Is Theosophy a Religion?

Cover of the magazine Lucifer

Is Theosophy a Religion? is an editorial published in November 1888 in the theosophical magazine Lucifer; it was compiled by Helena Blavatsky.[note 1] It was included in the 10th volume of the author's Collected Writings.[2]

Analysis of contents

Incorrect assumptions

The article begins with the statement (the author has reproduced it repeatedly elsewhere) that there is "a general sense of confusion" and a lack of understanding by the public about the true nature of the Theosophical movement. In particular, it is often assumed that the movement is a religion.[3]

"Year after year, and day after day had our officers and members to interrupt people speaking of the theosophical movement by putting in more or less emphatic protests against theosophy being referred to as a 'religion,' and the Theosophical Society as a kind of church or religious body. Still worse, it is as often spoken of as a 'new sect'!"[4]

Thus, according to the major founder of the movement, theosophy can not be called either a "religion" or sect in the usual sense of the word. She asks the rhetorical question, whether this confusion is the result of deep-rooted prejudice or simply a mistake due to lack of information. And at the same time she suggests that the frank cynics and slanderers don't miss an opportunity with labels "ism" or "sect" to engender a sense of distrust. Blavatsky says that the opinion of the absolute majority simply is not true.[3][note 2][note 3]

Against blind faith

Blavatsky emphasizes that dogmatic religions are the antithesis of objectivity and dull thinking that does not correspond to the theosophical principles. And she says that the main task of the movement has always been a struggle with such beliefs.[3]

Moreover, the very raison d'être of the Theosophical Society was, from its beginning, to utter a loud protest and lead an open warfare against dogma or any belief based upon blind faith.[8][note 4]

Thus, this raison d'être characterized here as a corrective impulse, expressed in the form of "loud protest" and "open warfare" against the status quo. The objects of the same discontent are "rigid dogmatic" positions. Criticism is directed specifically at the prevailing attitude when thoughtless decision is preferable, but not an unhindered investigation. In this regard, Blavatsky states that "the best recruits" of the theosophical movement came from the camp of agnosticism or materialism, where the process of discussion is more free and not constrained by dogma. How it can be assumed, essence of its logic is such that the more difficult to overcome personal biases, if they have a Christian origin, because science, at least, approve objectivity, while "Christianity preaches exclusivity."[10]

Theosophical definition of religion

Blavatsky very concerned about how modern theosophy is perceived by the public. She once again reiterates that, from her point of view, theosophy is not a religion, although it is associated with specific religious, philosophical and scientific conceptions, and hence it can give rise to confusion. Nevertheless, from her point of view, theosophy is presented not as a religion, but as religion itself. This strong assertion assumes that theosophy is the expression of more sincere religious feeling and more authoritative knowledge and experience than those provided in existing popular forms of religion. Blavatsky feels that theosophy is able to eliminate the uncomfortable and "distracting social functions of religion," which she considers an "exoteric," and to create an "elite esoteric ideational source," available for qualified, properly trained persons.[11]

What is the theosophical interpretation of "Religion itself"?

"Religion in the true and only correct sense, is a bond uniting men together—not a particular set of dogmas and beliefs. Now Religion, per se, in its widest meaning is that which binds not only all Men, but also all Beings and all things in the entire Universe into one grand whole. This is our theosophical definition of religion...
Thus Theosophy is not a Religion, we say, but Religion itself, the one bond of unity, which is so universal and all-embracing that no man, as no speck—from gods and mortal down to animals, the blade of grass and atom—can be outside of its light. Therefore, any organization or body of that name must necessarily be a Universal Brotherhood."[12][note 5]

