Theos-Talk Archives (May 2002 Message tt00118)

In a message dated 05/10/02 12:16:11 PM, bartl@sprynet.com writes:

> From a Roman point of view, the Jews and the Jewish cult of the Failed
>Messiah (later to become Christianity) were terrorists (of course, one
>must remember that, until the last half century or so, terrorists tended
>to stick towards military, industrial, and governmental targets, as
>attacking civilian targets is ultimately self-defeating). I probably
>should not have said "only fault." The real point is that Nero was not
>the monster that he has been painted as by history. His targeting of the
>Jews/Christians was not due to irrational hatred or calculating
>scapegoating, but due to his attempts to protect his empire.

Does that make it any the less reprehensible? Or is this just another 
justification of bigotry and hatred of those who upset materialistic 
applecarts? Could it also be that from the Hebrew-Christian viewpoint, the 
Roman persecutors at the command of Nero were the real "terrorists"? Could 
It also be true, as you say, that their "attacking civilian targets" was what 
ultimately led to the fall of the Empire? I wonder how that situation 
compares to what is going on in Israel today, and what happened to the 
terrorizing Empire of the Third Reich? Apparently, we never seem to learn 
from history. This time, since the whole world is involved, perhaps we 
should go back and reconsider what HPB had to say (in her "Message to 
American Theosophists") -- about what could happen and what we might be able 
to do about it -- as a consciously aware, wise (but not too "smart" :-) and 
active group working toward peace and brotherhood -- instead of constant 
bickering with each other over matters of personal opinion.

Leonardo