Theos-Talk Archives (August 2005 Message tt00174)

Saturday, August 20, 2005

Dear Perry:

Re:	Freedom and truth in the society, more thoughts

You write in part:

"My main concern as I've probably written here ad nauseum to some perhaps is
that the publications of the society need to be more open in its columns to
critical essays.

My attitude towards the TS is that with all its problems and issues I still
feel it is a source of great good, and support its existence even if I have
made criticisms of it."

I am of the opinion that this is everyone's concern.

UNIVERSAL BROTHERHOOD demands complete openness and a freedom to examine
everything "without walls."

The THEOSOPHICAL SOCIETY is one thing and the Esoteric Section is another.  

If you and members study The KEY TO THEOSOPHY, HPB speaks directly to them
of them of these things and makes them quite clear.

It remains for all the individual members to practice, use and obey those
principles which, as you will see, are in effect a re-declaration of the
universal franchise to live and choose to be compassionate and altruistic in
every way.

This can only be done individually, as no joining of any organized body
gives anyone a free ticket to "Paradise."

No one, nor does there exist any organization (other than the Universal
supportive rules of Life provided by Nature) that is truly universal and
impersonal, to oversee or react to such decisions that are all self-made by
every individual in the vast complexity of any world or of the Galaxy as a
whole.

No officer of the THEOSOPHICAL SOCIETY dares to interfere between the
members or decide unless there is direct evidence of gossip and slander that
one ought to be sent away from that Membership.

Members ought to be well acquainted with the History of the THEOSOPHICAL
SOCIETY, and profoundly familiar with the ETHICS that THEOSOPHY teaches.
The two do not coincide. The Society is composed of volunteers who desire to
help each other in their individual studies of Nature in her many aspects.
That is what the OBJECTS of the T S state.  

Universal BROTHERHOOD affirms that one is aware of the immortality of the
Monads, be they grains of sand, atoms of gas, the "black matter" of space,
the animating center of a blade of grass, an insect, an animal, or a human
physical body. We are invited in THEOSOPHY to consider the animating
principle of each, and shown that the structure of the Universe provides for
progressive grades of intelligence.

Essentially, the ONE SPIRIT, (or CONSCIOUSNESS and PERCEPTION) having split
itself into every part of boundless SPACE, pervades, and is in fact the
highest principle or aspect of each.  

It is this spirit or ATMA, united to every other seemingly different form
that is the basis of Unity. It is the ATMA-BUDDHI (or Spirit / matter Unit
-- is it the minute "string" of String Theory ?) also called the MONAD .

Members need only compare what HPB wrote (many have been scared away from
consulting her foundational writings) with the illogical and non-consecutive
writings of Annie Besant and CWL. For them a kind of 'hero-worship' has
evolved.  

Why has HPB, the MESSENGER, been so carefully excluded ? You and others
won't know until you and they study, learn, and then decide whether they
want THEOSOPHY or some pale and inaccurate substitute.  

Individual thinking and courage of using one's ability to be logical is
essential.
If you read The KEY TO THEOSOPHY you will see HPB strongly recommend this.

Do the meetings of the THEOSOPHICAL SOCIETY Branch or Lodge occur
regularly? Are they organized study classes in basic THEOSOPHY ? 

All personal feelings of confrontation disappear if members will study
PRINCIPLES and as HPB offers them: Key, p. 233 :


"ENQUIRER. How, then, should Theosophical principles be applied so
that social co-operation may be promoted and true efforts for social
amelioration be carried on? 
 
THEOSOPHIST. Let me briefly remind you what these principles are --
universal Unity and Causation; Human Solidarity; the Law of Karma;
Re-incarnation. These are the four links of the golden chain which should
bind humanity into one family, one universal Brotherhood. "


A pivotal idea to hold always in our minds is that we, the eternal Monads,
are "Eternal Pilgrims." Our pilgrimage started with the initial
out-breathing of LIFE. For us, humans, it has reached the Mind-stage. Now
the difficult task of self-education begins, as we learn to discern the
facts of soul-evolution from the myths and amusement seeking fancies of
Paradise and Nirvana-seekers. 

In each of us the resident ATMA, BUDDHI and MANAS (the immortal component of
each of us) reincarnates under the law of balance and compensation called
"Karma" until we reach the goal: PERFECTION of all WISDOM.

The ONE ABSOLUTE always IS -- as a concept of universal stability -- IT is
all things and contains all things.  

It is not to be measured as it is SPACE illimitable.  

It is not to be said it commences and then dies, for IT is incommensurable
DURATION.

It neither grows nor loses anything for it is perpetual MOTION. [The
life-atoms are Units in perpetual motion -- as the atoms and "strings" of
Science are posited.]

>From ITS "CONSCIOUSNESS" spring all aspects of INTELLIGENCE. Every MONAD is
linked to the rest. The threads of communication are on planes we are yet to
become aware of. The Universal Mind is its first radiation and that finds
itself distributed in every Monad where it forms the basis for its
individuality. 

In every human, the Mind is alone capable of embracing the minute of detail
and infinitude of rule and order -- that make for the cohesion and
brotherhood of every aspect of the diverse Universe. From diversity and
discord it continually inspires in wisdom-seeking minds a perception of the
actual existing and living harmony and symphony of continual interaction,
tolerance and cooperation.


That is THEOSOPHY and the THEOSOPHICAL SOCIETY was organized to provide a
haven for seeking, and questing minds. It was never designed to organize or
to channel individual freedom.

