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Re: Theos-World Re: Races ?

Jan 26, 2005 11:07 AM
by Jerry Hejka-Ekins


By races was was really meant periods or stages of evolution of the human life wave. The term "race" was originally proposed by Sinnett, who it appears, never really understood KH's teachings concerning them. Under no circumstances was "race" in this context, ever meant to denote the anthropological meaning formalized in the early twentieth century, which (by the way) even the anthropologists have since distanced themselves. In nineteenth century, anthropologists had proposed several models in order to classify the varieties of of human groups according to their physical appearances. In the twentieth century, they settled upon three races: Negroid, Caucasoid and Mongolian. In the nineteenth century, there were numerous classifications which were proposed, including one which had seven "races." So while it is understandable that Sinnett may have grasped upon this ill formed anthropological system of classification in order to better understand KH's teachings, further modifications of the classifications in the twentieth century made the term "race" more mis-leading than ever. If the then proposed seven "anthropological races" remained in vogue, perhaps we might have been able to use this model in order to draw comparisons by analogy and correspondence in order to better understand KH's use of the term. Otherwise, there never was any relationship between the two usages of this word (race), except perhaps in Sinnett's mind, and in the minds of later students.
In light of the above, I simply suggest in our study groups that our fellow students think "a period (or stage) of evolution" when they read "race." For instance the third root race is the third period (or stage) of evolution of the human life wave. The fourth sub-race of the third root race is the fourth sub-period of evolution of the third stage of evolution of the human life wave etc.

--j



Erica Letzerich wrote:

Hi,

As I am preparing an introduction to some basic teachings of the theosophical literature I am kind of trapped with the term races and sub-races.
Today the term races has a racist connotation what term could be used instead of races? Civilizations? Any suggestion will be welcome.

Erica






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