Theos-Talk Archives (February 2005 Message tt00586)

Frank,
At lodge level much depends on what local officers do. Their 
behaviour does not reflect policy of the Theosophical Society. My 
experience is members enjoy lot of freedom. It is practically 
impossible to control what others should read or in whom they should 
believe.
Anand Gholap

--- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com, "Frank Reitemeyer" 
<ringding777@t...> wrote:
> 
> But there are people who take freedom of speech in 
> theosophical groups, hinder free thoughts by 
> giving wrong advises or recommend wrong books.
> For example in the mid 1980's the whole Berlin 
> Surya Lodge of the Adyar TS of over thirthy long 
> term members canceled collectively their 
> membership and entered a undogmatic Point Loma 
> oriented TS.
> They were not giving the freedom to keep loyal to 
> HPB and never had the luck to experience the paper 
> freedom of Anand in real life.
> Frank
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Cass Silva" <silva_cass@y...>
> To: <theos-talk@yahoogroups.com>
> Sent: Sunday, February 20, 2005 4:57 AM
> Subject: Re: Theos-World Freedom of Thought 
> (AnandGholap.net - Online Theosophy)
> 
> 
> 
> Really guys, no one can take freedom of thought 
> from anyone. We will think what we want to 
> regardless of whether we are reading wisdom or 
> rubbish. Spending too much time outside looking 
> for Guru instead of searching within.
> Cass
> 
> Frank Reitemeyer <ringding777@t...> wrote:
> 
> 
> The constitution of the former Communistic German
> Democratic Republic (which was neiterh German,
> democratic nor a republic) sounded very similar.
> The liberated workings class has had all kinds of
> freedom of speech, travel, human rights etc. etc.
> Moral of the story seems to be that either the GDR
> was the first Theosophcial state or in Adyar rules
> the working class!
> 
> Or do they mean by freedom the same freedom which
> with George Bush threats the world to free them
> from their possessions?
> 
> Or is it just what HPB used to call cant in the
> way of the "German philosopher" Carlyle?
> Frank
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Anand Gholap"
> To:
> Sent: Friday, February 18, 2005 2:52 PM
> Subject: Theos-World Freedom of Thought
> (AnandGholap.net - Online Theosophy)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I find that many members need to understand what
> exactly freedom of
> thought means in the TS. Here is official
> declaration of the
> Theosophical Society
> 
> Freedom of Thought
> 
> As the Theosophical Society has spread far and
> wide over the world,
> and as members of all religions have become
> members of it without
> surrendering the special dogmas, teachings and
> beliefs of their
> respective faiths, it is thought desirable to
> emphasize the fact that
> there is no doctrine, no opinion, by whomsoever
> taught or held, that
> is in any way binding on any member of the
> Society, none which any
> member is not free to accept or reject. Approval
> of its three objects
> is the sole condition of membership. No teacher,
> or writer, from H.P.
> Blavatsky onwards, has any authority to impose his
> or her teachings
> or opinions on members. Every member has an equal
> right to follow any
> school of thought, but has no right to force the
> choice on any other.
> Neither a candidate for any office nor any voter
> can be rendered
> ineligible to stand or to vote, because of any
> opinion held, or
> because of membership in any school of thought.
> Opinions or beliefs
> neither bestow privileges nor inflict penalties.
> The Members of the
> General Council earnestly request every member of
> the Theosophical
> Society to maintain, defend and act upon these
> fundamental principles
> of the Society, and also fearlessly to exercise
> the right of liberty
> of thought and of expression thereof, within the
> limits of courtesy
> and consideration for others.
> 
> Anand Gholap
> 
> 
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