Re: Theos-World To Jerry HE: Does GdP actually teach this view given by Frank?
Aug 23, 2005 12:40 PM
by Jerry Hejka-Ekins
Dear Frank,
=>As for whether or not GdeP specifically said that Grace should not be
Leader: I have not heard this.
As I said, it was oral communication from Elsie Benjamin, a first hand eye
witness as GdeP talked about it with her.
I only met with Elsie a half dozen times when she was in this country.
A wonderful person, great humor and a real gold mine of information. I
am aware that G de P and Grace had "issues" but so did he with certain
others who apparently had ambitions to be his successor. Emmett once
made the cute remark in reference to Conger's appointment as
chairperson: that everyone on the council knew each other's faults too
well to think that any of them would be G de P's successor. Their
thinking was that if a new Leader were to appear, it would be someone
outside of the community.
=>As for the homosexuality issue: I have never seen any text where GdeP
condemns it.
I have such a text, became it from my old Lodge President around 1992, but
stored it elsewhere and still need to rediscover it (as some other things,
magazines, too!). Several others here know this text also, also remember Elsie Benjamin's
reports about it.
When you find the text, I would like to see it. Also the references,
when you find them again.
Elsie Benjamin reported about a Point Loma TS resident, who was a gay, too.
I forgot his name, but it was a known name.
But that abrogates not that in the higher classes (3rd degree?) they were
told that the occult doctrines oppose homosexuality as it is against the
laws of nature and a result of bad karma.
Not 3rd degree. You never met a 3rd degree member. Perhaps the KTMG
meetings. Other than the 3rd degree, they were the most esoteric. But
I never saw anti-homosexual teachings there either.
In the Catholic church there are also homosexual priests. But that does not
mean that Christianity supports homosexuality.
Interesting example you give, considering how the Church has protected
its homosexual priests. However, I am not suggesting that G de P
supported homosexuality in the sense of advocating it. I'm just saying
that I don't recall seeing anything in his writings where he condemned
it. As far as I have observed, the general attitude in that community
was that we should mind our own business when it comes to other people's
sexuality. On the other hand, sexual predators were not tolerated.
You might be aware that KT was instrumental is getting one sexual
predator in the Adyar TS arrested and put away.
To me a wound cannot heal when one side continues to spread the untruth and
the other side is forced not defend the truth. Such basis would be sect
networking rather than theosophical networking - if Divine Wisdom means
anything at all today.
Theosophical Networking, when successful, is based upon recognizing that
even those who have different beliefs are still our brothers and sisters.
I think that Emmett had also this same policy as
GdeP. At least I read it out of his "Eclectic". To my favor he went in one
or two cases too far (in portraying Annie Besant in a very mild light), but
although he worked for fraternization, he raised several times in his
"Eclectic" the question about GdeP's "Encyclopedia" and his protest letters
to Grace F. Knoche.
Notice that G. de P's "Encyclopedia" is now on line.
During the 1980'ies suffering Emmett seemed to have been not in high hopes
for a true spiritual regeneration, otherwise he would not have tried in his
old days to launch a new TS. He dropped the plan after his last flight to
Europe, The Netherlands, Germany, when he realized that the Point Loma
groups have been crystallized, too.
Emmett tried to make it clear over and over again that PLP is not a new
TS. There were no members. Rather, PLP is a non profit organization
dedicated to publishing Theosophical writings. His trip to Europe was
to visit with these groups and renew old ties. He never mentioned
wanting to do something so formal as to "launch a new TS." That's new
to me. But, he did want more unity among the groups in the PL tradition.
All groups are today degenerated. The spirit is gone. The Theosophists do
not understand their Theosophy, as a foe author once wrote to me. And I must
admit that he is right.
Yes, organizations must be kept vital or they die. Even Besant
inspirited the Adyar TS. But, as the members from that period have died
off, so has the vitality of the TS. The torch was not passed on. It
is the same with PL. But resurrection is possible--though I wonder if
it is desirable. I believe that there is more potential in new efforts
which are not weighted down by old karma.
The Pasadena TS still promotes the twisted and brainwashing Donant pamphlet
about the Conger/Long conspiracy, as well a a full text online version.
