Theos-Talk Archives (April 2001 Message tt00120)

At 07:40 PM 4/21/01 -0700, you wrote:
> I was hoping that since you made the suggestion, you might have some ideas.
> Personally, I expect a candidate to talk about their abilities and the kind
> of changes they would make to improve matters. From what I have heard so
> far, I would surmise that our sole candidate doesn't believe that there is
> any need for improvement.
We have not heard anything about the future - either at national or 
international level from the candidate as well as current office holders. 
(If anyone has any info, they are welcome to post it. It they are afraid of 
posting, they can always post it under a pseudonym.)

Also what is notable is that the General Council, which consists of the 
national leaders and some appointed members is supposed to be the 
international level representation of the democratic set up of TS, meets 
every year and nothing comes out of what was deliberated especially what 
the collective thinking of the current status of TS worldwide as well as 
where TS is heading.

As an anecdote, in the early days of TS, from what I understand, there was 
a representative or contact person from each *lodge*/*branch* so that the 
*lodge*/*branch* was kept informed of the going ons in the GC. (This was 
during HPB/HSO/WQJ days.)

It was later discountinued, I presume during Annie Besant's time and 
perhaps it was during her time that the lack of communication of the going 
ons of the GC to the membership was started and seems to have continued. 
Organizationally may be it was found expedient to do so. No one seems to 
have raised this issue over the years or perhaps when it was raised was 
simply ignored. Also to understand the circumstances under which this 
important change in the policy seems to have been implemented, one needs to 
keep two factors in mind: (1) Annie Besant was a very charismatic leader 
and membership trusted her a lot and (2) she herself once claimed that most 
of the membership of the GC were members of ES of which she was the head. 
So one can come to the possibility that she felt there was no need for 
*ordinary* lay members to know about the going ons in the GC. Perhaps this 
thinking continues to this day and all the national leaders seem to 
actively supporting this policy all these years. (But for the Internet no 
one will know about these issues being on the minds of some members.)

> Ramadoss mentioned earlier that he will probably give the .34 postage to the
> needy. Sounds good. Then the thought occurred--what would happen if Radha
> received more "noes" than votes in her favor?
>
> jhe
A very interesting question

mkr

> > How would one go about asking those involved in selecting the proposed
> > president to make a formally agreed and mutually approved public statement
> > clarifying the matter ?
> >
> > John Lester
> >