Theos-Talk Archives (November 2002 Message tt00191)

Daniel:

Sufism is the root of Sant Mat or Radhasoami. This quote from Will 
Durant clearly indicates that Christian mysticism and the pagan 
religions of Greece and Rome are really the biggest informants of the 
spiritual science known as Sant Mat. Here is something I posted this 
morning about it. Is this a coincidence that Christianity is the 
greatest influence on this religion plus the asceticism of Hinduism?


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--- In theosophy_talks_truth@y..., "netemara888" <netemara888@y...> 
wrote:
"Moslem mysticism had many roots: in the asceticism of the Hindu 
fakirs, the Gnosticism of Egypt and Syria, the Neoplatonists 
speculations of the later Greeks, and the omnipresent example of 
ascetic Christian monks. As in Christendom, so in Islam a pious 
minority protested against any accommodation of religion to the 
interests and practices of the economic world; they DENOUNCED the 
LUXURY of the Caliphs, viziers, and merchants....flourished most in 
Persia...call themselves Sufis, from the simple robe of wool (suf) 
that they wore...maintain that the knowledge of God is found within 
our own hearts...God is all...each soul is GOD...and the full-blooded 
mystic shamelessly avers that "God and I are one" "Verily I am God" 
and Abu Yezid "there is no god but me; worship me" and Husein Hallaj 
said "And He Whom I love is I..I am.." Hallaj was arrested for 
exaggeration, scourged and burned to death (922)....many Sufis made 
him their favorite Saint.

"The Sufi like the Hindu, believed in a course of discipline as 
necessary to the mystic revelation of God: purifying exercises of 
devotion, MEDITATION, full OBEDIENCE OF THE NOVICE TO A SUFI MASTER."

Will Durant "The Age of Faith"

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Comment: It seems we are both correct. I had no idea that the major 
influence on Sufism might be Platonism, the Greeks and above all 
CHRISTIANITY and monasticim, my favorite subject. Once again so-
called pagan roots form a religion in the East. This is also the 
great influence of the great fathers of Christianity such as Origen. 
My favorite subjects of study. Hello......lol.

Look at the spiritual practices of the Sufi: devotion, meditation, 
and full obedience to the master. This is taken from the rules of St. 
Benedict or any of the other founders of monastic orders. Then there 
were the monks of Egypt who were the most ascetic and some lived in 
caves even. There you have it. Those who are seeking spiritual order 
or Truth always end up separating themselves from the religion. They 
are like the petal of a flower come undone, falling off to regenerate 
as a new group, new ideal. Then that ideal becomes full flower and it 
too becomes degenerate and gives into the accummulation of wealth 
burden as its primary goal. This is not new friends.

As for the Hindu influence it was also major. That is where the 
discipline aspect came in. I mean did not Hinduism inform Buddhism? 

Here's a good line: "When Mani (c216-217) claiming to be a fourth 
divine messenger in the line of Buddha and Jesus announced a religion 
of celibacy, pacifism, and quietism...the Magi (the militants) had 
him crucified"

Finally: it appears that the reason for this rebellion by the masses, 
the pious was due to the abuse of power in the accumulation of wealth 
by the religious teachers and masters. They had the same arguments 
that some here have: that the office is being used to amass wealth. 
How you like that?

But this story is repeated time and again through history of 
religions is it not? Those who rebel. I mean that is what the 
monastic movement in Europe was about: putting off the shackles of 
wealth. Now we have the Poops, I mean Popes so laden down with gem 
stones and gold that their tired asses can barely walk. And a capital 
so rich it is an independent state.

Netemara
--- End forwarded message ---