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Homosexuality
What reason is there to ban homosexuals from "inner" work within B. (an esoteric spiritual religious organization)? S. ===== The word was that homosexuality was basically a distorted pattern and that the energies of linkage intensified all patterns, including homo. With homo's, there was usually a hatred generated by their cultural rejection. This also was intensified. Ann tried to experiment with this at least twice, to my knowledge, and both individuals soon dropped out of chapter. N.J. ===== There are all sorts of conditions people are in that can cause distress if they are stimulated by the spiritual work (meditations, etc..). Why single out homosexuals? And why not look at each individual? Some homosexuals may quit, others may stay. I know many heterosexuals who have quit. Should they be banned? Are homosexuals not normal? What is meant by normal? Does it mean "in the majority?" B. (or P.C., or Ann, or whoever) does not demand that anyone be in the majority politically, professionally, artistically, but it does demand that they be in the majority sexually? It makes no sense to me. As far as going against the grain of nature, or whatever that old argument is - as far as I'm concerned, if it exists, it goes with the force of nature. If it were against Nature, it could not exist, period. I'm afraid it all comes down to prejudice - making blanket judgments about an entire people based on experience with one or two. Am I seeing this unclearly? -h ===== Yes, I think you are seeing it unclearly, knowing nothing about the result of
energies if Inner School linkage. In your pride of non-prejudice toward
homosexuals, would you stand face to face to P.C. and tell him he was merely a
selective, ignorant, prejudiced quasi-religious posturer? I see their action as
compassionate indeed, not as Victorian prejudice. I can tell you from many years
experience that each person was very closely observed over a period of usually 5
years for entrance into "chapter" (intensive spiritual group work and
ritual) and quite a few were refused because of personal patterns that would
have been greatly intensified to their and others harm before they were possibly
transmuted. The chief who admits them to chapter is Karmically responsible if
this occurs. I think it is a possibility that some homosexuals could survive
this experience but I did not see this happen. I only saw failure. You ignore
this. no more please! ===== C.M., would you stand in front of P.C. and tell him he was full of shit in this decision for ONLY CHAPTER CANDIDATES. THE MOST INTENSE INNER WORK. Because you disagree with it and cannot imagine P.C. being the source, and possible master R, you decide i am the one who is the source of false information--beneath me??? Are you so wise in the effects of this degree of spiritual linkage??? The usual time of observation before accepting or even starting an exploration with a candidate was 5 years and many did not pass because of personal patterns that would be intensified to possible harm to themselves and others before being brought under control. If this happened, the chief who accepted them into chapter was karmically responsible. Condemnation without knowledge is very easy. N.J. ===== A01 wrote: " I have heard second-handedly from a minister that "there is no official policy towards homosexuality" from B. I asked this in an official capacity as Study Group coordinator, and received a reply through the proper channels. I do not know where N.J. comes by his information, but someone somewhere is in error. If there IS an official policy towards homosexuals, I would like to see the documentation stating this policy immediately. Thank you" With all respect and love to those in charge of B. on the physical plane: There is something worse than an official policy -- there is a silent, unofficial policy, of many decades standing. Often insidious, nearly always denied. It is one of the tragic legacies of an earlier stage, and an element of bigotry unbecoming a vehicle of such high and clear principles as B. There is a great deal to learn in this about the human imperfections of even the most sincere and good-hearted stewards of the Light; and, like fine leather, it is in the imperfections that marks of beauty are often found. At the same time, on this issue of ANY kind of bigotry, I feel we are all responsible, as a high spiritual calling, to strike at it swiftly and uncompromisingly when we see it, leaving no quarter. The Mysteries MUST be founded upon the principle of tolerance, i.e., of ecstatically embracing ALL the various forms of human life-expression as necessary to make a balanced whole. Please excuse my severity on this, if it offends anyone. These are, of course, merely my own views. J.E. ===================================================== The only policy about homosexuality that did or does exist was for chapter members only. --The Innermost work. It came from P.C. Is it a normal, reproductive pattern for males or females to seek and be sexually attracted to others of the same sex? This is not to condemn those who are but it is an inner recognition of "what is." I am sorry I answered this question as i knew it would stir a storm of controversy. N.J. ===================================================== "would you stand in front of P.C. and tell him he was full of shit in this decision for ONLY CHAPTER CANDIDATES." YES I WOULD - I've always been a bit of a bold soul that way when it comes to rank injustice!! I am so inflamed by this subject being brought up in this way - I am tempted to intemperance in my outrage at the supposedly justified exclusion of any person. At least let's say the errors of past periods might not have been seen clearly but can't we see more clearly now and not let false hero-worship blind us to the errors in the past? I am amazed that there isn't a firestorm of protest to any such, insane sense of division, us against "them" as to separate out any segment of humanity as unworthy of any aspect of the work. And to talk about this like they weren't here listening. Could any of this be knowingly said in their presence. Can we say that none of the Masters ever incarnated as a homosexual? How dare we!!?? They are us and we are all together, or none of us is on the Path and there is no path worthy of the name. What is "love" that excludes but hatred masked with elitism and hypocrisy? Any "they" is us, the part of us we try to hide from and exclude, the shadow we try to dis-acknowledge, disavow - "I'm not like them." Locally, I'm in Chicago, we have Dennis Rodman extravagantly revealing openness and a flaunting of society's ignorant rejections and I thank him for what he helps me see in myself as far as what masculinity and acceptance really mean. Certainly, there is specialized work that requires great maturity and few will qualify but to prejudge any particular person because of experience with past people from a group is the very essence of prejudice, ISN'T IT? In hopes of Greater Light, C.M. ===================================================== I'm not angry. I understand that in P.C's day, and even in A.D.'s, really, that homosexuals were not seen as true members of society. They hadn't really begun to "come out" yet. They were perverts, shadowy members of some strange underground. So I understand the reason for the attitude of people in those days. We can now be in the position of redefining our values. Here we have perhaps discovered a bit of scaffolding that no longer serves the building of Light we are creating. We can choose to think again. I am glad the Inner school proceeds cautiously in selecting candidates for membership to Working Builders. I am sure there are many people who are not ready for such a commitment and such a stepping up of their energies. That some of these people may happen to be homosexual should not, however, enter the picture. It should not be mentioned. It has no relevance whatever, and should not be an issue at all. N.J. , why the "please no more?" What harm can there be in discussing this? It's strange maybe - instead of feeling angry or irritated, incensed