Theos-Talk Archives (October 1997 Message tt00098)

Dallas TenBroeck:

> There is no question that Theosophy respects all "beliefs." But
> it goes further, and seeks to reconcile all "beliefs" with
> knowledge -- a knowledge of facts which are the common property
> of all humanity, and are accessible to all who desire to find and
> learn about them.
>
> This attitude, would, I think, transorfm "beleif" into
> "knowldge." a knowledge which would be the property of everyone.

May we look further at the subject of "beliefs"? Is it 100%
certain that there is no question that Theosophy respects all
"beliefs"? Here it is THEOSOPHY we are referring to rather than
to the Society and its members..

To reiterate: a wonderful and beautiful thing about THEOSOPHY is
that it dissipates/clears away "beliefs" (without the STUDENT of
Theosophy often hardly even noticing).  Members of the
Society/Movement may well be encouraged to respect the beliefs of
others.  But surely those members of the Society, who when
joining have their personal beliefs, and who then study
Theosophy, eventually become FREE of those beliefs.  The pity is
that sections of the Theosophical Movement never get to actually
studying Theosophy and prefer to stick with their old beliefs,
and with all that that entails -- hence the fragmentation of the
Society.

It is only too apparent to students of Theosophy how vision is
only too often clouded by beliefs.

Letter No.  CXXXIV - The Mahatma Letters to A.P.  Sinnett throws
light on this subject of beliefs.  Here are a few extracts:

"They join the Society, and though remaining as stubborn as ever
in their old beliefs and superstitions, and having never given up
caste or one single of their customs, they, in their selfish
exclusiveness, expect to see and converse with us and have our
help in all and everything.  I will be pleased if Mr.  Sinnett
says, to everyone of those who may address him with similar
pretensions the following:

'The 'Brothers' desire me to inform one and all of you,
*natives,* that unless a man is prepared to become a thorough
theosophist *i.e.* to do as D.  Mavalankar did, -- give up
entirely caste, his old superstitions and show himself a true
reformer (especially in the case of child marriage) he will
remain simply a member of the Society with no hope whatever of
ever hearing from us.......................  Mr.  Sinnett and
Hume are exceptions.  There beliefs are no barrier for us for
they have *none*....................  Not so with the magnetism
and invisible results proceeding from erroneous and sincere
beliefs.  Faith in the Gods and God, and other superstitions
attracts millions of foreign influences, living entities and
powerful agents around them, with which we would have to use more
than ordinary exercise of power to drive them away.  We do not
choose to do so.  We do not find it necessary or profitable to
lose our time waging war to the unprogressed *Planetaries* who
delight in personating gods and sometimes well known characters
who have lived on earth..........................  and let him
remember that as all in this universe is contrast (I cannot
translate it better) so the light of the Dhyan Chohans and their
pure intelligence is contrasted by the '*Ma-Mo* Chohans'--and
their destructive intelligence.  These are the gods the Hindus
and Christians and Mahomed and all others of bigoted religions
and sects worship; and so long as *their* influence is upon their
devotees we would no more think of associating with or
counteracting them in their work than we do the Red-Caps on earth
whose evil results we try to palliate but whose work we have no
right to meddle with so long as they do not cross *our* path.
(You will not understand this, I suppose.  But think well over it
and you will..................)"