Spiritual alchemy

Blavatsky writes that, considered as a philosophy, theosophy "transmutes the apparently base metal of every ritualistic and dogmatic creed (Christianity included) into the gold of fact and truth, and thus truly produces a universal panacea for the ills of mankind."[14] This analogy explains the "difference between the exoteric and the esoteric interpretation of symbols, myths, legends, scriptures, folklore," that is, almost of all forms of cultural material. From the point of view of Blavatsky, theosophy is a filter, through which must be skipped and "transmuted" all religious attributes. She sincerely believes that "this methodology" is urgently needed to correct the distorted representation of the exoteric side of religion.[15]

According to the author, "practical theosophy is not one science" because it covers all the existing sciences of spiritual and physical life. It can be called a global "mentor" or teacher of universal knowledge, experience, and erudition, designed to not only to help "his pupils" successfully pass exams in all kinds of scientific and moral activity in this earthly life, but also to prepare them for the next lives. To do this, it is necessary to "study the universe and its mysteries" looking through oneself, and not "through the spectacles of orthodox science and religions."[16][note 6]

Source of wisdom

Kalnitsky noted that, according to the "myth of origins" of the theosophical doctrine, the original truth of the universe was first transferred "to the ancestors of the human race" by spiritually advanced beings in a much greater extent than is assumed in the exoteric approach. "The original revelation extra-cosmic truth" (i. e. the transfer of the primary spiritual knowledge in the appropriate phase of the cycle) allegedly was carried out by spiritually elevated wise beings who were sure that this esoteric knowledge be fixed with the help of the "symbolic encoding" and tradition "spiritually mature" and correctly oriented interpreters. Transfer of the original truth is a necessary part of the "evolutionary scheme," and involved in this spiritually advanced beings must ensure that the "primordial wisdom" will be available in all "circumstances and conditions," albeit in a veiled or secret form.[18]

About the "spiritually advanced wise beings" Blavatsky writes follows:

"So-called 'Occultism', or rather Esoteric Science, has to be traced in its origin to those Beings who, led by Karma, have incarnated in our humanity, and thus struck the key-note of that secret Science which countless generations of subsequent adepts have expanded since then in every age, while they checked its doctrines by personal observation and experience. The bulk of this knowledge—which no man is able to possess in its fulness—constitutes that which we now call Theosophy or 'divine knowledge'."[19][note 7]

Blavatsky writes that the unity of everything in the universe is in itself implies and justifies the belief in the existence of the theosophical knowledge "at once scientific, philosophical and religious," demonstrating the reality of the interconnectedness of all beings and objects of the universe. This "knowledge, therefore, becomes essentially Religion, and must be called in its integrity and universality by the distinctive name of Wisdom-Religion."[21][note 8]

Prejudices and misconceptions

Blavatsky writes that "the parent trunk" of all religions and philosophical systems contains the "great Truth" that to date was hidden, distorted or simply ignored. She believes that her Secret Doctrine is book, in which is set out everything that can be transmitted to humanity in "this century", and it is an attempt to clear a part of the "common foundation" of all—great and small religious and philosophical systems. "It was found indispensable to tear away all this mass of concreted misconceptions and prejudice which now hides the parent trunk of (a) all the great world-religions; (b) of the smaller sects; and (c) of Theosophy as it stands now—however veiled the great Truth, by ourselves and our limited knowledge."[23]

Blavatsky believes that prejudice and misconceptions have accumulated quite a lot, because they were created by great crowd, and it as theosophists attempt to deal with them has led to the fact that an attack on all theosophical writers and the Society itself have become permanent. Even their friends and readers of theosophical journals often characterize an attempt to deal with errors as merciless "attacks on Christianity," "untheosophical assaults" and so on. She writes: "Yet these are necessary, nay, indispensable, if we wish to plough up at least approximate truths. We have to lay things bare, and are ready to suffer for it—as usual. It is vain to promise to give truth, and then leave it mingled with error out of mere faint-heartedness... Our 'masterly policy of inactivity', and playing at hide-and-seek in the shadow of dreary metaphysics, have only led to Theosophy being seriously regarded as a religious sect."[24]

