Theosophy, CARM

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Theosophy

Founders: Madame Helena Blavatsky (1831-1891), born in Russia and Henry Steel Olcott, a New York lawyer.

Headquarters: International headquarters are in Adyar, India. In America, Wheaton, Illinois.

Membership: Approximately 120 study centers in the U.S. with others in various countries. Membership statistics are unavaliable.

Origins: Mdm Blavatsky was born in Russia into an affluent and capable family. She traveled extensively around the world in search of spiritual understanding of the purpose of human existence. She spent some time in India. Eventually, she brought the principles she learned to America.
Mr. Olcott was a civil war veteran who became the first president of the Theosophical Society and extended its influence greatly.
Theosophy was founded in New York City in 1875.

Teachings: It has no official doctrinal statement other than general principles. It has three major principles:

To form a nucleus of the universal brotherhood of humanity, without distinction of race, creed, sex, caste, or color.

To encourage the comparative study of religion, philosophy, and science.

To investigate unexplained laws of nature and the powers latent in humanity.

     Theosophy teaches that the universe is one interrelated whole. Everything in the universe, people included, participates in the same life-creating reality. Matter and Spirit are the two main elements of the universe and everything is evolving into a higher plane of spiritual awareness and interconnectedness. Through reincarnation, a person becomes more aware of his unity with the Divine One. After a long cycle of reincarnations, the person attains enlightenment when he is unified with all other parts of the universe.
     Both the Earth and Man are going through stages. The earth is in its fourth stage and Man is in his fifth. "The human body is comprised of seven qualities: divine, monadic, spiritual, intuitional, mental, astral and physical."
     Theosophy accepts the miraculous as true and attempts to understand it using philosophy and science. Theosophy claims to be a scientific way of understanding religious systems.
     The name "Theosophy" is derived from the Greek: Theos (God) and sophia (wisdom); hence, Theosophia, or Theosophy.
     Blavatsky believed that there was an ancient society of Masters or Adepts who have complete understanding of the Divine Wisdom. Mdm Blavatsky claimed to have been taught by these Masters with whom she was in contact with.
     Jesus is considered to be the reincarnation of Krishna.
     Theosophy claims an influence upon much of society, particularly in some of the poets, writers, and artists of the past 100 years.
     A key phrase of Theosophy is "There is no religion higher than truth."

Texts: The Secret Doctrine, Isis Unveiled, The Key to Theosophy, and The Voice of the Silence, all by Mdm. Blavatsky and are considered divinely inspired.

Comments: Theosophy is nothing more than a variation of ancient gnosticism that was addressed in 1 John. Though Mdm. Blavatsky, it is heavily influenced by the Hinduism she learned in the East. It teaches inner divinity, and adopts a pantheon of gods. It is not Christian in any sense and is dangerous to the soul. It separates the Christ from Jesus, as many new age type cults do, thus reducing his true nature.

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