Alpheus in New Format (January 2014)
As of January 2014 the main activities of this web site
will be conducted on the Wordpress blog section. The opening
pages and posts are:
Welcome
to the updated Alpheus
Introduction to the changed format and content of Alpheus.
About
Alpheus (Amended)
Revised statement about its intentions.
The
Jaynesian Paradigm and Beyond (Draft)
First article/blog taking Julian Jaynes' definition of consciousness
as an entry point into a reconsideration of esoteric philosophy
and the teachings of Krishnamurti.
Entertaining,
Type-II Error-prone, Axiomatic Skepticism: An Incomplete
Form of Systemic Doubt
A justification of conspiracy theory based on evolutionary
psychology by way of criticizing a problematic skeptical
position. (Released earlier on the 'old' Alpheus).
Added December 2013
Enchanted
Modernities: Theosophy and the arts in the modern world.
Conference, Amsterdam 25-27 September, 2013. Report by L.
Harris.
"The conference was organised by Dr Sarah Turner, Dr
Marco Pasi, Dr Christopher Scheer and Katie Jane Tyreman
of the Enchanted Modernities network (a new research site),
in collaboration with the University of Amsterdam’s
Centre for the History of Hermetic Philosophy and Related
Currents (HHP)".
Entertaining,
Type-II Error-prone, Axiomatic Skepticists:
A Pleasant but Naive Mutation of Skepticism. Review
of: "The Perks of Paranoia" (Video; 2013) by Christopher
Griffin.
Small contribution to the debate between conspiracy theorists
and skeptics based on evolutionary psychology.
Added December 2012
Latest
2012 Prophecy: The End of the New Age is Nigh!
A coldish reflection on a feverish phenomenon.
Added November 2012
Mahatmas
versus Ascended Masters
Article by Pablo D. Sender presenting the differences between
Theosophical concepts of the Masters and those held by Ascended
Master groups. Published in Quest magazine in
Summer 2011.
Letters to the editor by Paula
Kehoe and Govert
Schuller responding to the above article.
Dr.
Schuller and B. de Spinoza
Article by W. Meijer originally published in the Dutch literary
magazine De Navorscher in 1897 about the identity
of the doctor present at Spinoza's death.
Added November 2012
The
Master
A film by Paul Thomas Anderson. Loosely based on the life
of Ron L. Hubbard, founder of Sceintology. Review by the
editor.
Added January 2012
Statement by the editor:
As of 2012 the Theosophical assumptions on which this web
site is based are indefinitely suspended.
A new, more critical position will be developed.
Added June 2011
The
Judge Case. A Conspiracy Which Ruined the Theosophical Cause.
Book by Ernest E. Pelletier. Reviewed by Brett Forray for
Theosophical History. Forray addresses the weaknesses
and biases of this massive study. (Pelletier's
response; editor's
remarks)
Black
Sun: Aryan Cults, Esoteric Nazism and the Politics of Identity.
Book by Nicholas Goodrick-Clarke. Reviewed by Joseph P.
Szimhart for Cultic Studies Journal. "... about
the proliferation of fascist ideology in post-war culture,
especially since 1990. ... weaves in and out of occult beliefs
and myths without falling prey to exaggeration or fascination.
Denouement
of the Prophets’ Cult: The Church Universal and Triumphant
in Decline. Article by Joseph P. Szimhart. Critical
account by ex-member with historical overview, including
the group's roots in Theosophy, the I AM movement, Agni
Yoga and other esoteric organizations.
Theosophy
and Culture: Nicholas Roerich by Anita
Stasulane. Reviewed by Joseph P. Szimhart for Cultic
Studies Journal. "... remarkably even-handed job
delineating essential aspects of the Roerich approach to
theosophy and culture at large."
400
Years of Imaginary Friends: A Journey into the World of
Adepts, Masters, Ascended Masters, and Their Messengers
by Kenneth & Talita Paolini. Reviewed by Joseph
P. Szimhart for Cultic Studies Journal. "...
a well-informed, though critical, ex-member’s view
of Church Universal and Triumphant and related groups."
The
Church Universal and Triumphant: Elizabeth Clare Prophet's
Apocalyptic Movement by Bradley C.Whitsel. Reviewed
by Joseph P. Szimhart for Cultic Studies Journal.
An overall balanced, informative, but also somewhat dry,
academic study. Maybe the best so far.