and ready to march in the streets, I feel calm and peaceful. I think I've come to a higher level of understanding through this brief Sunday exchange. -h ===================================================== The subject of homosexuality and its relationship to (a) the specific institution of B. and its policies, (b) society in general, (c) the Mysteries in general, (d) and particularly the higher level (Chapter level) work of B., has been going round here for several days now. It has at times gotten uncharacteristically vitriolic for this List -- but its vitriol has hardly been uncharacteristic of discussions OFF this list concerning homosexuality and some of these elements. I have, thus far, only entered into the discussion with a couple of short, terse responses. Especially considering the strong emotion on this issue, both of those responses of mine, I now realize, were surely taken as "pot shots" by someone or other. Over the last day or two I have been reflecting on this conversation on this List, and feeling that perhaps a more extensive, and more carefully explained, expression of my views would serve better than the terse messages I've posted thus far. Such a careful discussion requires time, thought, and reflection; and time is a commodity I simply have not had for a while now. However, this issue -- and even more, the impact of its discussion on this List -- is of such great importance IMHO, that I feel I must set aside the this morning to give it a shot. So here goes. What follows is entirely my opinion. It does not necessarily represent the view of B., this list, any other organization, or any of the other parties to this discussion hereon. I am certain to upset someone, and maybe (by the time I'm through) upset EVERYONE with what I have to say. It is not my wish to upset anyone; but I *do* intend to say some things in ways that will stir up the readers' own buried thoughts and reactions in order to make them visible. I invite everyone to stop reading now. It is simply impossible to discuss this subject without stirring huge barrels of emotional reactivity. I am, with open eyes, accepting the possible karmic repercussions of "stirring the pot" in this way because, in what follows, I am asking people on highly polarized opposite sides of this issue to understand each other and accept each other; and I am simultaneously asking a great many others of you, not immediately caught up in the polarized topic, to look at things with some new points of view. First, I should say something about myself so that readers can know in advance which personal ax I might be grinding. (Everyone has a point of view.) Since it will be relevant to how others interpret this, I should say up front that I am a heterosexual male and always have been. I do, however, have many gay friends (this has been true for the over 20 years I've lived in Los Angeles). I am also more than fleetingly familiar with the Mysteries, and the workings of the (commonly said to be) "higher energies" of Chapter-level work. However, I am not, and have never been, an initiate of B.'s Chapter. This should not be construed as a criticism of their excellent and important work. I have never been a member because I was never invited. Nor should this be taken as sour grapes, since my life took me in other directions that have fulfilled me in these areas and levels. I first became an Associate Builder in January, 1979, and have continued with the course work, and later with personal work building out of the course work, for all the years intervening. I have known several gay and lesbian members of B. in the Los Angeles area. Some of them have been personally unstable, highly agitated, militant, with "an attitude," and were not invited (and perhaps not even considered) for Chapter invitation. Some of them were big-hearted, solid, balanced individuals who gave everything they could in service to B. for many years, with fierce devotion, and were not invited (and perhaps not even considered) for Chapter invitation. I was actually surprised to hear from N.J. that there was an out-and-out rule about non-admittance of gays and lesbians to Chapter. I had long assumed (based on the imperfect information available to me) that this was merely an UNOFFICIAL rule that was nonetheless more-or-less consistently applied. These rules have not been CONSISTENTLY applied, BTW. During A.D.'s time and after, some of the higher ranking, most beloved, most contributing members of Chapter have been homosexual. But it wasn't talked about. It was never "an issue." They weren't very "out." Some people in Chapter knew of the homosexuality, and some did not. And it was concurrent with some of these individuals' membership that Ann was officially or semi-officially taking a position that homosexuals did not belong in Chapter. N.J. said or implied (I must admit I did not keep these letters from all of you) that this was an eyes-open experiment on her part that went poorly. My information is that, on the contrary, with at least two of the individuals in question, the "experiment" went very well. Some would call this hypocrisy. Maybe it was. Or maybe it was an effort to struggle to climb out of residuals of a Victorian, Puritan, and generally frightened time and attitudes for our cultural group mind overall, in the 1960s when so many prior and unjust "givens" were being successfully and rightfully challenged. I am not in a place to judge one way or the other. Or -- maybe -- the seeming hypocrisy was a CORRECT attention to what should have been the real issues all along, rather than to the issue of homosexuality. I'll try to put this view in context before I finish this letter. It is NOT true, either historically or actually, that homosexuality interferes in any way at all with participation in the Mysteries, in the study of Qabalah, or in spiritual growth. Plain and simple. (The "sins" of Sodom, if the Biblical account is carefully read, were mostly poor hospitality! Which, come to think of it, at least touches on our present subject.) If a list were compiled of the greatest Western philosophers, mystics, Qabalists, initiates, etc. of the last thousand years or so -- men (in nearly all cases they were men -- another cultural bias of the era) whose names and works are the very foundation of what we have and cherish of the Qabalah and Hermetic philosophy -- a huge number were gay. Plato and Socrates are merely the tip of the iceberg. By "gay" or "homosexual" in the immediate context, I am not being merely allegorical or imprecise in any sense. I mean simply that they were men who passionately loved other men, and had sex with other men. These represent those from whom we have derived many of our most treasured teachings. I assert adamantly my belief, position, and conclusion that homosexuality per se is an absolute NON-ISSUE with respect to participating in ANY level of spiritual work, including those levels which exist in the explicitly Qabalistic lines of study, work, and development. At the same time, there are huge social issues that must be considered. For the next section of this letter, I will appear to be supporting B. and its decisions (and, to a certain extent, actually WILL be supporting them). I ask that my gay readers keep reading before jumping to conclusions about my final conclusions. I think most people will agree with my allegation that most gays have, in the course of their lives, been subjected to a great deal of non-acceptance, humiliation, suppression, etc., on top of their own internal identity-struggles which arise naturally any time a person authentically realizes that WHO THEY ARE is at acute odds with society's definitions and the actual "way of being" of most of the people around them. (For clarity and fairness, I should add that some gays have been comfortable with their homosexuality all of their lives, and do not fit the foregoing.) I think most people will also agree with my allegation that many of the rest of us have felt the same kind of thing. In most groups of occultists, students of occultism, people drawn to public lectures on occultism, I have found that nearly EVERYONE there has felt this. I