Criticism

René Guénon named Blavatskyan theosophy "theosophism" and described it in his book as a "pseudo-religion." He wrote that presented by Theosophical Society's leaders assertion about the alleged "Eastern origin" of their doctrine was false, and its initial tendency was overtly anti-Christian.[25] According to him, between the doctrine of the Theosophical Society, or, at least, that ones was proclaimed and theosophy in the true sense of the word, there is absolutely no affinity.[26][note 9]

In 1912 The Catholic Encyclopedia has described Blavatskyan theosophy's attitude to religion and science as follows:

"Modern theosophy claims to be a definite science. Its teachings are the product of thought, and its source is consciousness, not any Divine revelation. <...> Theosophy in reality is a form of pantheism, and denies a personal God and personal immortality. Its appeal to the spiritual in man, and its striving after union with the Divine are based upon a contradictory metaphysic, an imaginary psychology, a system of ethics which recognizes no free-will, but only the absolute necessity of Karma. No evidence or proof is given for its teaching except the simple statements of its leaders. The denial of a personal God nullifies its claim to be a spiritualistic philosophy. Judging it as presented by its own exponents, it appears to be a strange mixture of mysticism, charlatanism, and thaumaturgic pretension combined with an eager effort to express its teaching in words which reflect the atmosphere of Christian ethics and modern scientific truths."[28][note 10]

Publications

Translations

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Lucifer, vol. 3, № 15, November, 1888, p. 177-87.[1]
  2. ↑ According to John Melton, theosophy is traditional religious cult along with christian science, rosicrucianism, spiritualism, satanism, mormonism, and so on.[5] Nonetheless Robert Ellwood stated that the Theosophical Society is not a church or religious institution in the usual sense: "Many theosophists, including myself, are also members of a church or other religious organizations. Theosophists include Christians, Hindus, Buddhists, and others."[6]
  3. ↑ Thomas Merton has noted that the mystics of one religion may sometimes feel greater affinity to the mystics of other religions than to the ordinary adherent of the same religion.[7]
  4. ↑ Subba Row said: "Our [Theosophical] Society stands upon an altogether unsectarian basis; we sympathize with every religion, but not with every abuse that exists under the guise of religion."[9]
  5. ↑ Driscoll noted that the primary teaching of theosophy is the universal brotherhood of humanity: "Hence springs the preaching of toleration to all persons and to all varieties of belief, e.g. Buddhists, Christians, Atheists."[13]
  6. ↑ Olav Hammer noted that W. Judge, one of the founders of the Theosophical Society, called theosophy "scientific religion, or religious science."[17]
  7. ↑ Vladimir Solovyov wrote that [Blavatskyan] theosophy "is not a religion, it is divine knowledge or science. According to the explanation of Mrs. Blavatsky, the very term applies not to God, but to the gods or to any divine being, and it is not God's wisdom, but the divine wisdom, i. e. that belongs to the gods at all."[20]
  8. ↑ Vladimir Trefilov claimed that Blavatsky's doctrine was formed from the beginning as a synthesis of philosophical views and religious forms of various ages and peoples with modern scientific ideas. He wrote: "In fact, theosophy was one of the first attempts to create a new paradigm of thinking through the synthesis of scientific and non-scientific knowledge."[22]
  9. ↑ Nevertheless, according to Nicholas Goodrick-Clarke, [Blavatskyan] theosophy had made to the western esotericism a significant contribution, particularly in view of esoteric ideas in the context of modern science, including the theory of "evolution, geology, anthropology, and racial theories."[27]
  10. ↑ Nonetheless Evgeny Torchinov wrote: "If you get rid of the bugaboo of 'mysticism' and lead the discussion in the framework of the problem of general scientific paradigm change, the problem of isomorphism of consciousness and physical world, and even the ontology of consciousness in general, dialogue between physicists, philosophers, psychologists, and scholars of religious studies could well take place."[29]

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