I do not think that this policy of Pasadena is healing wounds or that it can
be a basis for co-operation. Or I am too silly??
Both sides of that issue were published. Read together, each brings out
different aspects of the issues. I think it was a good thing.
Theosophists still loyal to GdeP, Boris, Emmett, Elsie, Iverson, the Helens,
Gordon, Geoffrey etc. should consider to publish some more of the withheld
historical documents.
They are all available here, if anyone is interested in seeing them.
There is also a microfilmed copy of these documents in the Netherlands,
which is supposed to be available for anyone to see. I would be
interested in knowing about it if you are denied access to them.
Before the TM unites in spirit or physical or both, it needs an intellectual
and spiritual upheaval - before the party is over.
As you, Jerry, know several theosophical groups and individuals of all
lineages, what please is in your humble opinion needed most?
Which steps must be taken?
In my opinion, the TM lives on and works through far more than just the
Theosophical Organizations. I believe that the TS failed in 1885, and
it has gone mostly down hill since then. There are Theosophists who are
trying to do the work of the TM, but many of them do so independently of
the Organizations. This has been going on for some time. Boris was
such a person. He worked independently of the Organizations, yet they
all claimed him. We have to thank (and he did) the Adyar TS for
supporting his work by having those twenty volumes of Blavatsky's
writings published. So, even the organizations are still capable of
doing valuable work for the sake of the TM, and they all still do quite
a lot. It is just that I don't believe that they are any longer at the
center of the TM.
What step should we take? I think that Theosophists should network with
other Theosophists and work together where ever it is possible.
A look upon the groups in Germany is discouraging to me. Am I too exacting?
Are we now but in a lower cycle position and in some decades there will be
up wind?
A revival is always possible. I saw the beginnings of a revival in the
TSA during Dora Kunz's administration (1974-1986). Membership grew to
nearly 8,000 and things were beginning to get exciting. But all of the
changes she made were changed back as soon as she left. Consequently,
the membership (I have heard) has now dropped to below 3,000. I don't
expect to see another revival in the TS in my lifetime. The situation
in Europe strikes me as worse--if it could be any worse.
Would it not be more honest to the world to close these groups? The new
chance of 1945 was not used. On the contrary, they became much more stupid,
hypocritical and militant against anything high.
These organizations have all grown too wealthy. Wealth to people is
like carrion to vultures. There will always be a select group of
gatekeepers who will guard and maintain these organizations. If you
cannot contribute to the TM by working through these organizations, then
make your contributions through organizations you can work with. Or
make contributions from your own resources.
Best wishes,
Jerry
Frank Reitemeyer wrote:
Dear Jerry,
thanks for your answer.
=>As for GdeP's teaching on the seven fold constitution, it does not
contradict HPB or the Mahatma letters in any way that I have detected.
I came to the same conclusions after many years of in-depth study.
=>As for divine souls: GdeP of course recognized sexual differences in the
physical body and the linga sharira, but the higher principles do not
have sexual attributes and, they are part of all of our constitutions.
Also, the idea of male and female divine souls is not a part of GdeP's
teachings, as far as I know. He also does not endorse the notion of
"soul mates" that we find in new age philosophy.
Also agreed. He rejected the twin soul doctrine. In Germany it is spread at
present by Leadbeater fanatic Dr. Peter Michel, who published two or three
paperbacks about it.
=>As for whether or not GdeP specifically said that Grace should not be
Leader: I have not heard this.
As I said, it was oral communication from Elsie Benjamin, a first hand eye
witness as GdeP talked about it with her.
In Berlin all know that.
She reported many interesting things: The story about HPB's occult ring,
that Annie Besant really believed she was in possession of it, the quarrel
in a British Lodge around 1895 about the anti-Judge conspiracy, where her
father played an important role to make the right decision in favour of the
innocent and persecuted William Q. Judge.
=>However, I do have some documents here
that indicate to my mind, that GdeP did not expect any successor to come
to take his place--whether that be Grace, or anyone else.
It seems so, but that a successor might come (rather from outer) was not
debarred.