will commonly ask, when I speak to such groups, how many people there (by a show of hands) ever felt, in growing up, that they were the "one-out," that they were really different from their friends, that they lived almost in another world and really would not have had a hard time believing they were the child of space-aliens but somehow grew up among humans, that they never entirely fit in with those around them and, perhaps, were actually ostracized by school peers for "being strange." In every single group where I've asked this question, nearly every hand in the place goes up. In some groups, EVERY hand in the group goes up. In fact, it is more likely that EVERY hand will go up if the group is of initiates than if it is composed of elements of the public. We are all aliens. None of us is quite like society and its norms and its cut-out models. Ironically, this distinguishment (and the tunnels of alienation through which many of us have walked en route to becoming sane, alive adults blessed with some self-knowledge) is one of the things so universal as nearly to define our commonality and connectedness. It is one of the things that ties us together -- or should. Let us accept, however, that the alienation and cast-outedness that most of us have felt due to a cultural non-acceptance of occultism in general -- or of how we, as individuals, think and feel in particular -- is generally not of the magnitude that a significant portion of the homosexual population has felt as the result of their homosexuality. Take everything you can find in yourself of your own reactions to alienation, rejection, non-acceptance, and magnify it many times. Magnify it until you can't stand it any more. Magnify it until, at least for a while, you would rather not be you, if it would just make the pain go away. SUPPRESSION CAUSES SICKNESS. Homosexuality is NOT a sickness (as has historically been alleged and, often, is still currently alleged). However, homosexuality in our society CAUSES sickness (though less so today than 30 years ago) because it sets up people -- good people that are, in a way very significant to them, atypical of a majority of others around them -- it sets up people to be suppressed, demeaned, their identity challenged and denied. And THIS causes sickness. The net effect is that, in an already neurotic society, a significant percentage of the gay and lesbian community has, historically and to a certain extent today, had those particular character aberrations that naturally arise from persistent suppression, alienation, and non-acceptance. "Hey, wait a minute, is J.E. about to say we should punish'em twice? We hated and feared what was different, treated those faggots real bad, made a real mess of things, and now that we have a buncha dangerous sicko queers, we better keep them as far away from us as we can?" Hell no, that's not what I'm saying. But neither can we deny acute neurosis when we see it. But neither can we act to extend it by further non-acceptance and suppression. The problem builds on itself, and makes each step of recovery increasingly more complicated for a while. Everyone on this List has had A PIECE of the whole picture; but the pieces have polarized against each other to make things worse. (And remember, I started this by saying that there are many homosexuals who do not fit this pattern. They have come to accept themselves, and live in a place where they have acceptance in much or most of their lives. I do not wish to force a glass slipper on a foot that isn't formed for it. I merely speak of those who have the feet for which it was formed.) Today, because of a much wider acceptance by society overall, this problem has been greatly reduced. It's time for the Mystery Schools, who historically have LED humanity, to catch up to the last 30 to 40 years of social growth! THIS IS NOT A GAY ISSUE. IT IS A BIGOTRY ISSUE. IT IS A SUPPRESSION ISSUE. IT IS AN INHUMANITY ISSUE. The greatest inhumanity that can be exercised -- IMO, far more inhumane even than murder and physical cruelties -- is to deny the intrinsic truth about a person and -- worse yet -- to try to force them to deny it as well. My point above isn't that gays are neurotic, but that aggressively suppressed people are neurotic. It's natural. It's the way to survive. I want to tell you about one of my best friends, a Black man. He would be accurately labeled militant. Even though he is my friend, I regard him as racist, primarily because (a priori) he mostly expects every White he encounters to be a racial bigot. That's racism. (In some situations, its also accurate.) This man's history justifies the kinds of emotional armor and militant striking-out that he has historically used. He is massively defensive on the issue of acceptance. Naturally, when he was put in a situation where racial bigotry actually existed, and existed at the hands of people he trusted and counted on for spiritual leadership and compassion, the problem was accelerated rather than lessened. On the contrary, when he was put in a situation where people really were "color blind," and where he was wholly accepted on his own merits -- based on his good heart, his amazing mind and creative abilities, his devotion as a friend, and his passion for those he loves and with whom he associates -- the problem underwent healing rather than exacerbation. This is no surprise. Accept someone for who they are -- good AND bad -- and they become healthy. They accept themselves more deeply. They touch God more freely. The create more joyously. They are sane and well and wondrous. It is harder to see the miracle and wonder in the being of those who, out of their own need to defend and protect themselves from chronic active and passive attacks, have themselves built seriously unbalanced personalities. Failing to see the truth of the matter, it is easy to reject them further and to think the problem lies in them, and not in our collective treatment of them. IT IS APPROPRIATE TO KEEP DISHARMONIOUS AND UNBALANCED PEOPLE OUT OF THE HIGHER LEVELS OF INITIATIC WORK. But note that the issue is their disharmonious and unbalanced nature -- not the particulars of what caused it. THIS IS NOT A GAY ISSUE. IT IS A BIGOTRY ISSUE. IT IS A SUPPRESSION ISSUE. IT IS AN INHUMANITY ISSUE. And to address it as a gay issue is to heap increasing layers of further bigotry on top of an already hurtful situation. In T.T. (of which I am an officer), individuals are generally excluded from membership (that is, not invited to initiation) based on perceptions, by the interviewing Chiefs, of the person having a severely disharmonious and severely unbalanced nature. This is both for the protection of the group into which they are seeking membership, and for the protection of the individual. (Right now isn't the time or place to explain the last sentence any more deeply; but if its meaning is not immediately evident to the reader, I believe it will become quite clear with a little meditation.) People can be seriously unbalanced, disharmonious, etc. for any number of reasons. They may have had a recent life-trauma, a heartbreaking loss, from which they are still recovering, and not handling it well. Haven't we all been in some situation like this? And can't we understand that we sometimes needed time to get past it, and weren't necessarily dealing with others in our best possible way for quite a few months? In this case, the appropriate thing to do is to give time and support the chance to heal the person. Or maybe the person has a serious personality disorder, from any number of possible causes. These are more intractable to treatment, and at least take a very long time (in most cases), and a lot of hard work, to get past. Some of them would keep the person out of the higher levels of group work for the remainder of the present incarnation; some would not. Or maybe the person has a militant chip on his or her shoulder, because of out-and-out abuse and mistreatment, both in the past and in the present. Here the person should be given hospitality and acceptance (so that WE don't replicate the REAL sin of Sodom!), and time to see if loving friendship can dislodge the chip. But, during