From: gpalo@digi.lonestar.org (Gerry Palo)
Newsgroups: talk.religion.misc
Subject: Re: Where are those Fundamentalist mystics (Re: The Barry Truth)
Date: 5 Nov 92 18:50:47 GMT
Organization: DSC Communications Corp, Plano, TX

davidh@cascade.ens.tek.com  David Hatcher writes:

>  In my understanding, a person can not honestly and truly live life
>in the spirit and not be a mystic. Yet one is very hard pressed to
>find Fundamentalist who are mystics. It is my feeling that the
>Fundamentalist lives a life that is leaning way too far towards the
>tangible word at the expense of living the inner spiritual life of 
>spiritually turning towards God. From what I've been able to see, by 
>their examples and teachings, or fruit, the knowledge that comes from 
>the deeper spiritual aspects of actually turning ones Body, Soul and 
>Mind towards God are just not there as much as one might expect from 
>mystics or people who really were living in the spirit.

A fundamentalist who was a mystic might, as part of the discipline of 
fundamentalism, keep it to himself and let what he had become speak 
to others through his character.  The true mystic or initiate must 
take care never to intrude upon the freedom of anyone, especially 
those he would help.

Yes, you are are right that fundamentalists do live a life too close 
to the tangible material world, and they often drag down the spiritual
too much into material concepts.  But you could look at it in 
another light: Without fundamentalism, many who are tightly bound
to matter would have no recourse to the spirit at all.  I think
that one reason why fundamentalism rejects mysticism is precisely 
because a person so heavily bound to the material senses would do
great harm to himself by following the mystical path.  Different
paths for different floks with different destinies.

Not all mystics find the way to true spirituality.  The mystic,
by plunging into his inner being, submits himself to all kinds
of temptations and illusions.  Only a very strong inner discipline
of the kind that is next to impossible in modern life can keep
him from being overwhelmed or lured into a false experience of bliss.
That is why the Christian mystics in the monastaries of the middle 
ages and renaissance had such strenuously disciplined  rules. 
Without this discipline, and sometimes with it, many a mystic 
has lost his life - and perhaps his soul. Nietzsche is only one 
public example. 

Fundamentalism can provide the spiritual fulfilment of mysticism
precisely because its content is the exoteric revelation of the
Deed of Christ on Golgotha and everything surrounding it. Rudolf
Steiner in his "Christianity as Mystical Fact" describes how in the
Christ Jesus the ancient mystery experiences that were previously 
induced only in the mystery schools for a chosen and disciplined
few were fulfilled as fact on the plane of history for all the
world to see.  The death and resurrection of Christ, which he
called the Mystery of Golgotha, was the actual realization or
fulfilment in spiritual-material reality of what was emulated,
so to speak in the mysteries.  Two things happened thereby.  One 
is that the mysteries themselves, and the mystical experience,
became transformed.  The other is that it now became possible for
ordinary people by faith alone to take the content of the
mysteries into their lives, without having to got through the
schooling of the mystery centers.  This content is soul healing,
spirit transforming, and life restoring.  

Fundamentalism does not encourage and tends to ddiscourage the
paths of mystical inner development.  But because the live and
work with the Bible, especially the Gospels, daily, its content
has a spiritually transforming and redeeming effect on the indi-
vidiual in spite of the dogmatic constraints around it.  In
other words, a true fundamentalist eats and drinks the mystery
wisdom of the Gospels, and especially about the Mystery of 
Golgotha (which Paul calls "the cross").  The discipline of
fundamentalism focuses ones life and attention on the purest
revelation of the mysteries and thereby protects one against the
onesidedness that too easily can overcome even the strongest
mystic.

I have known many fundamentalists, especially older people, who
were radiant transformed human beings.  They drew one to you just
by their presence.  It was not necessary to discuss doctrine with
them, though often one could learn a great deal that one did not
know before.

However, there is another path to direct spiritual knowledge that
avoids the pitfalls and dangers of mysticism practiced in the modern
world without benefit of the discipline of the monestaries.  This
is what is called (Christian) occultism. This is *not* the occultism
that you read about in New Age books, and which Christians are
rightly alarmed about.  Occultism in Steiner's meaning is the opposite
of mysticism in that, whereas the mystic plunges down into the inner
depths of his soul (and thereby encounters all the hidden beasts
and illusions down there), the occultist works upward, so to speak,
by the schooling and transformation of the senses and of thinking.
The stage by stage development along this path is described in several
places, especially in his "Knowledge of the Higher Worlds and its
Attainment."  This path of development does not conflict with
Christian principles, because it does not call for submission to
either unknown powers or to a personal guru.  Indeed, I believe
that it is precisely the gift of grace of Christ that makes it possible
for human beings who so choose to take this path to higher knowledge.

The mystical path is still possible, but it is very difficult.  One
problem is that it is an extremely subjective experience.  Not only
the beastly things but also the sublime visions can be illusory.
Again, this is why the old externally imposed discipline was 
necessary.  The new path of occultism is built up on a foundation
of objectivity and allows the individual to attain to real experien-
tial knowledge of the spirit without losing either his balance in the
world or abandon his relationships and responsibilities to other
people.

Sincerely,
Gerry Palo
e-mail -> 73237.2006@compuserve.com
Newsgroups: talk.religion.misc