>too many problems are concerned with it. It may be best to see it as
speculation
>and maybe take it out of theosophical courses until science (biology,
>paleontology, etc.) finds irrefutable evidence to support the idea of
>Atlanteans, etc.

I agree entirely. It is presently entirely counter-productive.
>
>On the other hand, the existence of giants once in history *is* mentioned
>in many old myths and I have not too great a confidence in the objectivity
>of (current) scientists - too many have discarded evidence against so many
>theories
>especially in the biological/paleontological realm. Discoveries were quickly
>destroyed or reburied under the ground in order not to demolish their own
>established reputation.

Actually, the "Bigfoot" or "Yeti" fits the bill for giants and science is
commencing to take the overwhelming weight of evidence seriously.

>Science is *also* a belief system, not too different from religion.

This may regularly be true, but neither Aristotle nor Francis Bacon who
"invented science" between them, intended it to be that way.
>
>
>Martin
>
>
alexis d.>