that time, they should NOT be admitted into initiation. Or maybe the person has a deeper hurt from rejection and alienation, that either can or cannot work well in a magical group. The decision must be made based on what's uniquely and distinctly true FOR THEM. And maybe, along the way of making such evaluations and decisions, those who are responsible -- the Chiefs of a Chapter, Lodge, Temple, etc., who, though nothing more than dedicated human beings, do actually act as the witnessing eyes and serving hands of the Third Order -- maybe they will discover that they haven't been as pure a channel as they might have been. People are imperfect (except in the absolute cosmic sense). And, just maybe, they'll find that while the principles I've mentioned above are sound, and justify a given person's necessary exclusion from a particular group, this does not, in turn, justify prejudicial assumptions about ENTIRE GROUPS OF PEOPLE. We could hold an equally bigoted view of women (many do): "Women fall into two classes, (a) the passive, good-for-nothing, no-mind-of-their-own domestic kind, and (b) the militant man-haters." [I'M JOKING!!!] Kick them for being kicked for thousands of years, and kick them for kicking back! Same thing. Except we all see the stupidity and inhumanity of the cited point of view on women, and most of us see the stupidity and inhumanity of the comparable view of Blacks, and an increasing number sees the stupidity and inhumanity of the same view applied to gays. Gender, skin color, sexual preference -- or anything else of its kind -- it's all the same. I have worked for MANY years in ongoing group work comparable to B.'s Chapter. (This isn't a competitive statement, merely a very broad, approximate comparison, necessary to justify my expression the opinions in the remainder of this paragraph.) One actual, observable phenomenon is that nearly all gays and lesbians that I have seen initiated during that time have left membership early, and have not persevered very long. (In most of these cases, there was complete acceptance of them, at the personal level, so that exclusion by the group was never an issue.) In most of these cases there were passive-dependent personality issues, so that the person did not function well in a context of independence and self-sufficiency. Over the same couple of decades, I have seen most non-Caucasians fall away rather quickly, for reasons that I am sure are more cultural and psychological than magical. I have been in a place to observe these situations closely, and to reflect on them deeply, and have done so. Like any jury, you need not agree with my conclusions or testimony, but "the judge" has accepted me as an expert witness whose testimony is at least worth hearing and weighing. Based on these experiences of a high percentage falling away, some might draw the conclusion that gays and Blacks (for example) don't belong in the Work, don't do well here, fall away, aren't a good "investment." That conclusion, of course, would have led to excluding those few gays and Blacks that HAVE persevered, served the Work well, and served themselves. It has always seemed to me that the only compassionate route is to admit and initiate someone who looks qualified in all other respects, and let them persevere as far as they are able. For some (about the same percentage as any other subgroup), that means persevering all the way. I have often heard arguments that gays, or people with histories of drug and alcohol problems (these are all lumped together in many a conversation, y'know) can't ultimately succeed in the Work. Their subtle vehicles are too pathologized (that's the ACTUAL argument used at times!). Gosh, they might only make it to 2=9 before the problems hit! My answer is: If they are qualified for the FIRST step, they should be admitted to that step -- and each one thereafter, so long as they are qualified for it. If they fall away after a time, so could any of the rest of us. They have made the exact gains they were qualified to make, and have undertaken a work of karma yoga in the service they have offered. They have not been "blown away" by the (admittedly) higher level work of the initiatic levels. They have not disturbed the working of the group of which they have been a part. They have been good fratres et sorores, on the same level as anyone else. That is the conclusion of my sermon. [...] If you have persevered this far, I thank you very much for your attention, and hope that I have added further understanding and humanity to the situation being discussed, rather than merely exacerbating an argument further. Shalom. J.E. ===================================================== Dear group: Well, we have now run the gamut of emotions about this homosexual rejection in B. Please listen up, you all! There was and maybe still is a prohibition of homosexuals, drug addicts, alcoholics and other chronic emotional imbalances, not to general membership in B. or to study groups, but only to Chapter membership, the most intense inner linkage offered by the order and by invitation only and usually after a personal observation of the candidate of several years. These restrictions are not from prejudice, which is an insult to P.C. and A.D., they are acts of compassion, as they well know how all patterns are energized/exaggerated by this linkage. It is also a little known fact that if a candidate is admitted to this level of inner work, and the intensifying of the energies causes him to harm himself and others, the chief of chapter who admitted him has a karmic responsibility for that. As those of you know who have gone into the B. lessons at any length, they are the best and clearest that can be found anywhere. They do not teach mere tolerance, which has a connotation of superior spiritual or moral status but it is a constructive first step in realizing unity. The B. lessons do teach the unity of man in all its expressions. I know that tolerance of homosexuals is the spiritual fashion of the last two decades, with a fierce intolerance of those who do not express the same. There is elitism showing here by our putting down as not quite human (not like us) those who differ in this area. Being tolerant of the intolerant is a giant spiritual step. I personally observed two instances of homosexuals being admitted into chapter and both dropping out--a very unusual event. Another I knew about was in New Zealand, which became very nasty. Ann said that she felt very close to these three and decided to take a chance, knowing the risk. She also accepted the karmic responsibility. I personally think some homosexuals would make it in chapter, but on the Path, we get exactly what we need in personal and universal unfolding. I ask of you: if you see and value the wisdom in the lessons of B., written by P.C. and A.D., two advanced Adepts, can you not respect their judgment in this matter of selectivity in chapter, for the good of the candidate? You know nothing of these energies, yet you are very judgmental regarding them. This is and was an act of compassion, of mercy, not stupid prejudice. The wisdom in the lessons could not have come through these instruments if they were so structured by prejudice--the face of separation. Fraternally, N.J. ===================================================== Wow, What a great exchange of ideas and emotions! I'm glad to see us all ENGAGED in a less theoretical and more practical discussion. Our exchanges are an example of the process of verification taking place within everyday life. I invite you all to stop for a moment and look back on this exchange of words, ideas, and emotions on the issue of sexual identification, and see it as a process of verification and as an example of the purification of our personalities by our Holy Guardian Angel (K14). As opposed to discussing the "content" of these past postings on elitism/sexuality, I'd like to take a look at the PROCESS that took place. One process that took place was (as near as I can tell): Someone saw an example of elitism in an institution, and employed ridicule. It's a case of seeing the Devil (K15) and using ridicule to expose what they see as inner