Theos-Talk Archives (June 2000 Message tt00062)

Dear Bart,

Thank you for clarifying the First Proposition of the Fundamentals.  Let me 
first state that I welcomed and thank Leon for his thoughtful and clear 
response to my concern which I pasted below.  I do not know the truth of 
Maitreya.  Lacking any real unopinionated information, I wait for real 
information of proof or lack thereof . I understand everyone's concern about 
blindly following people or losing one's liberties and ability to form 
opinions and ideas.  I in no way sanction the loss of freedom of speech or 
expression.  However, I do think that a blanket statement about a group of 
people albeit prefaced with "probably" is not a way to the path of truth.  
After you have interviewed the people, gone through the statements and 
explored both sides, then I think you may ascertain the character of people.  
I don't believe any of us were in Nairobi in order to make any kind of 
judgment.  I stated that I did research on the claims of archive material at 
CNN and found none.  No one responded to this.  Do these exist?  Is there any 
statement of actual witnesses beyond Benjamin Creme?  If not, perhaps we 
should move on to another topic until more information is unearthed.  

I agree that we do not want to be the "Germans" blindly following Hitler as 
stated below.  However, neither do we want to take the route of oppressors by 
continuing  stereotypes of people from a third world country as being 
"backward and superstitious".  Blavatsky had stated we would not find the 
Path through analytical, self righteous thinking but would have to move 
beyond that.  I am not proposing as "officer Jenny" would say-a " mindlessly 
peaceful police type state
due to an easy to fall into error of misguided pacifism - whether it's
due to one's conviction of Christian principles or the theosophical
conviction that "we are all one".  (I am reminded here of Annie Besant's
referral to what she called "weak minded theosophists' who would refuse
to fight even to retain their own liberty)."  I do not believe it is weak 
minded theosophy to challenge  statements that do not necessarily offer any 
real information but use opinion and damaging conjecture to make a point.  

I am not advocating a police state of any kind.  Just to practice some ideas 
that were set forth by Blavatsky.  Many on this list seem more about being 
right than exploring ideas.  I would not have had a problem with the 
statement if it had simply explored the idea of the possibility of fakery by 
the supposed Maitreya and the following of such by a group of people.  But to 
blatantly call people backwards, superstitious and ignorant without knowing 
any of them or giving them the honor of asking is to continue the very 
practices that create strife in this world. Do we remember McCarthy?  Anyone 
who perhaps practiced a different idea of politics was called a Communist and 
blackballed?  "Probably" was used very effectively in that case.

I quote from Blavatsky in the "Key to Theosophy".  "How little this principle 
of Universal Brotherhood is understood by the masses of mankind, how seldom 
its transcendent importance is recognised, may be seen in the diversity of 
opinion and fictitious interpretations regarding the Theosophical Society.  
This Society was organized on this one principle, the essential Brotherhood 
of Man, as herein briefly outlined and imperfectly set forth."

Again, I thank Leon for his thoughtful response and have pasted it below.  

Kate

from Leon:
You're right.  However, no "racial or national stereotyping" was intended. 
The remark (not a "statement") you quoted, although taken out of context, was 
modified by the word "probably" -- and was meant merely as a "wake up" or 
"warning" example of how people can be taken in, fooled or misled by any 
demagogues.  Especially, if they, as a group, have an inherent biased 
position in favor of a particular religious or political belief, or cultural 
superstition.  For another such example, remember Hitler and his influence 
over millions of "Christian" Germans, who fell in love with him and were 
converted to a new religion of "universal brotherhood" -- amongst "Aryans" 
alone -- with Adolph as their "savior"-- just like the "6,000" Nairobians 
fell in love with their imagined returned "Christ"... Or, was it an imposing 
actor dressed up to look like their idolic Jesus statues?   Don't you think 
that falling for such obvious fallacies, and passively or emotionally 
accepting the mind control of a self proclaimed "savior" along with his 
hierarchy of sycophants -- who may have ulterior motives (no matter what they 
say they believe or are promoting) --  is a sign of fundamental "ignorance" 
(no matter how intellectually, religiously, or culturally educated one is)?  
This, so called "Maitreya," for instance, could just as well be the puppet of 
a "behind the scenes" controlling cabal who use him as a "front" for their 
nefarious schemes to takeover the world.  It's wise for us to never forget 
the past -- unless, one day, we (with our liberty lost to a ruling religious 
and cultural dictatorship) may be saying, "why didn't we see that right from 
the beginning, and cut it off before it began?".

My intent is simply to open peoples eyes (and minds) to these possibilities 
before they commit themselves to new demagogues who may use theosophical 
teachings, twisted to fit any specific religion and their ikons, as their 
starting base -- as Hitler did (and, even got the Pope to concord with him). 

"The price of liberty is eternal vigilance"  -  Guatama Buddha and Jesus 
Christ (paraphrased by Thomas Jefferson)

As for "Peace" (as the power structure or thier wannabees would give it to 
us, enforced by "policemen" and/or pseudo religious homilies and false 
theologies)... Without liberty, equality, and brotherhood, based on a true 
understanding of the truths of theosophy, the word "peace," like "law and 
order," has become a meaningless mantra justifying more and more individual 
and group separations, suppressions and oppressions.  A good example of this 
"police state" mentality, supported by so called 'Christian principles" and 
"New World Order" "political correctness," that some of us "observers" see 
building up in New York City, as the gateway to America, and the cultural, 
economic, and governmental "model" of many other cities -- is a perfect sign 
of this trend toward curtailment of individual liberties that is slowly 
growing around us, and is being fueled by our misled or thoughtless 
acquiescence.  

Leon Maurer

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