Theos-Talk Archives (August 2006 Message tt00112)

Hello Pedro,
I hope you are doing well.
Thanks for your comments, I just thought I'd put forward a few thoughts.
For me I think that the problem with the clash between religious fundamentalism and 
reason really boils down to an issue of power.

I have just finished watching an excellent series called "Christianity the first 2000 years" 
watching that series it really became clear how much of an ongoing paradox religion can 
be.
Religion has been used as a means to control nations and people in order to maintain 
status quo, any descent to the dogma of the religious establishment then becomes a 
threat to that `order'.

Science and philosophy had to assert themselves in order to be able to evolve and 
maintain integrity.
As seems to happen, things move from one extreme to the other and so it's a constant 
balancing act.
The idea to form a society to comparatively study religion philosophy and science was a 
brilliant idea.
Its interesting that the title page of `Key to Theosophy' reads :

"Being a Clear Exposition, in the Form of Question and Answer, of the ETHICS, SCIENCE, 
AND PHILOSOPHY for the Study of which The Theosophical Society has been Founded."
Interesting that ethics is included here as well.

Another statement in the Mahatma letters worth noting is where the Mahatma say's 
`science is our best ally', it's an interesting statement to ponder upon why that may be the 
case?

Science without ethics is dangerous just as religion with reason is also dangerous and so a 
synthesis of some kind is needed in order to try and develop a healthy balance. 

Much emotional attachment can be caught up in some belief systems as well as fear based 
mindsets which seem to maintain a very strong hold in the skandhas, thus they pass on to 
the new personality perhaps for many lifetimes to come.

I think the purpose of the TS was to try and get people re-examining their beliefs and 
attitudes in order help humanity move forward into a deeper and profounder 
understanding of themselves and the cosmos by refining the intellectual faculties by 
tempered with compassion and tolerance.

Cheers

Perry