Theos-Talk Archives (October 2003 Message tt00408)

--- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com, Bart Lidofsky <bartl@s...> wrote:
> Well, I'm pretty sure that he's no longer an active anti-Semite.

That is what we do not know. You can quote Blavatsky all you want 
and the truth remains, the fate of the soul is still a mystery.

I have no idea whether this is wisdom or folly, but the historical 
fact is, from ancient times down to the sixteenth century people who 
wished to practice black magic attempted to establish a psychic 
connection between themselves and criminals, believing that the 
spirits of deceased criminals had tremendous evil power. Reginald 
Scot says in fifteenth century England black magicians would visit 
condemned criminals in jail just before they were hanged and secure a 
promise from the condemned to serve the magician after the hanging. 
The crooks were probably laughing up their sleeves but it is 
intersting that this was considered black magic and in fact a central 
technique in one form or another. In Theosophical terms it would be 
considered a form of necromancy. In any event it seems to me praying 
to a deceased criminal would either be a waste of time or a decidedly 
inadvisable practice. It is hard to see how it could be anything to 
cheer about.