Theos-Talk Archives (September 1997 Message tl00113)

>   From a "worldly" point of view, sometimes even with wrong motive, much
>good to our fellow beings can come. For example let us say a
philanthropist
>starts a health care facility to help the needy in the belief that doing
>something like it will get him to heaven after his/her death, even without
>his/her knowledge, the wrong motive may indeed earn him/her good Karma,
>because of the practical help that his act resulted in.

This all depends on exactly what you mean by "helping" others, Doss.
If giving someone good health is "helping" then sure, rules are fine. 
Rules belong in the physical plane, and are needed there so long as
people remain at the low level they currently are. But if "helping"
others implies setting them on the spiritual path or goading them
into some degree of enlightenment, then rules are a hindrance
(because the goal itself is perfect freedom).

Also, I take exception to your premise. HPB and many others have
all pointed out that it is motive and motive alone that is the difference
between white and black actions (magic, karma, whatever). So,
giving help to others with the wrong motive will NOT produce any
good karma. Sorry. But it just won't. Its not so much what we DO
in life (exoteric) as how we ARE in life (esoteric). Bad motives can
cancel out good actions. Good motives can cancel out bad actions.
If we think we did a good thing, we tend to produce good karma
no matter if it was really a bad thing that we did (because good
and bad are always subjective and relative). But karma itself is 
very complex and I am trying to simplify here.

Jerry S.
Member, TI