From the documents about the Conger-Long-Knoche conspiracy against Emmett
Small, Iverson Harris etc., which Ken Small published in Theosophical
History (only a small portion of relevant documents about that tragedy) -
which was similar scheduled as the conspiracy against Judge 40 years before,
as Blavatsky student Henry T. Edge point out so well - it can be seen that
chelas were set aside and trained for a special task: to recognize the next
messenger.
Elsie Benjamin reported that he - together with Travor Barker (who has left
the Adyar TS and joined the Point Loma TS in 1931) - was withdrawn suddenly
from above - as worried about in his 1935 last will - because of the new
development in WWII and the gain of Bolshevism.
That a messias comes or comes not it not a question whether the messias has
a good mind or not, but whether there is an audiency ready.
The way to know whether the audience is ready or not is the same as in the
school: You will be tested. If you have learned your lessions, you go a
class higher. The pupils GdeP left in Covina were tested.
The end is known. But it was not fate which forced them to do what they did.
They had their free will.
=> On the other
hand, as far as I know, Grace never demanded that anyone accept her as
"Leader," in the sense that KT used it, as condition of membership. She
never demanded it of me or my wife. Under Grace, things at Pasadena
changed dramatically.
What else should she have done? It was droven wild Conger (COloumb, COllins,
COues, COnger, the 4th CO in a row, in 1946, 40 years after Judge was beaten
out of his tulku body) himself, who, after his exoteric revolt against the
Esotericists "suceeded" with 60:40 (?), noticed in the aftermath that he, a
lay chela of the first degree, not even aware, that higher degrees existed -
as Ken Small's published documents proof - was not able to fill out his new
post, which he took over by violence, and to teach an esoteric class.
Consequently, he closed his fake E.S. in 1947. 40 years after lay chela
Annie Besant also closed in 1897 (for the first time...) her fake E.S. It
seems, both Besant/Leadbeater and Conger/Long were on the same astral track.
Interesting side note that both parties where involved in the political
conspiracy against Germany ("Germany must perish!" movement of 1870 etc.).
Interesting also Katherine Tingley' note in "Searchlight", that the Jesuits
in Rome - who rule in Rome the Christians - were trying to infiltrate the
Point Loma TS with their spies in order to break it up from within, but that
she knows their plans well and so long as she is leader, no Jesuit spy will
have success.
=>As for the homosexuality issue: I have never seen any text where GdeP
condemns it.
I have such a text, became it from my old Lodge President around 1992, but
stored it elsewhere and still need to rediscover it (as some other things,
magazines, too!).
Several others here know this text also, also remember Elsie Benjamin's
reports about it.
=>Grace Knoche, Kirby Van Mater, Emmett Small, Boris
DeZirkoff, and Gordon Plummer were all GdeP's students, and none of them
ever said anything negative about homosexuality in my presence, or on
any recorded talks that I have heard.
I believe it. You will know for yourself that they never forced anyone.
Perhaps you should have asked them explicitly.
=>Lina Psaltis, who was Boris'
student, had her own study group which I was privileged to have been a
part of for eighteen years. One member of this study group was
homosexual. Everyone was aware of it. Yet neither Lina or anyone else in
that group considered him less worthy in any way.
Elsie Benjamin reported about a Point Loma TS resident, who was a gay, too.
I forgot his name, but it was a known name.
But that abrogates not that in the higher classes (3rd degree?) they were
told that the occult doctrines oppose homosexuality as it is against the
laws of nature and a result of bad karma.
In the Catholic church there are also homosexual priests. But that does not
mean that Christianity supports homosexuality.
In Hamburg, Germany, there exists a Gelugpa- school, affirmed by the Dalai
Lama. In the Lamrim class there are some gays, too (to my surprise). But I
do not conclude that the Dalai Lama is a gay or that Buddhism supports it.
I once knew a Hamburg theosophical member, who rejected reincarnation and
yet she was a member as all. I also know some members who love to eat
animals. But I do not conclude that Theosophy supports animal eating.
Katherine Tingley in her jail work invited prisoners to join the TS and come
to events, including murders. But I do not conclude that Theosophy supports
murder.
=>As for Grace's part in the 1951 event: It is true that there were deep
wounds, mistakes were made, and that the people involved, on both sides
of the question, had to live with those wounds and those mistakes.
