Theos-Talk Archives (January 2007 Message tt00352)

In a message dated 1/11/07 2:21:38 AM, vblaz2004@sbcglobal.net writes:


> --- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com, leonmaurer@... wrote:
> >
> > Since "agnostic," in essence, means "a person who claims neither
> > faith nor disbelief in God"...
> 
> I suggest that your definition of 'agnostic' is not universal, and
> merely constitutes a pseudo-definition of 'agnosticism' created by the
> Christian Church, and not by agnostics themselves.
> 
Not my definition, but quoted directly from a standard dictionary.   What is 
the definition created by agnostics themselves that contradicts this 
dictionary definition?   
> 
> > And, since theosophists do claim a disbelief in such a God
> > -- therefore, they cannot be agnostics, but can only be atheists.
> >
> 
> Sounds a bit dogmatic, and therefore not in alignment with
> Theosophical spirit, from what I understand.
> 
Not dogmatic, since the specific God disbelieved in by learned theosophists 
is the personal Christian one that stands outside of the universe itself -- but 
does NOT refer to the Supreme Spirit or divine God consciousness that 
pervades all of nature.   Thus, theosophy is rooted in the practical idealism's that 
underlies either Pantheism or Deism.   Therefore, a learned theosophist can be 
either a Pantheist or a Deist, which precludes being an agnostic who 
considers the possibility that a separate God might exist.   However, it accepts that 
most beginning students of theosophy are usually agnostics -- since atheism is 
as much a religious belief or faith as theism.

> As an atheist/agnostic member of the Theosophical Society, I do not
> necessarily bind myself to fine points on Theosophical creeds, nor
> have I any such obligation.  The Theosophical Society freely invited
> me into it's membership, despite my atheist/agnostic stance, due to
> it's non-dogmatic nature.  I was invited into membership by it's
> national headquarters' leaders.  You seem to be at variance with them.
> 
The Theosophical Society does not speak for theosophy -- which speaks for 
itself.   The Society also has a governing charter given it by HPB that doesn't 
allow it to discriminate between members religious or non religious beliefs.   
Thus both atheists and agnostics or those of any or no religious belief are 
welcome as members.   Also, theosophy itself is not a "creed" but a synthesis of 
science religion and philosophy -- although it is sometimes called the 
"Wisdom religion" in the sense of being a form of Jnana Yoga.   

Leon
> 
> Vince
> 
> 
> 
> 



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