Theos-Talk Archives (November 1996 Message tl00205)

Max wrote:

>So this your exclusive brand of Brotherhood of humanity leaving out
>corrupt politicians, arrogant males, and other kinds of harmful insects,
>right?
>
>OK, I got it.

No, that wasn't my point.

I know that some theosophical literature pooh-poohs the idea of becoming
involved with politics.  Which I find rather contradictory when put side by
side with one of the most fundamental, and very finest tenets of theosophy,
"helping humanity."  Elections and other civil events speak of how people
feel about the other people they share their country with.  If an election
results in power handed to a high number of folks (both Democrat and
Republican) who are unafraid to promote racism, sexism, homophobia,
xenophobia, etc. what does that say about the country, the very people?  It
would seem to me that the result of this election says that theosophists and
all others who promote peace, tolerance, and good will are shirking on the job.

Also, if one believes in reincarnation, as theosophy affirms, it would seem
that political work and involvement would be foremost.  None of us knows
what we may return as - a woman, a man, a poor person, a immigrant, a
homosexual - do we really want to return to a place where life for those is
a hell?  I mean, if one doesn't care about other people, at least give a
damn about one's self.

Compassion cannot flourish in an environment where it is seen as some kind
of weakness.  I think now, in America, compassion is seen as such.

No, I do not think men are the sole cause of it - women are just as guilty.

You men that we women love are not dropping dead sooner because you are
biologically inferior, you are dropping dead sooner because society mostly
insists you be computers packaged in a fleshy material.  The wished for
return to "traditional values" has a dark side for men, too.  That
philosophy threatens to pigeon-hole men back into the positions already
proven fatal. What it holds for women is already clear.

Current events and theosophy, yes, they go together.  And I don't think
there's anything wrong with jumping up and down when talking about it, it
reflects a passion.  When people hurl personal insults at each other - a
natural human reaction when emotions are high - it doesn't necessarily mean
the subjects are too be avoided - it just calls for apologies and
reaffirmations of our innate solidarity as theosophists.  Not all of us are
content with discussions about the technical side of theosophy - some of us
want to discuss how theosophy can be put to work, utilized, unfolded. We
need both the "techies" and the "non-techies" in order to have the merging
of the finest ideas, facts, and opinions.

I don't believe the "unfolding of the dialectic" is only according to some
divinely driven, unchangeable clock.  We can bring forth a better future
right now - we don't just have to sit back and wait around until some
butt-kicker from "above" has to be sent down to get things moving.


Kym