A Genealogy of the Extraterrestrial in American Culture
A Genealogy of the Extraterrestrial in American Culture
A Genealogy of the Extraterrestrial in American Culture
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The first was that all world religions were fundamentally <strong>the</strong> same, aris<strong>in</strong>g from a s<strong>in</strong>gle<br />
universal wisdom tradition. The second was that said tradition was ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong>ed by occult adepts<br />
who were human, but through <strong>in</strong>tensive spiritual practice have become all but immortal.<br />
Each successive Initiation carries with it certa<strong>in</strong> def<strong>in</strong>ite obligations, which must be fully<br />
discharged before <strong>the</strong> next step can be taken. The fifth Initiation “perfects” <strong>the</strong> Man,<br />
clos<strong>in</strong>g his human evolution. By that He becomes a liberated Spirit; He has “reached <strong>the</strong><br />
fur<strong>the</strong>r shore.” Some <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se rema<strong>in</strong> on our earth, to watch over and forward human<br />
evolution; o<strong>the</strong>rs depart to fill <strong>the</strong> various <strong>of</strong>fices needed for <strong>the</strong> help<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> our own and<br />
o<strong>the</strong>r planets, and for <strong>the</strong> general guidance <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Solar System. Those we call “Masters”<br />
are among Those who rema<strong>in</strong> on our earth and <strong>the</strong>y form <strong>the</strong> fifth grade <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> White<br />
Bro<strong>the</strong>rhood. 134<br />
These masters held <strong>the</strong>mselves alo<strong>of</strong> from <strong>the</strong> rest <strong>of</strong> humank<strong>in</strong>d, reveal<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong>mselves only to<br />
<strong>the</strong> privileged few. They secluded <strong>the</strong>mselves <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> wilds <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Himalayas, or Egypt, or <strong>the</strong><br />
Middle East or on Venus and Mars, depend<strong>in</strong>g upon whose version <strong>the</strong> aspirant attended to and<br />
which <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> brethren one sought congress with. One latter day and still operative religious<br />
movement boasts contact with a series <strong>of</strong> masters that directly recalls some <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> more popular<br />
spiritualist <strong>in</strong>terlocutors <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> n<strong>in</strong>eteenth century. Elizabeth Clare Prophet’s Church Universal<br />
and Triumphant (itself descended from <strong>the</strong> Great I AM, more on which <strong>in</strong> chapter two) claims<br />
contact with such major religious figures as Jesus, <strong>the</strong> Virg<strong>in</strong> Mary and Buddha as well as<br />
spiritualist stalwarts such as Francis Bacon, K<strong>in</strong>g Arthur and Merl<strong>in</strong>.<br />
The masters, collectively referred to as “The Great White Bro<strong>the</strong>rhood” by Blavatsky,<br />
<strong>in</strong>fluenced worldly events from afar and entered <strong>in</strong>to communication only with those who were<br />
particularly advanced <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir occult studies. The Bro<strong>the</strong>rhood, a conclave <strong>of</strong> “ascended<br />
masters,” consisted <strong>of</strong> entities that resided alternately <strong>in</strong> exotic terrestrial locales (India, Tibet)<br />
and abodes extraterrestrial (Venus <strong>in</strong> particular). The Bro<strong>the</strong>rhood, accord<strong>in</strong>g to <strong>the</strong>osophical<br />
thought, have guided <strong>the</strong> development <strong>of</strong> humanity from <strong>the</strong> time <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> latter’s emergence and<br />
134 Annie Besant, Theosophy (New York: Dodge Publish<strong>in</strong>g, 1912) 70-71.<br />
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