Or How to Prepare the
Birth of a Better Civilization
Carlos Cardoso Aveline
Carlos Cardoso Aveline
The true
religion of present civilization, in its dominant, materialistic aspect, was
well expressed by British writer George Orwell.
In the opening page of his novel “Keep the
Aspidistra Flying”, Orwell presents an ironic version of I Corinthians xiii, in
the New Testament:
“Though I speak
with the tongues of men and of
angels, and
have not money, I am become as a sounding
brass, or a
tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of
prophecy, and
understand all mysteries, and all knowledge;
and though I
have all faith, so that I could remove mountains,
and have not
money, I am nothing. And though I bestow
all my goods to
feed the poor, and though I give my body
to be
burned, and have not money, it profiteth me nothing.
Money suffereth
long, and is kind; money envieth not; money
vaunteth
not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave unseemly,
seeketh not
her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
rejoiceth not
in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; beareth all
things,
believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all
things… And
now abideth faith, hope, money, these
three; but the
greatest of these is money.”
Such are the dominant philosophy and religious
feelings in some quarters, as one can see by simply looking around. Not all of
the theosophical movement is far beyond such a variety of pious mysticism; and
there are other challenges to face as well.
Oblivious to mankind, part of the esoteric movement
is still proud of its attachment to old routine. The Titanic civilization is
about to sink and some of us play fiddle. Humanity is still the great orphan,
for few among us have the time to actually care about it. Most people are
too busy thinking of their personal and short term interests, “spiritual” or
otherwise.
The mental foundations of the present civilization
seem to be valid no more, at least in their dominant form, which remains submitted
to commercial interests and selfish goals. This is a civilization led by
lower-minded members of the Vaishya caste. Many of its philosophical concerns
are limited to the metaphysics of short-term investment money. Most economists
consider “good” news any expansion of consumerism. They don’t care about
happiness. “Bad” for them is to have
less opportunities to expand consumerism.
Voluntary simplicity, social justice, nature
preservation, search for self-knowledge and wisdom are all “bad” for
the present civilization, because these principles take the focus of life away
from money, materialistic pride, search for social position and personal
ambitions.
Theosophy and Universal Brotherhood are dangerous
ideas to a materialistic society, just as materialistic societies -
since Atlantean times - are usually inimical to Theosophy, to Ethics, and to
the feeling of good will among nations.
Bankers and big money investors are the high priests
of present civilization. As they worry about their own papers, they stimulate
war, conflict, arms sales, financial crises and nuclear proliferation.
Undisturbed by their activities, the planet undergoes its cyclic changes.
At the grassroots level, more citizens begin to awaken from the nightmare of
spiritual ignorance to a new ethical consciousness that paves the way to
universal brotherhood.
What does that have to do with theosophists? What
is their dharma regarding the future of mankind? It does no harm to remain
vigilant, and to question oneself. It is useful to compare the present
civilization to what we have about Atlantis in the works Plato and H.P.
Blavatsky. The main founder of the
United Lodge of Theosophists, Robert Crosbie, had something to say about
economies based on greed:
“Business has been defined as ‘a lot of useless
activities which we have created and now bow down to and worship’. But there
are some we know who are heretics in that direction, and I like these
best.” [1]
No ideology can fix the world. The key to right action is best given by one’s
individual sense of duty and higher potentialities. The voice of the conscience
must be heard with care: it is a privilege to be loyal to it in one’s heart.
Civilizations are passing vehicles of human
evolution. Although they can be improved up to a certain point, when it becomes
necessary they are abandoned so that new and better societies can emerge.
An awakening of universal ethics is a good idea
during the 21st century. It can heal most human wounds almost at once. It
remains to be seen how much suffering is needed, before we get there.
NOTE:
[1] “The Friendly Philosopher”,
by Robert Crosbie, Theosophy Co., Los Angeles, 1945, 415 pp., see p. 163.
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In order to read
more about the birth of a civilization based on the principle of brotherhood,
see the text “Meditation on the
Awakening of Mankind”, by Carlos Cardoso Aveline. The article is available
in our associated websites.
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