The Folly Of The Transfigurist

The following is in keeping with the recent theme of gnostic 'foolishness'. ~ g

[QUOTING]

The individual magnetic field of man is one with that of the Earth, so that in more than one sense he finds his center of gravity in this world. He is controlled by the Earth's magnetism; his whole life and strivings, his works and desires, are characterized by this dependence: he is of the earth, earthly.

...it is of no interest to the Transfigurist which economic system is to become the life-system of man now or in the future, which point of view man will take in any field of endeavor in this nature-order, or in which way man colors his mode of life with respect to factors of religion, occultism or humanism; for the Transfigurist is completely dedicated to a total liberation from this field of nature!

One cannot imagine a more radical person than the Transfigurist. The radical natural type strives for some change by force in the economic, social or political arena, i.e., a change on the horizontal level. The Transfigurist, however, wishes to keep entirely away from this horizontal plane by means of a powerful, self-revolutionary intervention within his own being.

Transfigurists are very scarce in this world. When we say this, you will probably point in amazement to the great development of our School with its many pupils. But we must then point out that by far the majority of us cannot as yet be called Transfigurists. To be interested in the developmental plan of the School of the Rosycross and orientate oneself completely as to what the School presents, does not mean to realize fully this working-plan in one's life. You will understand that there is a considerable difference.

People will say to you: 'Transfigurism is a classic form of insanity which appears from time to time in the world's history.' -- 'Transfigurism is extreme absurdity and scientifically impossible.' Or people will assert: 'The only thing one can reasonably hope for is to reach a certain high goal by one form of culture or another.' And people will then refer you to various cultural acquisitions which appear tto completely confirm this statement.

If you do not stand firmly upon both your feet, then you will turn away from the School and, when asked: 'Weren't you also a member?', you will blush with shame and, untruthfully, you will say: 'Not me, where did you get that idea?' Peter's denial is an ever-recurring occurrence with pupils in the forecourt. And yet, Transfigurists, with their signature of folly, are in very good company!

-- Jesus stands before the Sanhedrin, the General Synod of His time. They call him a dangerous fool ... and Jesus is silent.

-- Paul stands before Festus, the governor. He has given an exposition of Transfigurism to the governor. Promptly comes the reaction on the part of the Roman: 'You are raving!' ... and Paul remains silent.

-- Listen to Augustine fulminating against the Manicheans! Hear how he puts them in the most ridiculous light ... but the Manichean brothers keep silent. How could they have said anything without a basis for mutual understanding?

-- And have you read of what the Albigensians (the Cathars) were accused, of their 'extreme and dangerous folly', as it was called? Almost a whole nation was massacred, but the Albigensian brothers themselves ... they were silent.

Transfigurism must, of natural necessity, be an absurdity to all those belonging to this nature-order. The world oozes religious fervor , but the fundamental religion of Liberation is considered an absurdity. This is the signature of dialectics. Think of the famous words of Paul in the first epistle to the Corinthiams:

'For the word of the Cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the cleverness of the clever I will thwart. Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this Age? Has not the Gnosis made foolish the wisdom of this world? For since, in the Wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For the foolishness of the Gnosis is wiser than men'.

So we can conclude that the heresy of Transfigurism is in very good company.

Such a heretic is a fool, a nonsense-talker, one gone astray: he is absorbed in the folly of the Cross; and this foolishness only makes eminent and logical sense, this folly only becomes a majestic power for those able to understand and ready to carry the Cross of Transfiguration. The Transfigurist therefore wastes not a single word on those who stand full of ambition in this nature-order. He will keep silent, without uttering a word in his defense, without a word of compromise or concession.

For this reason our addresses are delivered to those of whom one can assume comprehends the reasonable basis of Gnostic foolishness to some degree. The world offers abundant evidence that it is unable to find 'God in the Wisdom of God' through its formidable worldly wisdom. We therefore disassociate ourselves from the world in order to immerse ourselves in Another Reality, free of all dialectical-philosophical working hypotheses.

From "The Folly Of The Cross" - The Coming New Man - Jan van Rijckenborgh

[END QUOTING]

Amen.

~ g
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