Theos-Talk Archives (March 2007 Message tt00161)

Hi Perry,

>if you don't mind sharing with us here what do you think was the 
catalyst for your being "silently expelled"?<

Well, maybe the shortest and simplest way to explain this is what 
Bruce recently described as the "direct conflict of interest in 
having an E.S. as part of any Theosophical Society".  Although the 
E.S. was right from the beginning declared to be apart from the 
Society the fact is, in my opinion, that it was not only part of the 
Society but the major center of power within the Society which was 
and still is to a large extent actually determining its policy (most 
probably the situation in different national societies differs a 
lot). So, it is a conflict between the inner autocratic and the outer 
democratic structure of the Society. 

In my view the creation of the E.S. was an attempt to organize the 
spiritual path what is impossible and what Krishnamurti tried to 
explain in his speech "Truth is a Pathless Land".  So, it became to 
play an ambiguous role within the Society, at one point dividing it 
(it seems that all major problems and splits within the Society 
originated in the E.S.), on the other unifying it (after the crisis 
produced). It was most probably a historical necessity in largely 
divided world, but in case of positive globalization it is, in my 
opinion, clog for the expansion of democracy and freedom.

Warmest regards,
Anton


--- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com, "plcoles1" <plcoles1@...> wrote:
>
> Hello Anton,
> Stephen Hassan's material is very good and well worth looking at.
> 
> You wrote :
> 
> "I too went through the experience of being silently expelled from 
the
> Theosophical Society because of being critical towards the policy of
> local leaders.
> And the most painful thing in such cases is that one is to a large 
> extent prevented to work for theosophy - what is almost a crime."
> 
> I'd say it is a crime, I am very sorry to hear that Anton, if you 
> don't mind sharing with us here what do you think was the catalyst 
> for your being "silently expelled"?
> 
> I agree with you that the internet has opened up new opportunities 
> and ways of sharing theosophy.
> 
> Also I agree that we need to transcend the "status of victim" and 
> feeling disempowered by no longer belonging or being involved in a 
> group, as if the group overly dysfunctional in is an empowerment to 
> be out of it.
> 
> What needs to be determined is can change be made from within or is 
> the dysfunction so ingrained that nothing is ever likely to change, 
> however we can only determine this for ourselves which is a 
personal 
> journey that may take some time to try and determine.
> 
> Also someone who challenges something (whether it is a mindset a 
> teaching or an organization?) is not necessarily acting from a 
victim 
> mentality, although this may in some cases be what's going on, here 
> also the individual needs to questions their own motives and what 
> psychological baggage they may be carrying.
> 
> 
> Regards
> 
> Perry