However, I must say this: I had a chance to become very close to Emmett
over the course of the last twenty years of his life. From that
experience, I can say this with absolute certainty: The one thing that
Emmett wanted to see was for the wrongs to be resolved, the wounds to be
healed, and for the Theosophical Movement to once again become a unified
force for the betterment of humanity. To get a feel for Emmett's
attitudes on this, you might look through the issues of the Eclectic
Theosophist from 1984s through the end where he worked so hard to
promote the Theosophical Networking movement. An idea that G.de P. also
tried to promote in 1930.
That is quite true. In one discussion in the beginning of his fraternization
work there were some sceptics who asked how it may become possible to
co-operate with Adyar people, which believe strange things directly opposed
to the theosophical teachings and whether the Point Loma theosophists are
now forced to believe the astral body poppycock of Leadbeater, the cant
about Masters etc.
GdeP replied in effect something like that he does not work for
frazernization based on lies, but based on truth.
To me a wound cannot heal when one side continues to spread the untruth and
the other side is forced not defend the truth. Such basis would be sect
networking rather than theosophical networking - if Divine Wisdom means
anything at all today. I think that Emmett had also this same policy as
GdeP. At least I read it out of his "Eclectic". To my favor he went in one
or two cases too far (in portraying Annie Besant in a very mild light), but
although he worked for fraternization, he raised several times in his
"Eclectic" the question about GdeP's "Encyclopedia" and his protest letters
to Grace F. Knoche.
During the 1980'ies suffering Emmett seemed to have been not in high hopes
for a true spiritual regeneration, otherwise he would not have tried in his
old days to launch a new TS. He dropped the plan after his last flight to
Europe, The Netherlands, Germany, when he realized that the Point Loma
groups have been crystallized, too.
All groups are today degenerated. The spirit is gone. The Theosophists do
not understand their Theosophy, as a foe author once wrote to me. And I must
admit that he is right. OK, GdeP explained well, that the TM is exoteric
like the Greec mystery schools were. One cannot assume, that an exoteric
bodies with people, who perhaps for the first or second life hear the
tenets, can carry on higher doctrines.
But how can a Network based on emotion or brain-mind be a success? Or ist
hat all what we can reach today and it would be better than nothing? The way
The Quest magazine takes over KT as if the Point Loma Mystery school was a
promoter of pacifism, whereas the initiates of all ages only condemned
unholy (selfish) wars, is strange do me.
The Adyar people seem to have a talent to misunderstand each and all. What
to make with them?
In the Adyar TS there are still the most idiotic things promoted. TPH still
publishes silly new age and psychology books. What would HPB say?
The Pasadena TS still promotes the twisted and brainwashing Donant pamphlet
about the Conger/Long conspiracy, as well a a full text online version.
I do not think that this policy of Pasadena is healing wounds or that it can
be a basis for co-operation. Or I am too silly??
Theosophists still loyal to GdeP, Boris, Emmett, Elsie, Iverson, the Helens,
Gordon, Geoffrey etc. should consider to publish some more of the withheld
historical documents.
Before the TM unites in spirit or physical or both, it needs an intellectual
and spiritual upheaval - before the party is over.
As you, Jerry, know several theosophical groups and individuals of all
lineages, what please is in your humble opinion needed most?
Which steps must be taken?
A look upon the groups in Germany is discouraging to me. Am I too exacting?
Are we now but in a lower cycle position and in some decades there will be
up wind?
15 years of prayer, explanation resulted in nothing. The bigot fanatics,
text manipulators, liers, hypcrites are everywhere in power and they
co-operate, that in no lineage a man (or woman) comes up with average
education and/or spiritual insight. It is only a negative co-operation, to
hinder the good and welfare of the TM. Better destroy all when not I but the
other gets the monopoly. I am speaking not from myself, but generally. Only
crazy people, imposters are welcome. No offsprings are allowed, all what is
young is evil, except a young one comes (and 40 or 50 is considered as
young!) who is intelligent as Goofy and practical as Donald. He/she will be
tolerated.
Would it not be more honest to the world to close these groups? The new
chance of 1945 was not used. On the contrary, they became much more stupid,
hypocritical and militant against anything high.
Frank
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