Theos-Talk Archives (March 1999 Message tt00111)

At 12:07 AM 3/13/1999 -0000, Peter Merriott wrote: 
>>>>
> Hi Jerry and Frank
>   
> Jerry: I agree with Frank that we do have a duty to speak up and speak out in defence of HPB and her Teachers.  I don't believe they did have a 'turn the other cheek' policy in this respect.  HPB put herself on the line over and over again in defence of the truth and the Mahatmas. And the latter also encouraged other people to speak out as well.  As I understand it  HPB stated it was our duty to speak out *and* to have compassion.  The latter being a quality you have encouraged just recently.  I wonder if the middle way is to intergrate the two?
 
You are right. I think we need to speak out when anyone is falsely accused or when we feel something is false or even when we something worthwhile could be said which may help anyone.

When I read the various articles HPB wrote in the early days, she took full advantage of the communication medium of the day -- printed publications to espouse Theosophy and criticize erroneous "facts" and beliefs with such vigor and force. Only she could do so. I think such publications actually stirred up interest in Theosophy and related matters and much of early growth could be ascribed to it.

Looking at what the situation today is. While it may look like criticism, the fact is we have these free  maillists which discuss matters relating to TS. I have never seen any of the elected International and National leaders participating in any of them. While they and their supporters can give you a thousand reasons why they do not participate, it is my humble view, that if HPB were to be alive today, you will see her powerful responses splashed all over the maillists. 

While we all have to work on ourselves and make use of theosophical principles in our daily life, I think that an energetic TS organization may do a lot of good in popularizing theosophy. If the Founders felt that there is no need for an organization, HPB would have stayed in NY and wrote and just published the books and would have saved a lot of trouble in travelling around the world.

mkr


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