Theos-Talk Archives (October 1996 Message tl00505)

Well put, Paul. After just over a year on here and experiencing Alexis, I
agree with you. I probably would not have agreed earlier on but now I can
observe the changes in myself and the way I respond to others.

At 02:26 PM 18/10/96 -0400, you wrote:
>In response to Mark's (Art House) comments about the Internet:
>indeed it is a "growing manifestation of group or planetary
>consciousness" that can express the energies of the higher
>parts of ourselves.  But it is also true that there is a lot
>more kama-manas than buddhi-manas expressed on it.
>
>This is, as you suggest, inevitable given that humanity's center
>of gravity is kama-manas rather than buddhi-manas.  But I do
>see a learning curve here.  It's rather like the way the
>Vietnam War evoked intense anti-war sentiments because it came
>into people's living rooms via TV.  The violence was no longer
>remote, and with the buffers removed the American people became
>much more sensitive to it.  Similarly, the Internet has greatly
>increased the frequency of psychologically violent clashes
>between people who are partisans of various religious,
>scientific, philosophical points of view.  And perhaps more so,
>it has increased *internal* debate and conflict within certain
>spiritual traditions, including Theosophy and Baha'i in my
>observation.  And all this is out there for everyone to see and
>react to.  At a certain point, though, after exposure to
>flame fests ad nauseum, and to dogmatic pronouncements from a
>succession of know-it-alls, we awaken to what is happening and
>see it from a higher level.  Instead of demonizing the *person*
>who is saying the obnoxious things, we get to where it is
>more natural to simply see what level the person is stuck at,
>shrug one's shoulders, and wish them well.  Saturation in
>kama-manasic combat can eventually make most people sick of it
>all and willing to look for a new way of communicating.

I have come to terms with the general semantic list and the hostility by
some to anything spiritual in connection with their discipline. I was put
down when they read my sig and saw the Theosophy bit. Once I would have got
in there and suggested that they were short-sighted in their conclusions but
I have realised that we are all on various levels and that I just leave them
alone to get on with it and discuss what I need to know from them without
mentioning Theosophy if avoidable.
>
>Maybe I'm deluding myself, but I have the impression that all
>the flames I have received, and maybe those I've given, have
>been useful in forcing me to see things from a more detached
>perspective, with greater compassion for those enmeshed in
>belief systems that tell them to "fight for truth" and so on.
>And I think theos-l has evolved over the years into a kinder,
>gentler place; so have the Baha'i lists I read; so has the
>Eckankar newsgroup that interests me.
>
>In short, this tool I am using to communicate with you is
>indeed accelerating our evolution.  So when JRC comments, quite
>justly, that theos-l has had a series of people making dogmatic
>ex cathedra pronouncements putting down everyone who didn't see
>Theosophy the same way they do-- I respond that this is a good
>thing, as it provides a learning opportunity for all
>concerned.  Theosophy as a movement cannot grow beyond its
>present level of consciousness until Theosophists begin to feel
>uncomfortable with the dogmatism, the conflict, the resistance
>to change.  Our comfort level with the movement has probably
>declined, for those of us who have been on the list for years.
>But that is a first step toward making necessary changes in
>ourselves and the organizations.

I have had many occassions to rethink ideas that could be seen as comfort
levels and even if a bit reluctantly, changed them. I have given a lot more
thought to the gender issue since it has been aired here and understand a
little better where I come from on this issue. Things have been said that I
would never have thought off if left to my own devises so I thank you all
for a growing time here.


>
>
Bee Brown
Member Theosophy NZ, TI.

Success is getting what you want.
Happiness is liking what you get.