Theos-Talk Archives (October 1996 Message tl00195)

Chuck:

[writing to Max]

>As you can imagine, purity of any kind and I don't usually get in the same
>building together.  I suppose I'm one of those who believe in going after
>knowledge and damning the cost along with the torpedoes.

This sounds like you don't mind getting your hands dirty in life. That
means that you may be able to get more things done that other people,
if you apply yourself. The related question, though, is how frequently
do you and your hands visit soap and the sink?

>But I also know
>lots of thelemites and find them to radiate more love and light than an equal
>number my theosophical brethren.  They are infinitely less judgemental and if
>one needs help are more likely to give the help than lectures about karma.

I don't really think that any of us is free of being judgemental, we just
do it in different ways. One good example is how someone might be judged for
using a "sexist term", without caring to ask the person what was meant. (That
is, we judge another person's situation by "what would I do in that person's
place" instead of by "how does that entirely differently person think and
see things".

>The unfortunate fact is that the more I examine much of what is called the
>ageless wisdom, I find it to be neither ageless nor particularly wise.

That's how *you* find it. I'm not sure you could extrapolate your personal
experience to invalidate what others have found of value in it, though.

>It is
>the old problem of what is true and digging for that leads us to many
>different tunnels and we gain nothing by damning those tunnels that, for
>whatever reason, don't particularly appeal to us.

Let each man (woman, etc.) dig their own tunnels, searching for gold
whereever they may find it!

>For example, I rather like
>Crowley and I absolutely despise Christianity.  But in my calmer moments
>(they occur about twice a year) I will admit that the christian probably has
>some element of truth in his belief, though for the life of me I can't see
>where it could be.

I'm not fond of both. I won't go out of my way to tell someone that there are
more productive approaches to the spiritual than Christianity -- not unless
they seem to be looking for something more. I won't in good conscience recommend
anyone to read AC, though. That would seem to me like offering beer to children.

>Therefore, before this thing turns into another of our list screaming
>matches, let us agree to disagree on Crowley because clearly neither side is
>going to convince the other.

Does anyone really care?

-- Eldon
   (stopping by during the middle of a lurking vacation)