Best wishes,

Dallas

PS  

Consider this declaration, made by an ancient Bodhisattva in the form of an
eternal Pledge:

Never will I seek nor receive private individual salvation;
Never will I enter into final peace alone;
But forever, and everywhere, will I live and strive 
For the redemption of every creature throughout the world.
Kwan-Yin

---------------------------------

A MODERN DECLARATION 

The policy of this Lodge is independent devotion to the cause of Theosophy,
without professing attachment to any Theosophical organization. It is loyal
to the great Founders of the Theosophical Movement, but does not concern
itself with dissensions or differences of individual opinion. 

The work it has on hand and the end it keeps in view are too absorbing and
too lofty to leave it the time or inclination to take part in side issues.
That work and that end is the dissemination of the Fundamental Principles of
the Philosophy of Theosophy, and the exemplification in practice of those
principles, through a truer realization of the SELF; a profounder conviction
of Universal Brotherhood. 

It holds that the unassailable basis for union among Theosophists, wherever
and however situated, is "similarity of aim, purpose and teaching," and
therefore has neither Constitution, By-Laws nor Officers, the sole bond
between its Associates being that basis. And it aims to disseminate this
idea among Theosophists in the furtherance of Unity. 

It regards as Theosophists all who are engaged in the true service of
Humanity, without distinction of race, creed, sex, condition or
organization, and 

It welcomes to its Association all those who are in accord with its declared
purposes and who desire to fit themselves, by study and otherwise, to be the
better able to help and teach others. 

"The true Theosophist belongs to no cult or sect, yet belongs to each and
all." 

-----------------------------------------------

 

-----Original Message-----

From: Perry Coles
Sent: Saturday, August 20, 2005 9:00 AM
To: 
Subject: Freedom and truth in the society, more thoughts

Hello all,

Just some further thoughts, i'd like to share.

We have a theosophical society it states its objects as :

To form a nucleus of the Universal Brotherhood of Humanity, without
distinction of race, creed, sex, caste, or color.

To encourage the study of Comparative Religion, Philosophy, and Science.

To investigate unexplained laws of Nature and the powers latent in Man.


Now as I see it this allows a very open policy and one that I personally
fully support. 

People are not specifically directed as to what to or not to read, how to
study or not study.

Neither are they given a set of do's and don'ts but simply a need to be in
sympathy with the idea of Universal Brotherhood.

The libraries in most lodges seem to be eclectic and comprehensive from what
exposure I've had to them.

And so the study and research students do is largely up to them, as I think
should be the case as this is an individual search and journey not a
prescribed course. 

Exposure to as many different perspectives and points of view is necessary
if we wish to expand our understanding as long as a discernment comes along
with that , however discernment is something that can only come through our
own experience and can't be imposed from without , so we are bound to go
down a few blind alleys but at least they are ones we've chosen and
hopefully gained valuable experience through them.

History and human nature has had its effect on the society and problems and 
controversies have played themselves out as is the case with most
institutions.

My main concern as I've probably written here ad nauseum to some perhaps is
that the publications of the society need to be more open in its columns to
critical essays.

My attitude towards the TS is that with all its problems and issues I still
feel it is a source of great good, and support its existence even if I have
made criticisms of it.

A members support, non support or lukewarm attitude towards C W Leadbeater
or Annie Besant should not be an issue, it should not stop them from being
able to share and discuss theosophy with those who see things differently
than other may as no member is bound to any kind of devotional adherence to
any teacher or writer including Blavatsky. 

The apologist may simply and honestly be trying to maintain what they see as
a peaceful loving atmosphere and the ardent critic trying to defend what
they see as an injustice and falsehood being perpetuated.

Motive is everything says the Mahatma and I think if we are honest with
ourselves we can see that motives are very often mixed.

If the `apologist' starts to gag the critic through passive aggressive means
or if the critic starts to dominate and shout down at anyone who does not
support their position, both should properly should be called to order.

Free and honest presentation of points of view tempered with an ability to
not let things descend into personal confrontation is important.

The issue of intellectual freedom is one of profound importance as it is the
bedrock on which any open investigation can be honestly explored.
Institutions that censor certain information or disallow certain ideas to be
challenge openly is no new thing it was the case in early colleges and
universities.

Walter Metzger in his book `Academic freedom in the age of the University'
writes 

"The American college in the first half of the nineteenth century was
centered in tradition. It looked to antiquity for the tools of thought, to
Christianity for the byelaws of living ; it supplied furniture and
discipline for the mind, but constrained intellectual adventure. Like most
institutions anchored to tradition, the ante-bellum college (period between
1800 & 1860) was also paternalistic and authoritarian. In honoring the past
and depreciating the present, it drew the doubtful conclusion that age best
imparts its wisdom when youth surrenders its style. Students took prescribed
courses and recited their lessons by rote, professors acted like
schoolmasters, drillmasters and prison-keepers.
The dreary assumptions of American pedagogy in this period were hardly
touched by the romantic mood of transcendentalism, or by the democratic
faith of Jacksonism."

Metzger also points out that the revolution against the `old regime'
happened between 1860 and 1890.

I found this interesting for one thing the Society was founded right in the
middle of this period when dogmatic ideas and beliefs were starting to come
under a real challenge.

The societies founders also held as a fundamental principle that while the
precepts on which the theosophical worldview were founded was an ancient
perennial nature they were never to be a dogma but rather offered for
consideration for any individual interested in examining them.

This allows the individual to explore in their own way these universal
principles thus allowing creative and free individual exploration without
fear of authoritarian censor also in a way and method that is not prescribed
or that demanded conformity in anyway.

Its easy to take for granted that this concept of freedom of speech and also
academic freedom. It's a very precious right that can be easily taken away
by authoritarian power be that governments or institutions.

The last man jailed for blasphemy, Abner Kneeland, was not that long ago
relatively -- in the 1830's.

http://home.utm.net/pan/abner.html

Worth keeping in mind.

The societies role was part of this movement that promotes freedom of
exploration and expression.

Perry

 
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