Lambs
to Slaughter: My Fourteen Years with Elizabeth Clare Prophet
and Church Universal Triumphant by John Joseph Pietrangelo,
Jr. Reviewed by Joseph P. Szimhart for Cultic Studies
Journal. "This is a story about manipulated devotion
and mind control from the perspective of a former true believer.
It is also an intimate look at a prophet-guru during her
formative years as the leader of her own marginal religious
movement."
When
Scholars Know Sin: Alternative Religions and Their Academic
Supporters. Paper by by Stephen A. Kent and Theresa
Krebs addressing the moral and methodological issues involved
when scholars get too close to their subject of study, for
example J. R. Lewis and J. Gordon Melton's study Church
Universal and Triumphant In Scholarly Perspective.
Added April 2011
The
Theosophical Society and Labour and National Movements in
Indonesia, 1913-1918. Article by Herman de Tollenaere.
Short paper on the relationship between Theosophists and
political movements in Indonesia.
The
limits of liberalism and of Theosophy:colonial Indonesia
and the German Weimar republic, 1918-1933. Article by
Herman de Tollenaere "... about parallels and links
to, and differences with, the religio-philosophical tendency
of Theosophy" and political liberalism.
Marx
and Engels on Spiritualism and Theosophy. Article
by Herman de Tollenaere for Theosophical History. Short
paper on how Theosphists and Marxists saw each other.
Added March 2011
Bibliography
of Parapolitical Studies
A collection of academic studies, journalistic investigations,
amateur sleuthings and ideological contributions from conservative,
libertarian, liberal and Marxist writers.
Added February 2011
Jean
Overton Fuller’s Response to Govert Schuller Regarding
the Krishnamurti-Scott-Anrias Issue. Discussing the
possible sources of David Anrias' critique of Krishnamurti.
Originally published in Theosophical History.
Added January 2011
A spirited story
of the psychic and the Colonel : Henry Steel Olcott had
expected to scoff at Madame Blavatsky's séance, but
he stayed on to help found The Theosophical Society
Article by Edward Hower for the Smithsonian.
Review of
E.L. Gardner's booklet No religion higher than truth
in which the controversial case was made that C.W. Leadbeater
was not really clairvoyant, but victim to Kriyashakti,
or the power of imaginary projection.
In Search of 'Shambha-la'
and the Aryan Lamas: The Tibet images of the theosophists,
occultists, Nazis and neo-Nazis
By Dr. Martin Brauen. Chapter from Dreamworld Tibet:
Western Illusions.
Link to: Journal
of Alternative Spiritualities and New Age Studies. Official
journal of the Alternative Spiritualities and New Age Studies
Association (ASANAS),
an "informal network of academics from many disciplines
conducting research."
Bibracte:
Last Center of Celtic Occultism
By Govert Schuller. Short article on Blavatsky's perception
of this Celtic stronghold and the author's own connection
with it.
The
Seven Theosophical Principles: An Initial Experiential Grounding
in Reflective Experience. Small essay by Govert Schuller
using some philosophical concepts to add an experiential
dimension to the seven Theosophical principles.
Added December 2010
Debunking
a New Age Myth-A Call for Discernment
Article by Govert Schuller on Jim Kenney's lecture at The
Theosophical Society on the questionable nature of the 2012
phenomenon.
Added July 2010
Jean
Overton Fuller, Master Narayan, and the Krishnamurti-Scott-Anrias
Issue. Full text of article released on Alpheus
about a relatively unknown but quite important Theosophical
master and his alleged identification by Jean Overton Fuller.
All in the context of the Krishnamurti-Scott-Anrias issue,
which is about two English Theosophists passing on contested
Mahatmic evaluations of the metaphysical status of
Krishnamurti and the esoteric soundness of his teachings.
Academe
and Esotericism: The Problem of Authority. Talk presented
by Richard Smoley at the Association for the Study of Esotericism
at Davis, California in June 2006. The author makes the
case that academicians are unnecessarily reticent in partaking
of experiences enabled by the esoteric tradition. It is
as if, he states, academia is collecting and classifying
all printed works about wine, but never venturing into tasting
it and have a first-hand experience of its many facets.
The State
of the TS (Adyar) in 2008: A Psycho-esoteric Interpretation.
Article by Govert Schuller arguing that Adyar Theosophists
are still suffering from a variation of post-traumatic stress
disorder triggered by the failed world teacher project with
Krishnamurti.
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