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Archive-name: magick/kreeeping-ooze/part14
Posting-Frequency: to alt.magick -- by inquiry and desire; to news.answers -- once every six months See reader questions & answers on this topic! - Help others by sharing your knowledge Revised 9412 Kreeping FAQ Question #14: "What is Theosophy?" ____________________________________________________ THE THEOSOPHICAL SOCIETY The Theosophical Society was formed at New York, N.Y., November 17, 1875, and incorporated at Madras, India, April 3, 1905. The three declared Objects are: To form a nucleus of the Universal Brotherhood of Humanity, without distinction of race, creed, sex, caste or color. To encourage the study of Comparative Religion, Philosophy and Science. To investigate unexplained laws of Nature and the powers latent in man. FREEDOM OF THE SOCIETY The Theosophical Society, while co-operating with all other bodies whose aims and activities make such co-operation possible, is and must remain an organization entirely independent of them, not committed to any objects save its own, and intent on developing its own work on the broadest and most inclusive lines, so as to move toward its own goal as indicated in and by the pursuit of those objects and that Divine Wisdom which in the abstract is implicit in the title The Theosophical Society. Since Universal Brotherhood and the Wisdom are undefined and unlimited, and since there is complete freedom for each and every member of the Society in thought and action, the Society seeks ever to maintain its own distinctive and unique character by remaining free of affiliation or identification with any other organization. The Theosophical World View THE THEOSOPHICAL SOCIETY, while reserving for each member full freedom to interpret those teachings known as theosophy, is dedicated to preserving and realizing the ageless wisdom, which embodies both a world view and a vision of human self transformation. This tradition is founded upon certain fundamental propositions: 1.) The universe and all that exist within it are one interrelated and interdependent whole. 2.) Every existent being,from atom to galaxy, is rooted in the same universal, life creating Reality. This Reality is all pervasive, but it can never be summed up in its parts, since it transcends all its expressions. It reveals itself in the purposeful, ordered, and meaningful processes of nature as well as in the deepest recesses of the mind and spirit. 3.) Recognition of the unique value of every living being ex presses itself in reverence for life, compassion for all, sympathy with the need of all individuals to find truth for themselves, and respect for all religious traditions. The ways in which these ideals become realities in individual life are both the privileged choice and the responsible act of every human being. Central to the concerns of theosophy is the desire to promote understanding and brotherhood among people of all races, nationalities, philosophies, and religions. Therefore, all people, whatever their race, creed, sex, caste, or color, are invited to participate equally in the life and work of the Society. The Theosophical Society imposes no dogmas, but points toward the source of unity beyond all differences. Devotion to truth, love for all living beings, and commitment to a life of active altruism are the marks of the true theosophist. Theosophy in Action After 116 years of service to Humanity, the Theosophical Society is still a thriving organization. We have active lodges in approx. 45 countries through-out the world, with new study centers coming online all the time. Our efforts to establish a NUCLEUS of the Universal Brotherhood of Humanity have progressed a great deal since our inception. As noted above, we have found kindred spirits in various communities world-wide. We feel that the more people know and the sooner the day will come when we will have the type of world that Loves instead of hates, Helps instead of hinders, Seeks to become ONE with whatever we perceive GOD to be rather than forcing a separation due to ignorance of the Law. We search for opportunities to support and assist all humanity in its effort to overcome the results of actions set in motion long ago. We have done this through the writings of numerous members of our small group, the establishment of service organizations and direct public contact. Also, there is a wealth of theosophical material in print. These writings deal with subjects that reflect the longing felt by most humans to answer those eternal questions: A) Where did I come from? B) Why am I here? and C) Where do I go once this life is over? Of course, these are the questions that are dealt with by most of the worlds religions. But it is through the study of these religions and their philosophies that we find that there is but one PHILOSOPHY. This PHILOSOPHY /SCIENCE has suffered through numerous permutations and interpretation until its true identity has been all but lost. It is the study and understanding of these relations and how they are expressed that is Theosophy. BobM11@aol.com ================= The venerable (founded 1875) and much maligned but basically well-intentioned movement that is working to promote a universal siblinghood of humanity, while synthesizing religion, science and philosophy. Its adherents generally advocate a harmless lifestyle (e.g. vegetarianism), encourage investigation into what is generally termed "the occult" and insist on the perfectability of human beings through meditation, karma yoga (service) and study. Although generally not considered "serious" by Thelemites, its writers have had a profound effect on Western thought, especially through the introduction of Eastern (Hindu/Buddhist) teachings such as karma and reincarnation. paul@actrix.co.at (Paul Gillingwater) --------------------------------------- Theosophy was a European mysticism movement that started around the mid 1800's when there was a great resurgence of interest in the occult and Eastern religions all over Europe (one can make some interesting sociological observations that this occurred about the same time as the first real surge of anti-colonialism). It was started by a woman name of Helena Petrova Blavatsky who claimed to have some special contact with Indian mystics that gave her specialized knowledge regarding the history of the Earth, human destiny, and how to achieve enlightenment. A lot of folks consider her to have been a charlatan who made it all up, others have found great value in her writings. Nowadays she would likely be considered some kind of "Trans-Channeler" because of the way she obtained her info. She had a number of followers and critics whom I can identify for you when I have my books in front of me. A lot has been written about her, searching for her name in a well stocked library should prove fruitful. slp@uno.edu =================================================== END OF OOZING FAQ #14 This document is Copyright (c) 1994, authors cited. All rights reserved. Permission to distribute the collection is hereby granted providing that distribution is electronic, no money is involved, reasonable attempts are made to use the latest version and all credits and this copyright notice are maintained. Other requests for distribution should be directed to the individual authors of the particular articles. _________________________________________________________________________ This is from a series of continually-updated posts responding to recurrent questions in this newsgroup. Please debate anything in here which seems extreme and add your own response to these questions after the post. I'll integrate what I can. Thanks. tyagi nagasiva tyagI@houseofkaos.Abyss.coM (I@AM) User Contributions: |
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