Theos-Talk Archives (February 1998 Message tt00358)

Jerry is a long time theosophist (by his own admission) and he is a second
example concerning the issue of control being used by Wheaton. The more
years you are actively involved in the inner and outer workings of the
T.S., the more you become familiar with the need for "control" in our
organization.

Our organization needs to be held in tight control because there are
heavily invested funds and hours upon hours of people's time. The officers
ALL seem to feel that part of their responsibility is to keep the
organization within written bounds of action. If there is influence that
dares to exist outside of those written bounds, then we change the writings
(the bylaws) in order to attempt to incorporate ALL activity.

Likewise, Jerry feels a need to control any realm of historical research
because most of the members are not strictly historical, but like to dabble
in it. Well, in David he sees a potential ally and so is very warm and
extensive in his interchange. What appears to be him "put off" is in
reality a reaching out to embrace!

Well, Jerry, we want to embrace David, too. We, novices, want to keep him
with our group, but alas, he is destined to be made professionally a PhD
and so is more appropriately fitted to the heavy researchers. Too bad!
David, we like you, too. Jerry can't scare us, because he knows not to even
bother. It's a waste of time really because we'll never amount to anything
beneficial to historians. However, there is something positive to be said
about everyone, and while some theosophists are only here for a year or two
and therefore are rather fly-by-night theosophists, and some of us prefer
to study without special interests (like PhD's develop), we can all still
contribute in worthwhile manners.

Control is a very important issue to me as well as to the two examples we
have here on our discussion list. You probably can't tell because it isn't
written down somewhere and it isn't shouted out.

Those New Acropolis theosophists could have become humble and even "liked"
their parent organization for enacting new rules in their honor. Why be
insulted and feel mistreated? Those members were taken to special task in
their membership (which was developing "special") and so to be equated and
likened to the other members needed to accomplish additional measures of
their allegiance. I think it is fascinating. What would you people choose
to do if you could put yourself in the place of Mr. and Mrs. Livraga? They
certainly were attracting members and so in my mind were accomplishing
great things. I would love to be like them in that sense. It is no easy
task to attract new members and that just makes me oooh and aaah.

I'm also very glad to see people responsive to the issue of control. How do
others of us intend to give "control" the emphasis it deserves. Certainly
we cannot let the control of our funds and hours fall into hands that are
inexperienced and unconcerned for those silent, long-time members who
deserve to be 1) known, 2) encouraged, 3) respected 4) loved 5) listened
to, and perhaps through our years we could even carry more weight
(unwrittenly) than those who are new and just beginning with the material
we have open to our study.

Brenda