Theos-Talk Archives (August 1999 Message tt00033)

In some ways I am fairly new too the actual membership of the TSA, but in
other ways I have had  intermittent contact with TSA over a period of forty
years. So please excuse my limited background and ignorance. Compared with
other similar organizations, I feel there are some strengths in the TSA
that might be worth focusing on. Openess and willing to hear new ideas
indicate there is potential for growth.

M.K. Ramadoss wrote:

>Is
>there any wonder why the TSA membership is declining for years?

While totally uninformed about the issues raised by Mr, Ramadoss and not
really anxious to fan flames of ill feeling, I feel that discussing the
issue of decline of the TSA is a valid one. The following are a list of
questions that I'm sure most Theosophists have pondered and I would suppose
were discussed at National Convention this summer:

1)  Has the Theosophical Society served its historical purpose many years ago?

2)  What were some of the elements of the origins of the TSA that made it
expand and grow?

3)  How did the decline begin?

4)  What does a decline in membership mean in and of itself?

5)  What goals/projects does the TSA have that can mobilize its energies?

6)  Granting that membership expansion is desirable, how can it be cultivated?

7)  Are the various aspects being developed in the Theosophy movement today
sufficient to attract interest and motivate peoople to join?

8)  What should be the focus of the TSA as an organization?


My own partial answer to the question of the "historical moment" of the TSA
was that it at one time represented a kind of "Middle Man" between the
newly discovered wisdom of the East in India, etc. and the general public.
It was in a position to translate that wisdom and communicate it to the
masses.  Time has since passed and the votaries on the East have now firmly
planted themselves in the Western countries and now speak for themselves...
Buddhist, Hindu temples are in most large population centers and therefore
easily represent themselves.

In a similar way the TSA also sought to interpret the ancient wisdom of the
West to the modern generations. It encouraged scholarship at one time in
the fierld of Gnostic studies and other areas that most scholars ninety
years ago had ignored. The work of GRS Mead would be an example. Today,
Gnostic studies have greatly expanded but still owe much to Mead in my
opinion.

Spiritualism was also an impetus that was a powerful influence ninety years
ago and one could study its influence on the early theosophists.... Today,
1999, the spiritualist movement in America is quite different and altered.

Today, interest in Magic and Neopaganism, seems to be developing
independently on its own ... Persons who are interested in such things
today would probably have been attracted to Theosophy or years ago.

These are just some passing thoughts and I'm sure my fellow Theosophists
would like to express their ideas. - Art Gregory


lgregory@discover.net




















-- THEOSOPHY WORLD -- Theosophical Talk -- theos-talk@theosophy.com

Letters to the Editor, and discussion of theosophical ideas and
teachings. To subscribe or unsubscribe, send a message consisting of
"subscribe" or "unsubscribe" to theos-talk-request@theosophy.com.