Theos-Talk Archives (June 1996 Message tl00322)

At 05:02 PM 6/6/96 -0400, you wrote:

>I have more or less given up trying to persuade people that capitalized
>~Theosophy~ should be restricted to two meanings:  1) the
>organization/movement, and 2) the ineffable universal--Theo-Sophia.  The
>"convenient habit" of simply referring to the ideas in THE SECRET DOCTRINE
>etc. as "Theosophy" seems just too well-established.  If I cannot get someone
>whom I respect as highly as you to consider the crystalizing implications of
>this undoubtedly E.S.--approved usage, I know I am defeated.

Alexis literally begs: Please Richard, don't feel defeated, there are many
people, I'm sure I'm not alone, who totally agree with the definition of
Theosophy you give in the above paragraph, and who are terrified of the
"crystallizing implications of the approved usage".
>

>
>If this is the case--oh, what the hell, I'll go along with you:  maybe if we
>can get about a thousand definitions for capitalized ~Theosophy~ people will
>sooner or later throw them all out and take another look at the broad
>definition (basically stolen from multiple dictionaries) I offered for
>uncapitalized ~theosophy~:
>
>"Knowledge which has its base in, or at least originally derives from
>transcendental, mystical, or intuitive insight or higher perception."

Alexis comments: Richard, I don't think I've ever seen a clearer or more
succinct definition of theosophy than that.
>

>Anyway, Jerry, are you now numbered with those who feel there exists
>somewhere a properly catholic answer to the question "What do theosophists
>believe (!) in?"
>
>Godspeed,
>
>Richard Ihle
>
Alexis adds: Richard I really doubt that Jerry would be included in that
number. He's far too wise. If we are to judge the answer to the question:
"what do Theosophists believe in?" by either this list, or the relatively
inchoate alt.theosophy, then there's a really ridiculous number of
"alternative theosophies".

alexis
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