Theos-Talk Archives (February 1998 Message tt00073)

Your very valuable input is very timely and welcome.

Much of the recent discussion on Universal Brotherhood is in relation to
that of TSA -- the organization and its presentation of its mission to the
world. Many of us here have been with TS twice as long as you have been
with TS. When the mission of TS is not properly presented to its members
and those interested in Theosophy, it cannot but produce results not
conducive to the long term growth of the membership as well as the members.

The mission of TS should be presented in very simple clear cut unambiguous
terms that even a child can understand. Theosophy is not meant to be for
the scholarly elite only, it was meant for everyone. Has it reached the
masses? What does the facts say in this regard?

When anyone sees there is a potential or actual confusion as regards the
mission of TS, I think it is the duty of every open minded person to speak
up in the hope that TS will be properly presented to the world and there is
no chance for any misreading or misunderstanding of its mission.

mkr


At 12:39 PM 2/11/1998 -0700, you wrote:
>>From Lorraine Christensen
>
>After 25 years of membership in the T.S. I continue to work as best I
>can for its three objects.  Re: the first object - Universal
>Brotherhood - it is the hardest to live out for certain!   It is my
>opinion that the T.S. does not carry  out brotherhood successfully
>because so many of its members have trouble allowing for unity in
>diversity.  We are not all the same.  Uniformity just won't work.
>Every type of mind and heart needs to be fed.  There must be room for
>the diverse personality and psychological types.  Some are more
>scholarly in their approach, others more devotional/emotional; others
>still are action oriented.  In our diversity, we are attracted to some
>of the TS teachers more than others.  Some prefer HPB above all; others
>gravitate to Judge or Besant; still others to even later TS writers.
>Why can we not respect people for where they are at?  Why cannot we
>show more goodwill and kindness towards each other?  Why cannot we
>focus more on the good instead of spending so much time and energy in
>faultfinding?  Why not be more generous in giving others the benefit of
>the doubt?  Why is there so
>much argumentativeness, one-upmanship and divisiveness?  Is it
>ego?  Strongly opinionated and judgmental people
>can drown out or put down others who may feel differently.  This can
>cause frustration, even
>woundedness and lead to even more divisiveness.  Lets practice more
>charity and respect towards each other in the T.S. - and give each
>other space and room to grow so that each of us can more easily fulfill
>his or her own
>theosophical destiny!  And lets be more positive and constructive in
>our
>dialogues.  Maybe then we can show an example of brotherhood to the
>rest of the world.
>
>Lorraine Christensen
>henningc@quenet.com