Suzanne E. Hassanein – Canada

In part one Suzanne, among other things, mentioned a number of children’s movies that were influenced by the occult and spirituality. In part two she gives us an overview of some well known adult movies. Part three will be published in the October issue of Theosophy Forward.

Part Two.

Adult Movies Incorporating Occult and Spiritual Ideas

Ghost: This film is about a dead person’s attempt to contact his wife in order to help solve his murder. A medium is used, mayhem results, a murderer is discovered, and the case is solved. The story is interesting and believable. A Buddhist friend stated that some monks in Tibet have said that the film accurately depicts the dark energies that come for the soul because of evil behaviour. The film’s violence is not appealing, but that is the way movies are often made.

Suzanne E. Hassanein — Canada

Suzanne is the President of the Canadian Theosophical Association. She lives in Beaconsfield - Quebec,  and has been a member of the TS since 1981.

Part One.

Being aware of outside forces working in the world of technological wonders and innovations—and with more to come, I am sure—we have been bombarded with new ideas coming in through unusual movies. Hardly advertised, these movies show a new way of dealing with issues of occultism, magic, and psychological or spiritual dramas. But often they are more about moral lessons. I can list only some of such films that I have observed.

Warwick Keys – New Zealand

Warwick is the National President of the Section in New Zealand and has been involved with Theosophy all his life. He lives in Auckland, and his wife Pamela is editor of their successful  magazine TheoSophia.

Mahatma Gandhi said, “Healthy discontent is the prelude to progress.” His words should be carefully noted. For in them is the germ of what is starting to take place in the Theosophical Society. There is a discontent and that discontent is on the whole healthy. It is not necessarily destructive. It is not anti. It is constructive and positive. And yes, it is the prelude to progress. Who better than Gandhi to point the way?

Lício Correio – Portugal

Lício is the General Secretary of Portugal. He has been a member of the TS since 1934 and lives in Porto.

We are all going through a deep crisis of change, in which reason and science themselves are sometimes called into question because of a feeling of disenchantment stemming from an unbalanced technological and material culture, rooted in a frenetic individualism and consumerism.

The fact that the values of tolerance and altruism – powerful grounds for genuine fraternity – are dwarfed by all this provides a fine opportunity for reflection.

Altruism and tolerance are precisely the values that are most needed to deal with today’s material asymmetries and inequalities. Every two seconds an innocent child perishes with hunger, yet both rich and poor countries are investing heavily in arms sales.