contradictions and conflicting values that are taking place within the institution. Yet, the question begs to be asked, "Are you using true discrimination(K6) ?" True discrimination requires more than just a left-right polarity, it requires the intuitive input from above (Angel Raphael in K6). The area being challenged/examined was "Could an institution (such as B.) have conflicting values?" To get anywhere with this question we have to examine (discriminate) the difference between true discrimination and prejudice. To me, prejudice is coming to a conclusion based on superficial appearances. With regards to K15, it was said "superficial observation and hasty generalization lead to bondage". Therefore to judge someone just by a superficial label (Left, Right, black, white, Liberal, Conservative, Homosexual, Heterosexual, etc..) would be to fall into the error. True discrimination requires that we have an open channel to the Inner Teacher of K5 so that super conscious awareness can flow from the Angel to the woman to the man (from super consciousness to subconsciousness to self-consciousness). And it is 6 (The Lovers= discrimination) operating through the agency of 1 that destroys falsehood (16). Now with regards to membership into certain inner activities it seems completely reasonable that those responsible should be very discriminating with regards to who to place in that crucible. It makes sense that only persons with a very balanced personality could handle the increase in energy. Now, is it possible that certain activities, proclivities, and desires could hinder someone from achieving that required high degree of balance? It seems reasonable. Yet this determination would not be a case of prejudice. It would be it's exact opposite. It would be a case of using discrimination. So depending on how the decision is presented to others, the situation could take on the appearance of prejudice (a bad thing), when in fact it was a case of just being very discriminating (a good thing). In my opinion, how we use our sexual/spiritual energy is very important to achieving a balanced personality. I remember listing to a tape of A.D. where she says that once we become human beings, that Love should be the only reason for expressing the reproductive urge. This force can also be expressed in many ways besides making babies. Art motivated by love is a creative/integrating example, while pleasurable dissipation could be a means of venting otherwise unchanneled energy. Who would condemn any act of union motivated by Love? I once read somewhere that God is the divine masculine and divine feminine principles in Union through love. Yet physically consummating that union has its consequences. These include life/Birth (K15) and Death(K13). The key element in spiritual evolution is learning how to use this force for accelerating our spiritual evolution in the performance of the Great Work without damaging or destroying our vehicles in the process. It is this reproductive force that is being purified - shown in Key 14 by the flames being poured on the Eagle, by the testing and tempering process. It's important to remove any sense of shame or of dirtiness associated with the reproductive force. After all, how can you learn how to use a force properly, if you think that that force is dirty or bad? We use our creative Sexual energy to create, to bind spirit into Form (K15) and these forms often present problems of appearance to us. Then these forms get dissolved (K13) and we are left to reap the wisdom and understanding. It is our Self (Tiphareth) making itself known to us, and working on our Intellect and Desire natures. So in this real world example that we've played out here via email, we can see the interplay of the cosmic forces: Bondage/Birth Discrimination Change/Dissolution Verification/Testing Union Destruction of error I think that we on this list are all being tested by how we react emotionally to "appearances". Let's try to look a little deeper to the underlying Cosmic aspects of what's happening here. JC ===================================================== Our goal in B. is to do Chapter work, the highest form of the Great Work. There are rules as to who can engage in Chapter work. You cant associate with OTO, homosexuals, or teachers of supernal light. The rules seem to show up one per month. Could all the rules be posted at once? When we reach the Chapter stage in the studies, it would be good to know we have done ALL the rules. No one likes to be rejected for a rule they did not know. Sincere seekers will make sure they >o what is needed now. They they will meet all the requirements >when the time comes. M. ===== No, M., chapter work is only a means to greater unfolding, which is just being more consciously aware. All things follow that. chapter work involves an outer initiation, which may or may not be valid. the only real initiations are inner ones, always performed when the student is ready. Form my observation of pfcase members postings, many, many of you have received this inner step and it is irrevocable. I , personally, disagree with the new rule of no OTO membership for chapter members only. this does not apply to any rank and file members. N.J. ===== As I mentioned in my earlier post, I have been a member since 1974. One thing I have learned over the years is that sometimes leaders are wrong. BTW, Ann was a human being. I have met a few "so called" Adepts throughout the years and sometimes they are blind in a particular area. This is human. I would urge all of you not to let Rev. N.J.'s unscientific and judgmental attitudes prevent you from respecting the school. I am personally a bit surprised at the coldness expressed in his posts, however I also understand much more about what being gay is really about. If he is worthy of his post, perhaps he will re-examine his commitment to the love and compassion he professes. I, for one feel a bit more pain when I am judged by those I care about. A little consideration for peoples feelings does not seem much to expect from one of our leaders. Obviously, any examination of history shows that beliefs change with knowledge. Science has shown that being gay is normal for some people. WE ARE NOT SICK! Some of us are very healthy. I am very pleased with the excellent post by J.E. Thanks to the kindness and care of thought of a fellow student, my faith in people is reassured. Sometimes teachers should learn from students. Thanks, R. ===== Frater N.J., Firstly, the running of B., was not the subject of my post. For the record, I have never had an opinion about how B. is "run," nor do I recall ever expressing anything either in my message or at the Temple as to how B. is, or should be, run. (As a matter of fact, I will not go so far as to say that B. should change their policy. I don't like the policy.) I expressed my opinions and objections to the policy in public at the meetings that we had on the subject at the time. AND, instead of trying to tell B. how to run things, or try to change B. -- I elected to remove my physical self from fraternization with the individuals who supported such a policy, many of whom are no longer there today. Perhaps it was because I felt that their lack of understanding of homosexuals was "beneath" what I considered to be my more superior understanding -- call me guilty of elitism. Secondly, I tried to make a point that I believe elitism will always exist on planet Earth. Thirdly, I tried to make the point that percentage wise there is neither more nor less elitism today than any other period in Earth's history. And lastly, I tried to make the point that among other things elitism is a behavioral byproduct of people believing that their "ideology" is superior to another; and, as an example, I cited the situation of B.'s policy toward homosexuals attempting to illustrate how difficult it is even for a spiritual group such as B. to avoid elitist behavior. It appears that I have offended you, resulting in your above shouted response to my commentary. I am sorry about that. It was not my intention to offend. My kindest regards and best wishes to you regardless of your opinion of me. As for the B. policy