Theos-Talk Archives (November 2000 Message tt00164)

Years ago in a galaxy far away... I attended several meetings of 
theosophists ... I think in several cities around where i lived, and 
never saw a sign on the door "admittance forbidden to those 
who do not hold to the existence of the mahatmas"... of course i 
am exagerating.... but never in any lecture I heard or study that I 
attended in those years, mostly from the late fifies or early sixties 
was there a statement of belief or required faith of belief of the 
physical existence of these mahatmas... now I certainly read 
about them, but no one ever asked me to subscribe to this 
belief, but from what at least three of us are saying it would 
appear to be an article of faith or belief.

Let me just say that I seriously doubt anyone will rush to join our 
cause with such a article of belief. I must be honest here and say 
for the same reasons i could never in my heart subscribe to the 
apostles creed of belief in the three persons of the trinity either, 
to me it was a mixed up mathematics and conundrum that was 
foisted on poor believers to mystify the powers exercised by the 
establishment. 

I think we need to have some semblance of a spiritual science 
here, that is some process that is available to pursue the 
independent investigation of reality and truth and to be willing to 
withstand the test of denial or rejection.

Note on "nausatika":

By the way, my understanding of nastika that was referred to 
earliar is today spelled in most circles as "naustika" and refers 
to one who does not subscribe to the Vedas. It is not necessarily 
referring to one who is an atheist, but is used by Hindus to refer 
to Buddhists and Jains. This came up in out theosophical circle 
in redlands last spring when some Hindus in our group 
confused the term "Gnostic" with nastika or as they presumed 
"atheist"... so this might assist some of us who use the term 
gnostic to be sensitive to our Hindu friends and explain the 
Greek meaning better as a knower, ergo the Sanskrit equivalent 
of Gnostic or be closer to Vedantist in a philosophical sense.

- Art