Theos-Talk Archives (January 2005 Message tt00394)

--- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com, "kpauljohnson" 
<kpauljohnson@y...> wrote:


> Most of the discussion about Masters lately strikes me as like a 
dog 
> chasing its tail. That is, what really inspires the pursuit of 
this 
> ideal is something *within us* -- a potential for transcendence-- 
> which we then imagine to exist outside of ourselves, project onto 
> some real or imaginary characters (historical in the case of 
> Theosophists, living in the case of Radhasoami for example) and 
> madly/vainly chase after.
> 
> Another example, closer to home for Theosophists because a 
> Theosophist wrote it, is Dorothy and her companions making a long 
> journey to a fabled wizard, only to find that he was an ordinary 
man 
> and what they sought was within themselves-- and that the journey 
to 
> the distant wizard was all a dream.
> 
> For example, Pedro starts off stating as a "fact" that Leadbeater 
> got an approving letter from K.H. The only objective fact is that 
> he got a letter signed K.H. The "fact" that it was actually 
written 
> by such an entity is an article of faith for dogmatic 
Theosophists. 
> To dogmatic skeptics with an interest in the subject, it is 
equally 
> a "fact" (aka article of faith) that HPB wrote it and K.H. did not 
> exist. Both of these are interpretations, not facts. Yet people 
> are off and running, trying to explain how a perfect Master could 
> have failed to recognize CWL's character flaws and future 
> destructive action. Wait-- back up-- examine your assumptions.
> 
> Lately I have been thinking, not about perfected men or women but 
> about whether and where higher intelligence or bodhisattvas or 
> whatever can be seen in today's world. So I will throw out the 
> question-- who now living and playing a public role in the world 
> strikes you as being in the evolutionary vanguard, having a 
powerful 
> enlightening influence?
> 
> My three answers: Bishop Desmond Tutu and Nelson Mandela both 
> radiate a kind of serenity and benevolence that reminds me that 
holy 
> and wise men may play a transforming role in world events. South 
> Africa had the potential for horrendous civil war, and it was 
> averted thanks to the positive influence of such men as these. 
But 
> my third answer is more immediately relevant to me and will 
probably 
> appear ridiculous to many of you.
> 
> But I will nonetheless suggest that Jon Stewart, author of the #1 
> nonfiction bestseller in the USA and host of The Daily Show 
(Comedy 
> Channel) is doing more good in this country right now than any 
> political or religious figure, or any "serious" author. In an era 
> when the "news media" have become so incompetent, biased and 
> subservient to power that they have lost the trust of huge 
segments 
> of the American public, one man speaks truth to power every day. 
> And he does it in a way that hits home very strongly to large 
masses 
> of people. By making us laugh in the midst of the horrors of the 
> Bush era, he also provides a sense of hope and relief that sanity 
> does still prevail at least in a small corner of the world.
> 
> For the non-USAns here who have not heard of Stewart, here is a 
link 
> to his program, with info on his book: 
> http://www.comedycentral.com/tv_shows/thedailyshowwithjonstewart/

Dear Paul: 

I would agree with you regarding Mandela and Tutu and would add the 
Dalai Lama to the list. Haven't seen Stewart's show.

I fully accept the view of skeptics regarding the Masters' non-
existence. It is not a new view as the skeptical movement goes back 
several thousand years. But I would say that the skeptics'view on 
the Masters, as well as mine, yours and everyone else's are 
completely irrelevant in what concerns the EXPERIENCE that a number 
of theosophical pioneers had of the Masters. It inspired and moved 
their lives in a way that is almost incomprehensible for us at this 
point in time.

I think skeptics can present a good challenge to belief based on 
borrowed or second-hand faith. But I would think, faintheartedly, 
that even skeptics would concede to people the right to believe what 
they consider to be a genuine experience. 

Pedro