prohibiting homosexuals from being officers in the P. ritual, I will always disagree with that policy. The policy implies that homosexuality is a personality defect. I don't believe that homosexuality is a personality defect, nor a shortcoming of any sort. As for the two individuals to whom you refer, I only knew one of them, and heard about another. From the little that I knew about those individuals, I know that they were working on some personality and behavioral problems not unlike many heterosexuals. In my opinion, it was not fair to blame "homosexuality" for why someone drops out. But, in my opinion, homosexuality was the scapegoat in those two cases. A strong argument could me made that the sponsors failed to qualify the candidates for other issues than the sexual orientation of the candidates. But during the 80's, when I was socially active with B., there was a large and growing percentage of homosexual and lesbian attendance among the congregation. In my humble opinion, many of them were potential candidates for officers in P. Some have become competent community supporters and contributors. Among them, had anyone bothered to notice, would have been found ideal candidates for many reasons, when contrasted with several of the heterosexuals who have since dropped out of P. Unless there has since been some change to B.'s policy, none of those homosexuals would be considered for officers in the P. ritual today. The issue as to whether homosexuals should be banned from "chapter" -- I have no opinion on the matter, since I am not, nor have I ever been, in "chapter." So I don't know what is done there; and I will abstain from opinions about which I know nothing; But, I will comment that I know of one homosexual man who was in chapter. He stayed in the closet. None of those in power at the time knew about his homosexuality, since he was well disguised with a wife and children. My meditations on the matter, which were many years ago, resulted in my belief that the problem is not with homosexuality, but with promiscuity, whether homosexual or heterosexual. The correct use of sexual energy and particularly the polarity of sexual energy seems to have been a major underlying theme in Dr. D.'s approach to the subject. I doubt that neither she nor Doctor Case would have had an abreaction to allowing a celibate, but homosexual, into the P. officer ranks since the discovery of the "gay gene." In addition, I did come to conclude that much of the B. work is not designed for practice by homosexuals, I'm referring to lessons which come to us in the much later years. Much of the contents of those lessons would be a little unusual, or perhaps even difficult for homosexuals, celibates or many without partners. My meditations on the matter have revealed that whether we are gay, bi, or straight, their is a constructive use of sexual energy which we must eventually learn to achieve for whatever orientation we may be involved in any particular incarnation. So, in conclusion, I believe that promiscuous behavior is an erroneous use of sexual energy, contributing to chaos and inertia. Mystery schools have the right to opt to focus their training on the theories that they believe to be more useful and to target their market to heterosexuals. Most of the heterosexuals I have met would be better off trained in the correct use of sexual polarity. I doubt that many homosexuals would be would be turned on by the advanced work in sexual polarity, to say the least. But what it comes down to is what do we want to get out of B.? What is our intention for being there? For me, it was just to try to make sense and understand my universe, since I knew that what I saw around me couldn't be all that there could be. I wasn't expecting to achieve samadhi, walk on water, raise the dead, have power over others, see auras, read cards, or have psychic powers. Looking back, I see now that all I needed was 7 steps along with The Pattern on the Trestleboard, and suddenly my world of chaos and inertia began to take on new meanings and challenges. Modifying my behavioral responses to my environment so that I can reflexively respond constructively in the face of adversity, is my goal. I don't care about reaching any ranks that a magical order doles out after I pass their tests. I don't care if I know which path is up on the Tree of Life. It is all very interesting and I enjoy the study as I do studying any philosophy or psychology. I enjoy the intellectual discipline. So what does our sexual preference have to do with the day to day practical spiritual work? As for being left out of chapter and P. rituals, what it comes down to is that they just don't want "homosexual" energy in their inner rituals. My guess is that is scares them. For those readers of this message who understand the power of these rituals, you may appreciate my point of view. For those who have never experienced group ritual, please withhold your judgment until you've done it. The notion of "serving" means that you go to ritual to give something of yourself. Most people who do this "giving" report that they are "drained" after a ritual. Suffice to say, whatever it is that is "given" doesn't seem to be something that the group wants from homosexuals. That's their prerogative; and, we all have the right to have rituals and invite whom we want. As for B. having a covert policy which bans homosexuals from chapter and holding office on the P. floor, well I'll agree that they should be admonished for not being upfront on that issue. Dr. D. with a heart as big as hers attracted many homosexuals, as did Rev. E. With their transitions, however -- those days are gone. and as the song goes: "I'm by myself...." (grins) C.F. ===== On this topic of elitism and sexual identity the thought occurred to me that the issue of Chapter work or of any powerful intimate ritualistic work, may have to do with two separate issues/criteria. The following are analogous on my part, but seem reasonable to me. Criteria #1: The person has to have a balanced personality. This is obvious. Have you've ever seen what happens to an unbalanced motor when it's revved up to high RPMs? It flies apart! While I think there is little disagreement about the need to achieve a balanced personality BEFORE increasing the energy, there is much disagreement about what kinds of activities and desires contribute to that balance, and which kinds of proclivities, activities and desires contribute to an imbalance. I think that the Tree of Life and the Tarot provide healthy models for how to use the cosmic principles toward the goal of transmuting our personalities, but note that these models show us a series of "Do's", not "Don'ts". It's a positive model, not a negative one. Whether or not sexual identity in and of itself (aside from the cultural implications that have already been discussed) can be a hindrance to achieving this required balance, I have no idea. To answer a question like that would require a much more scientific and detailed understanding of ! ! the construction of the personality and our other subtle vehicles. Ultimately, however, the question must be whether or not the individual's personality is balanced - regardless of "how" it got there, or of what "lessons" the person had to learn along the way. It seems to me that one tell-tale indication of how balanced we are is how we react emotionally to "Problems", "Adversaries", "Insults", "Temptations", and the like. The issue of elitism/sexuality was just such a Devil and I feel that we (individually, and as an online group) were being "TESTED" (K14) in this way. The water being poured on the Lion represents the ego/pride part of ourselves being told that we are not always correct. It's a case of having our personal idols being challenged and doused. It is a test of tolerance in the face of seeming opposition. It's a case of our "personal" truth being drenched. The fire being poured on the Eagle represents the purification of our usage of sexual energy. How much we doth protest when told that our usage of this energy might not be balanced and healthy, and may be in need of some refinement. It's a speculation on my part, but I