Theos-Talk Archives (August 2007 Message tt00401)

> *Many may not agree with your feeling that religions like Hinduism have
> become defunct. *
> **
> *If that be so, then it may be time for all theosophists to consider
> converting to Christian religion and hope to get salvation thru
Jesus,  as
> many christians believe. In spite of the push by theosophical
leaders of the
> past to encourage LCC,  none of the Hindu theosophist leaders have
disavowed
> Hinduism and converted to LCC, and also changed their names to a
christian
> name. 

Many Presidents of the TS and leading figures like Olcott, Blavatsky,
Sinnett, G.R.S Mead, Annie Besant, Leadbeater, G.S.Arundale, Geoffrey
Hodson were already Christians. That makes one wonder. 
Hindus generally don't get converted, as can be seen from the fact
that there are only 1.4 per cent Christians in India. Despite close
contact with Christian Theosophical leaders, Hindu leading  members in
TS did not become Christian.
Conversion to Christianity does not require them to change their name.
In India are many Christians (including me) who have Hindu-sounding
names. 

>So one wonders if the Hindu theosophical leaders still consider there
> is a lot of life left in Hinduism and has a lot to offer to the rest
of the
> world.*

When I  observe conditions in India, I find that Hindu religion has
become defunct. I don't think Hindu leaders consider there is life in
Hindu religion, but they don't generally convert to other religion
also. I attended annual convention at Adyar many years back. That time
around 1100 Hindus and around 70 Christians were present at Adyar for
convention. Out of eleven hundred Hindus, only fifteen Hindus attended
Hindu Congregation Worship. Christian mass was attended by around
fourty out of  seventy Christians. These figures indicate interest of
people in their respective religions.
Conditions in India show me that Hindu religion has become defunct.

> 
> *May be it is a topic we can present to theosophists at large and
get some
> feedback as to what they all feel. This is important because, the
> theosophist population is shrinking in that as % of world population
it has
> been reducing for a long time.*

C. Jinarajadasa knew that Theosophy and Krishnamurti's speeches were
different. So he did not promote Krishnamurti's speeches in the TS.
But later N. Sri Ram and Radha thought Krishnamurti's speeches are
part of Theosophy. They promoted Krishnamurti's teaching in the TS.
Few people were interested in this new kind of Theosophy promoted by
N. Sri Ram and Radha. That resulted in fall of membership (as per cent
of world's population) and losing of interest in Theosophy.

> Also, as theosophists, we would not be satisfied with single source
> information on the occult matters, because the source could be wrong
in many
> matters and multiple sources give us certain confidence in the
accuracy of
> the facts. But such multiple sources are few and far between. These are
> issues of great importance to inquiring theosophists because, blind
> following of anyone will not help anyone in the long run.*

Yes, these are very complicated issues. There are required occultists
of very high caliber to elaborate on difficult topics.

Anand Gholap