39. The Cult of Personality in the Theosophical Movement

Question: “The theosophical movement and the related currents of the time are accused by many sides of a cult of personality. And it must indeed be disturbing for people who love their freedom and independence when teachings are proclaimed by individuals that the listeners and readers cannot examine for themselves, and which many accept on blind faith. Is there not a danger in such facts in movements based on occultism and theosophy?"

Such a danger could only arise from misunderstandings. Those who, on the basis of their own experiences, proclaim higher truths, or who pass on such truths on the basis of the credibility of other witnesses, will never claim what is usually called a cult of personality or blind faith in authority. The better occultists they are, the less they will do so. And when it is said that the listeners or readers cannot immediately verify the things, one should bear in mind that there are also ways and means for those who have not yet reached the stage of seeing for themselves to become more and more convinced of the truth of what is communicated to them. The person who makes the communication, provided that he is really an occultist or 'theosophist in his heart, does not want to work differently than an accountant. He says: I have experienced this or that, or I have been told this or that by those who can know it. A healthy, straightforward mind, a true feeling in the listener will first listen, that is, neither believe blindly nor criticize blindly. The truth is illuminating and enlightening, the false repels and clarifies nothing. The listener or reader says of the truth: Yes, through what is communicated to me I can understand the facts of nature and life; but if what is said were not true, these facts would remain incomprehensible to me. This attitude towards a teaching is also known to the most recognized science; such teachings are called useful working hypotheses. The only difference is that the occultist does not communicate hypotheses, but facts that he has seen for himself. But that does not prevent anyone from accepting these things as useful life hypotheses, as long as they cannot verify them for themselves. And it is certain that anyone who behaves in this way, sincerely and honestly, will sooner or later come to see for themselves. For there is no more fruitful path to higher vision for present-day humanity than to first hear the teachings of those who have already seen, and to accept from them what one can consider reasonable and acceptable. Many would soon declare themselves in favor of the reasonableness and acceptability of the occult teachings if they could cast off the shackles of prejudice and materialistic superstition. But many are completely taken up with the belief in authority and the cult of personality towards their materialistic greats and therefore cannot devote themselves to the messages of the occultists without prejudice. Those who free themselves from this cult of authority will soon see how plausible the teachings of so-called secret science are for the mind and heart. For man is predisposed to truth, not error, through reason, feeling and perception, and only prejudice and bias can stand in his way.

Anyone who does not appeal to the intellect of his listeners or readers, but demands personal cult or blind faith in authority, has not understood the essence of occultism. There is no better way to recognize that someone is an occultist than by demanding such blind faith or personal recognition. He is then not an occultist, but a vain fool. If you get to the bottom of the truth, you will always find that – apart from a few who have yet to work their way through to the right path – those who complain the most about personality cults are those who feel that their own person is not given enough worship. But they should look into themselves a little and not want to rob anyone of one of the most beautiful feelings, which consists in the veneration of those who make the truth accessible to one. This feeling is a personal matter for each individual, and the malicious voices of vain critics should not be allowed to interfere with it. Those who themselves have a grateful mind and show respect and love for their spiritual helpers will never be able to condemn these feelings in others. Let everyone begin by criticizing themselves first, and by working to spread the truth, and they will best serve others.

A further question is then asked: To what extent does justified criticism of the deplorable state of our social life harmonize with the abstention from judgment so often emphasized by occultists and theosophists? That this genuine criticism is not excluded by the occultist demand will be shown in detail in the next section. Unfortunately, there is no more space left to answer this question.