could not of planned a more effective way to allow everyone in the online group to examine themselves, than in presenting them with a "Problem", allowing them to act/react, and then after the heat of battle has cooled, allow them to see how it was all a test of their emotional reaction to the appearance of some "evil", and of their willingness to be open to truth. Especially if that truth contradicts their own wishes/desires. The willingness to lay aside what we think we know, and what we think we want is crucial to establishing contact with the Inner Teacher (K5), and of being able to discriminate (K6). This is how learning really occurs! In the things we care about, and in the problems that life presents to us. Criteria #2: The person has to be of a vibratory rate and phase/polarity that will mesh with the vibrations of others in the ritual work. For those of you who are familiar with electrical theory, you know that all electromagnetic vibrations have both a wavelength/ frequency and a PHASE. For two or more signals to build upon another constructively without inducing unwanted harmonics, the signals must be both at the same frequency and IN PHASE. If the signals are at the same frequency, but not in phase, then you will get a destructive interference pattern. Now, I admittedly know very little about ritual work, but it seems logical that in such work, you have several people working together raising and interlocking their vibrations together. If someone is unbalanced then their amplified vibrations will throw off unwanted harmonics and affect others negatively. Also, if their vibration is pure, but out of phase (differing polarity), then this too will cause an interference pattern when combined with the vibrations of others. Granted, this is an analogy, but "as above, so below" is the maxim that allows all analogies to work. This second phenomenon may explain why sexual identity may be an issue in intense high energy ritual work. It's not that there's an imbalance, per say, but the differing phases may not combine in a completely constructive way. Of course one could also make the argument that men and women would be differing in phase/polarity themselves, but these opposites may combine (in a positive feedback fashion) in a way to further amplify the vibration. Now if someone had the internal balance, power, and control to be able to control both their vibration and phase/polarity at will, then they could help build and amplify the vibrations of others (via induction) that would be in harmony with the person's own makeup without causing them harm. I hope I've been able to shed some light on the fact that being "balanced" (able to vibrate purely without giving of harmful harmonics), and being "different" (compatible in phase or not with others of the same frequency) are two separate things. Being balanced is definitely a Good thing. Being different is good also, except that in some cases, you may not want to achieve union with someone who's phase when combined with yours, is not constructive. By the way, you could also (by analogy) look at the 36 decans of the Zodiac (36 different types of personalities) as representing different phase relationships. And as A.D. has said, not all personalities mesh harmoniously. JC ===== Joe, you have some very good insights here. Let me throw a couple of opinions your way: JC wrote: "Criteria #1: The person has to have a balanced personality." You got it. Of course, there are degrees of "balanced." One of the major purposes of the first five grades is to stimulate, purify, and equilibrate different aspects of the personality structure, which are then brought into final balance in the threshold stage between the First and Second Orders. So perfect balance at the start isn't required -- isn't even a realistic fantasy! But a high degree of balance is required, yes. Your analogy of revving an unbalanced motor is excellent. I often use the metaphor of wheels out of alignment. Wanna know which way your imbalance goes on wheel alignment? Hit the road, and floor the accelerator! You'll find out immediately. Of course, another theory says that if a person is BASICALLY stable -- is, broadly speaking, in good mental and emotional health and able to adept well to life's circumstances -- then the best way to point out what needs balancing is to rev their engine. In a sense, this is exactly what the sephirothic grades of initiation do. A particular part of the personality is "revved," and the individual stays at that stage long enough to feel the imbalances, confront them, and bring them into balance. Only then does one go on. "Criteria #2: The person has to be of a vibratory rate and phase/polarity that will mesh with the vibrations of others in the ritual work." I agree with you entirely in theory. The question is, how does that theory translate into action. You are exactly right, in principle. But how to we measure and evaluate these different vibrations? What is "impure" (there's that word again)? Etc. The topic that led to this was homosexuality and initiation. A homosexual male, for example, is (a) a being presently incarnated in a male body, who (b) has his most natural and spontaneous sexual attraction toward other beings incarnated in male bodies. GENDER ONLY EXISTS (in the way that we normally consider it) ON THE PHYSICAL PLANE. There is "gender" of a different kind on more subtle planes, but it has little or nothing to do with physical gender. The soul is androgynous. (More accurately, different layers of the nonmaterial aspect of our being have their own respective "genders," sometimes more or less fixed for a given incarnation, and sometimes not.) The only real relationship to physical gender on more subtle planes is when we encounter psychological patternings formed as a result of having been born into a given physical vehicle (body). On the physical plane: Does the fact that a person has either a male or female body determine their suitability for initiation? No, of course not. On the desire level: Does the fact that a person has primary sexual attraction to beings in either male or female bodies determine their suitability for initiation? No, of course not. (For example, both heterosexual men and heterosexual women are generally considered suitable.) On the mental plane is there any difference? Of course not. On the wholly spiritual plane is there any difference? No, gender does not exist, per se, on that plane. "God" is (perceived as) masculine, feminine, or both at any given moment depending on the immediate needs of the soul in question. Joe, you broke this into two phases. I am, for the present discussion, assuming that the issue of "balanced personality" is not a consideration in looking at your #2. That is, we've already dealt with that in #1. So having ruled out fairly unbalanced personalities of all types, we are now looking at the issue of a balanced personality inhabiting a male body and being naturally sexually drawn toward men; or a balanced personality inhabiting a female body and being naturally sexually drawn toward women. Right? It seems to me that, since we've ruled out any significance to physical gender per se, and ruled out any significance to the gender to which one is attracted per se, that the only thing left is -- the combination. Does the COMBINATION that constitutes homosexuality make anyone any less suitable, that's the remaining question. My answer is a resounding No -- but I know that some will disagree with me. The vibrational balance of which you speak is primarily a nonmaterial one. That is, it isn't physical. The real meeting and combining of the various individuals to form a common group mind for the purpose of providing a more able and sophisticated vehicle for the manifestation of Third Order energies DOES tend to occur when people are physically gathered; but it is not their physical aspects that are uniting. (If it were, then the issue of sexual preference would be REALLY significant, don't you think?) No, it is the deeper levels, the levels where one is male or female with greater elasticity (depending on personality bias and balance and flexibility), and even the levels that