Theos-Talk Archives (January 1998 Message tl00116)

Bart:
>>       There is, however, a type of selfishness that the Mahatmas warned
>>against, which people who are well along the "path" are especially
>>prone. It is when the person gains a belief that the person is the
>>only one who can solve the world's problems, and therefore that
>>person needs to have the information and authority necessary for the
>>task. Although there are many paths to the same place (or even no
>>paths at all, as Krishnamurti felt), someone afflicted with that type
>>of selfishness has a tendency to believe that one's own path is
>>somehow the best, or even the only one. When a person acts on that
>>belief, even though they feel their motives are pure, they tend to
>>become something of a pain in the ass. It becomes especially
>>difficult to deal with someone like this, because one is looking for
>>the same goal as they are, but one realizes that to help this person
>>in their goal is act as an enabler, and blocks their growth, as well
>>as the growth of humanity.
<snip>

Bart put it very well.  My own thinking when I read about Doss' account of
that theosophist was that there are many reasons why people wouldn't/would
do something.  Although some motives may be evil, the older I get, the more
I realize that people have good reasons behind their actions.  I don't
usually associate with 'evil' people, but sometimes my paranoia makes me
think that good people have an ugly motive.  Usually, when I realize the
truth, I laugh at myself at the amount of lost time holding grudges.

Thoa :o)