Whether Worldwide Political Unification
Would Help or Hinder Peace Among Nations
Carlos Cardoso Aveline
Mahatma Gandhi thought of a non-violent, community-centered
civilization based on the principles of peace, ethics and good-will.
Some good-willing
citizens may believe that universal brotherhood - the first goal of the modern
theosophical movement - has a “globalist” view of the world.
The question then emerges: does the theosophical
project in any way propose or suggest a formal “unification” of the world?
The answer is clear:
“No. Not at all.”
Globalism proposes a political and economic, even
cultural unification of the world. Monoculture is a disease in Ecology as in
Sociology. The garden of human realm needs diversity to be strong and bear
spiritual fruits.
Theosophy has a profound respect for cultural
differences. It cherishes local traditions. It defends the spiritual heritage
of every nation and each ethnicity. It also does not think or teach that the
sovereignty of nation-states should be boycotted or undermined.
Universal brotherhood has nothing to do, therefore,
with uniformity of outer aspects in the visible realms of social life. A
healthy federation of nations will respect the independence of each one of
them.
Side by side with Ecology, modern Theosophy celebrates
the diversity of life and the cultural contrast among peaceful nations.
Universal brotherhood depends on inner communion and
mutual understanding. It celebrates friendship. It teaches that differences
lead to creativity and transcendence.
The Jesuits and the Vatican were globalists as long as
they could. They wanted to establish a global theocratic empire. Martin Luther’s
Reformation and many other cultural movements helped restore respect for the
plurality of nations and the diversity of thought.
Napoleon Bonaparte dreamed of “a politically unified
world”. The result was a disaster. The 18th century founders of the United
States of America believed in the independence of communities. The result was
victory and progress for the soul.
Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini, two criminals, may
have presented themselves as nationalists for propaganda sake: in fact, they
were clearly globalists. Hitler wanted global power. He desired to destroy nations
and did so to some extent. The result was worldwide disaster. On the other
hand, Mahatma Gandhi and Winston Churchill, among many other friends of
mankind, believed in the rights of nations to exist, to be independent, and to
dissent from one another in peace. Theodor Herzl worked in the same direction. The
result was the preservation of diversity and respect among nations.
The first object of the theosophical movement is
defined as “forming a nucleus of Universal Brotherhood of Humanity, without
distinction of race, creed, sex, caste or color”.
Theosophy fights prejudice against any nation or
ethnicity. It respects the different forms of cultural tradition. It teaches
harmlessness with regards to all life, especially among human beings. It is
against abortion, for instance. Theosophy opposes anti-Semitism. It is against
anti-Zionism and all forms of systematic hatred. It stimulates universal
good-will. Its philosophy is a philosophy of love for life, and love for the
universe.
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The text “Of Globalism and Brotherhood”
was published in our associated websites on the 28th of November, 2018. It can
also be seen at our blog in “The Times of Israel”.
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Click to read the
article “Europe and World Federation”.
See the 1885 poem
“The World Federation After the War”,
by the British poet Alfred Tennyson.
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On 14 September 2016, after examining the
state of the esoteric movement worldwide, a group of students decided to found
the Independent Lodge of Theosophists. Two of the priorities
adopted by the ILT are learning from the past and building
a better future.
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