Theos-Talk Archives (May 2005 Message tt00319)

"Should an "ideal", non-dogmatic, all-inclusive
Theosophical Society study and "promote" all
these books? "

Dogma and fundamentalism happen due to two main reasons. One is when 
books are not written properly by author. Here in our case HPB did 
not write properly so it became dogma. 
Second reason of fundamentalism is promotion of only one or two 
authors by organizations and individuals like Daniel and Dallas. This 
is big mistake made by ULT also. ULT officially declares HPB as 
authority. It is a classic recipe for dogma. 
Although Adyar TS knows AB, CWL wrote best, they would never declare 
anybody as authority. See "freedom of thought" declaration. Another 
things is AB and CWL wrote in such a way that chances of becoming 
dogma of their writing are very low. They were popular writers but 
readers of them did not become fundamentalists.
Adyar TS prints books of fifty authors. So dogma, fundamentalism does 
not happen in many lodges. But in America there is Point Loma and ULT 
and independent workers on web like Daniel and Dallas who promote one 
or two authors and whole theosophical movement in America suffers due 
to that.
Anand Gholap

--- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com, "Daniel H. Caldwell" 
<danielhcaldwell@y...> wrote:
> Should an "ideal", non-dogmatic, all-inclusive
> Theosophical Society study and "promote" all
> these books?
> 
> Books by Blavatsky, Sinnett, Judge, Besant,
> Leadbeater, Tingley, G. de Purucker, Olcott,
> Bailey, La Due, Ballard, Roerich,
> Prophet, Chaney, Steiner, Hodson, King, Crosbie,
> Wadia, Scott, Heindel, Innocente, Shearer, and
> other "Theosophical" writers.
> 
> As well as books by various yogis, lamas,
> metaphysicans, sufis, spirtualists, psychical reseachers,
> kabalists, etc. etc. etc. etc.
> 
> I believe that almost all the above named individuals
> have claimed contact with the "Masters" and all
> their books could broadly be called "theosophical".
> 
> Who is to say what and what is not Theosophy or
> Theosophical?
> 
> And who is to say what or what is not to be studied
> and promoted in a Theosophical Society or group?
> 
> The three major Theosophical organizations (TS Adyar,
> TS Pasadena and ULT) all feature, study and promote only
> certain authors.
> 
> Therefore are these three groups being "dogmatic" or in fact
> promoting a "fundamentalistic" version of Theosophy by in
> fact "limiting" which authors are promoted/studied???
> 
> Hopefully some food for thought...
> 
> Daniel
> http://hpb.cc