Theos-Talk Archives (August 2001 Message tt00014)

I think with the increased use of Internet, a day will come when those
interested in theosophy will come to theosophy via Internet not via one of the
organizations. And over a period of time the walls between organizations becomes
insignificant except for those who have an axe to grind either exoterically or
esoterically.

Frank Reitemeyer wrote:

> Doss:
> On the other hand, if an organization is an association of people with a
> common interest, then there is no requirement for any formal legal
> organizational setup and it may be impossible to get any information about
> it or from it.
>
> The above is the situation with all organizations including theosophical
> ones.
>
> Frank:
> All well said: "if an organization is an association of people with a common
> interest" - but that counts surely not for the Theosophists. The most hate
> and quarrel in life I found in theosophical circles and the fact that
> someone enters a theosophical groups makes him not a Theosophists. It shows
> only the he/she/it is just INTERESTED in it, but that does not mean that
> he/he/it has understood it, even after some decades or lifes. I hardly met
> ever three "Theosophists" which even would agree in the definition what
> Theosophy is, even from the same lineage - not to think of other lineages.
> In fact, the way Theosophy is interpreted in the Adyar lineage is not
> understood by ULT - and reverse. Or what ULT interprets is not understood by
> Pasadena-ists and reverse etc. etc. etc.
> Perhaps it is because that each of these schools is either downwards or
> upwards compatible to each other with the result that a higher school can
> understand what a lower school says but not reverse.
> Perhaps scholars should find out if and how the today four main lineages are
> relating to each other:
>
> 1. Point Loma
> 2. Adyar
> 3. Pasadena
> 4. ULT
>
> A clear view on this could lead to a better understanding and could help to
> try to cooperate. But unless each lineage is not aware what the other
> lineage means in using the same words or which doctrines are accepted and
> which not - there can be no progress in the whole theosophical movement, no
> real understanding (I mean not just emotionalism) if we play further on
> ostrich. It's time for tabula rasa.
> Purucker was around 1940 of the opinion that for a long time to come the
> theosophical movement would not be able to understand the other lineage and
> cooperate. But this is 60 years back, perhaps we have today a little bit
> more cleverness.