Hadn’t thought that, but theosphists are aware of it.
Folk are less likely to join and contribute nowadays, but certainly do follow, and the insidious creed grows as we see they are active in the Catholic world.
Here is an excerpt from theosophy.org
By Robert Ellwood, emeritus professor of religion at the University of Southern California and a former vice-president of the Theosophical Society in America. He currently resides at the Krotona School of Theosophy.
The day may come when Theosophy is no longer a shrinking membership organization but more like an educational foundation, supported by all who feel called to do so, and involved in promoting teaching in the Theosophical tradition through all possible media: books, pamphlets, lectures, films, Internet sites, classes, camps, and personal contact. (Even video games, which are just beginning to be taken seriously as a new art form—a fresh embodiment of the timeless hero myth?) The new Theosophy will maintain all facets of the Ancient Wisdom but will assure the old is made new by always being presented in a way that facilitates individual spiritual life and growth.
For all that, Theosophy will probably continue also to manifest itself in groups getting together in person as well as virtually, under whatever name and in whatever form they take. Clearly a reaction has set in against traditional kinds of organization, but that does not mean humans will forever be content to live, learn, and die alone. Numerous studies have shown that people who are not just in families, but also active in religious or other larger meaning-giving organizations, are happier and healthier than solitaries or those who know only casual and informal relationships. One can e-mail, tweet, text, game, and surf the Web all one wants, even stream Theosophical lectures or participate in virtual sacred rituals at a keyboard together with fellow worshipers across the continent; this has been done. But the screen still does not take the place of face-to-face meetings. Words alone will never be quite the same as hugs and eye contact.
The jury is still out on how this will be achieved. Many voices will need to be heard as Theosophy adapts itself, as it always has over the ages, to new occasions which teach new duties and new words. It is exciting to have the privilege of living in such times of change and challenge.
Yes, they are aware of it. And they are indeed trying to stay relevant with their educational nonsense, but it's considered old school New Age, and quite frankly, Blavatsky's writings make little sense even to them. They have this idea that because they can't understand a lot of things that Blavatsky channeled, it must mean that it must be far above them and very profound. Theosophy is all in the mind, with no application for how to live in the real world. It's the opposite of Catholicism, since Catholicism is common sense as well as divine sense.
I've not heard of Robert Ellwood, but my husband probably has, since he's a Theosophist. We visited Krotona in Ojai many times when my in-laws were alive, since my husband's step-father was head of the krotona school and they lived there. That was 25 years ago, before I converted to Catholicism. I avoided anything having to do with their so-called spiritual views, and considered them harmful.
Theosophists may think that Theosophy is adaptable, but that's just wishful thinking, IMO. Only people who want to always be in search mode, and never land on anything definite will find it attractive. It used to be that most active Theosophists were freemasons, but few are now. Even my mother-in-law was a co-freemason, which was a group for women. She never talked about it, so I don't know anything about it.
The post above mentions virtual sacred rituals, but my husband's group doesn't have anything like that. The Liberal Catholic Church was started by a Theosophist named Leadbeater, which combines Theosophical principles with Catholic ritual. They believe that their mass connects with some sort of white majic. My husband was raised in that church, but had stopped attending by the time he met me. It's a truly bizarre "church," but it too is also declining in membership, thankfully.
I'm not saying that Theosophy doesn't pose a danger - it does - but it's a small group now. Though of course even a small number of people can cause problems with their false teachings. I feel sorry for those who have allowed themselves to be caught up in this pagan falsehood.
Topic: The Montessori Method (Read 3167 times)