Theos-Talk Archives (April 2002 Message tt00033)

Hi Bart. Please read between the lines below.

----- Original Message -----
From: "bml07646" <bartl@sprynet.com>
To: <theos-talk@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Wednesday, April 03, 2002 12:57 PM
Subject: Theos-World Re: Brigitte


> --- In theos-talk@y..., "Bill Meredith" <bilmer@s...> wrote:
> > Has anyone ever been banned from theos-l? I've only been on it a
> couple of
> > years, but their doesn't seem to be a moderator (list owner) who
makes
> > decisions about what's "best for the list."
> >
> > I hope that one might, in calculating what is "best for the list,"
> give
> > some weight to what is best for Brigitte.
>
> OK, let's, in a wider, theosophical point of view. What somebody
wants is not necessarily what's best for that person.

I also think this may apply to people who think they want to be rid of
Brigitte. Being rid of Brigitte may not be "what's best for that person."
However for me or you or a moderator (list owner) to decide what's best for
another is a grave undertaking. If we should decide that being rid of
Brigitte is best for us, well that is a different matter which we can easily
attain by liberal use of the delete key and kill-file routine.



For example, if
> somebody is an alcoholic, is giving them liquor what is best for them?

No, but neither is banning them necessarily the correct response. Patience,
understanding, concern, and love are essential qualities in dealing with an
alcoholic. I know this from first hand experience.

> If somebody is addicted to making others upset or angry, for the sole
> purpose of making them upset or angry, is it in their best
> interests to them a forum?

Well, if the forum were one that intruded into our private right to be rid
of such people, I would agree. Theos-talk is a voluntary forum where each
individual can discriminate for themselves to a degree necessary to achieve
inner peace --- Unless inner peace can only be achieved by throwing
someone else off the list, which I contend is a serious act reflecting and
unsatisfied need for retribution and or revenge.

> If there is a discussion, and there is a
> person dedicated to driving everybody out until they are the only ones
> left, is it in their best interests to allow them to do so?

These are your opinions of Brigitte's motives and I can see how you arrived
at them. However one might also conclude (form an opinion) after reading
the mail for a couple of years that there are others on theos-talk who are
equally dedicated (in their own way) to driving every other opinion out
until all that is left is their own understanding.

Is it in their best interest to allow them to do so?


Bart, I have respect for your position. Being rid of Brigitte was right for
you. Having you or Eldon decide that being rid of Brigitte was also right
for me and Mauri and Jerry S. and Paul and on the flip side, Daniel (who
claimed he was learning from her posts), Dallas, (who was disgusted with her
postings, yet continued to read them), and others who have voiced an opinion
one way or the other seems questionable.

The 'Brigitte' decision has been made on theos-talk as it was on
UniversalSeekers by a moderator who was not representing the view of all the
participants on those lists and possibly not even the majority.

When a small, but vocal minority, uses back channel communications to
organize an action that affects everyone, theosophically, we are still in
the latter part of the 1800's.

regards,

Bill



> Bart Lidofsky
>
>
>
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
>
>