leave the duality of gender aside. From a functional level it is especially the Yetziratic levels where the uniting occurs to provide the common vehicle, or group mind; and this is the reason that personality health is so important. But by that point, having left physical bodies behind as a consideration, we have lost the reference-points necessary to distinguish homo from hetero. Or such are my reasoned thoughts on the matter. J.E. ===== You make some excellent points. Admittedly, my direct (and theoretical) knowledge of the more subtle planes and vehicles is very sketchy at best, but using the analogy of combining electromagnetic signals (I do have some knowledge here as an electrical engineer), we can make some analogous conclusions. As long as the energy transducer (person) has the tremendous self control that makes him/her capable of properly modulating the amplitude, frequency, and phase/polarity of the vibrating energy, then he/she could mesh his/her vibration with anyone else's and through induction help raise their vibration and help them, or engage in group work to do the same. So ultimately, it's the attainment that counts, not how one got there. With regards to the concepts concerning the existence of gender and polarity on the subtle planes, and how this energy is modified as it flows from one vehicle to another and into our physical vehicle, I don't know enough to really comment other than to again use an analogy to electrical circuitry. As energy flows down from one transducer (vehicle) to another phase shifts do occur due to reactive and/or non-linear elements contained in the circuit. In our bodies, the Chakras have associated with them certain ganglia (nerve clusters) that allow this energy to manifest in our bodies. It seems logical that our desires would definitely have an impact on how this energy phase shifts and radiates out from the subtle vehicles and how it impacts on our body and upon others. So for someone with a different set of desires, their vehicle would probably phase shift the energy differently due to different desire-circuitry. Whether this would present a problem for others bathing in this vibration would depend upon how the two signals interacted. The point I'm trying to make is that all balanced personalities are not the same, otherwise we'd all be clones. There still exists the phenomenon of the interaction of different frequencies and phase relationships. If you have total control over your energies (amplitude, frequency, phase/polarity) then you could impedance match to anyone else and inductively mix your energies with no problem. However for most of us our desires are not yet purified to this degree, and so our desire phase shifting circuitry is not under our self conscious control to the same extent. Therefore our desires do "tinge" our vibrations making them more or less compatible with the vibrations of others. For those of us not "there" yet, the issue of methods and practices are important, for we all incarnate within the context of a particular race, time, and culture for a reason, I feel. And with regards to the sexual energy and the Vital Soul energy, these forces must be brought under the control of humanized subconscious through LOVE - As shown in Tarot Key 8. Only then does the serpent become the staff used to climb the summit of attainment shown in Key 9. The purification of our use of the reproductive energy is shown in Key 14. The flames falling on the Eagle are little fiery Yods (K9). For most of us, these fiery Yods result in the dissolution of what we created with our creative (Imaginative) intelligence (K13). The fire that does not burn, purifies. So what is being purified? That which was not built by Love is dissolved, for once we become human beings, the only reason we should be expressing our reproductive energy is through LOVE. The fire of dissolution is purifying our Love nature, making it white (white rose in K13). So until all our vibrations become pure white, (or we have the control to modulate our vibrations to match others) there will always be the issue of the interaction of "tinged" vibrations and thus of compatibility. Like Ann D. once said, not all personalities mesh harmoniously. ===================================================== C.F. It's obvious from your last few postings that the whole issue of homosexual exclusion from the innermost workings of the B. is a continuing sore spot with you. This issue continues to be very instructional to us all, especially on the apparent paradox of how to be both TOLERANT(K12) and DISCRIMINATING(K6). It is an issue of fairness, and of balancing(K11) Severity and Mercy. From your post you indicate that you were unhappy about the way this exclusion policy was implemented at the time. You wrote: "...the policy was set in stone, and no matter how much we tried to debate, the matter was closed...For many weeks after those meetings, many of us were left with disturbances about those meeting as well as our "leaders." So it seems to me that a big part of the indignation you feel is related to the way the policy was implemented. You obviously feel that this policy was unfair, alienated people and also made the B. leadership appear like they were contradicting their own high standards and principles. This apparent contradiction of values that you saw has now lead you to begin to ridicule the B. leadership (as in the last few postings of yours). It saddens me (and probably many others on this list) to see this kind of divisive friction, but your (emotional/intellectual) reaction to this issue shows us that your state of consciousness here is being stirred up. It could be that you have a strong sense of fairness and of fair play, and that this "apparent" unfairness has presented to you a challenge to your own concepts of TRUTH, while the lack of an adequate explanation has you in the dark, imagining that others are against you, or that this Devil is larger than life. In other words, there is some Devil that you are trying to expose, C.F.. I know that it can be very difficult to keep calm when you see what appears to be some injustice/adversary and you're in the dark as to what principles were used in the policy decision. The Devil is composed of true principles that just happen to be put together in a backward and ridiculous way. And when things look like the Devil, the best thing you can do to put your intellect and emotions in position to find a solution is to have a sense of humor. So a sense of humor and feelings of good-will are your our best tools for facing these problems of appearances. So with feelings of humor and good-will, the way to face the Devil of apparent unfairness/intolerance/bigotry/elitism/hypocrisy is shown by: 11 12 13 11-15-19: Put faith into balanced-poised action(11) to establish love and freedom(19) 13-15-17: Use analysis(13) to reveal the beautiful truth(17). You cannot tear the veil from Isis, Craig, when we've done our homework, she reveals herself to us in periods of calm reflection. 12-15-18: Take the other point of view (12) and remind everyone that regardless of our individual differences (in opinion as well as vibration) we are all accepted and loved as a part of the body(18) of B., and are loved as we tread the undulating path between Art and Nature toward higher knowledge. 14-15-16: Through engaging in life and verifying principles (14) we overthrow false knowledge (16). Put the theory/hypothesis to the test, run experiments, examine data, etc.. The overall goal is (sum of magic square = 45 > 9) Unity. Unity must be kept in mind, otherwise we've failed. JC ===== My friend L.C., commonly says: All ordeals are either ordeals of PERSEVERANCE, or of DISCRIMINATION; and if we knew, in advance, which was being tested, we could always weather the ordeal with ease. We can do EITHER perseverance or discrimination when we know that is what's called for. In life and ordeals, the interpretation of this most often comes down to, "hang in there" vs. "get the hell out." Can anyone else see their common ordeals in these forms? As struggles between these particular choices? J.E. =====
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