Theos-Talk Archives (November 2007 Message tt00114)

When I was in India, there were many in Madras/Chennai who thought Annie
Besant started the TS. Nothing should surprise anyone.

mkr


On 11/18/07, Frank Reitemeyer <dzyan@online.de> wrote:
>
>
> At the infantile and idiotic Adyar covent in Berlin in 2002 (100th
> Anniversary of the German section) it was claimed at a poster wall that
> Leadbeater was President of the TS.
>
> A clairvoyant lecturer - she writes books about her encounters with the
> Masters - revealed that all the Masters (she named: Morya, Koothoomi,
> Blavatsky, Krishnamurti, Hilarion and a few others - I have written a
> memo,
> but writing now from memory) were present. They nodded from the ceiling.
>
> Wow, was that a harmonious and brotherly event!
> With only myself present for the dark side of the moon!
>
> Frank the Galactic Emperor
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: gregory@zeta.org.au <gregory%40zeta.org.au>
> To: theos-talk@yahoogroups.com <theos-talk%40yahoogroups.com>
> Sent: Sunday, November 18, 2007 9:44 PM
> Subject: Theos-World Recrating TS History
>
> The website of the TS in Australia recently published material on the
> Amphitheatre constructed on Sydney Habour as part of the preparation for
> the Coming of the World Teacher. Both the preamble to a letter sent to the
> "Sydney Morning Herald", and the letter from the National President of the
> TS in Australia, are excellent examples of attempts at the re-creation of
> Theosophical history. Perhaps Ms Oliveira was assisted in her careful use
> of language by her husband, Pedro Oliveira, a bishop of the Liberal
> Catholic Church, who demonstrates similar verbal gymnastics on his site
> for the re-creation of Leadbeater's biography.
> I have added a few historical corrections in parentheses, and have
> separated out the "Theosophy in Australia" comments and Ms Oliveira's
> claims to facilitate this.
>
> Dr Gregory Tillett
>
> "The Star Amphitheatre at Balmoral Beach in Sydney was the vision of Dr.
> Mary Rocke, a prominent theosophical worker in Sydney in the 1920s. She
> purchased land and worked tirelessly to raise the money (through
> donations) for its construction, which commenced in 1923 and was completed
> a year later."
>
> "The Star Amphitheatre had no connection at all with the Theosophical
> Society."
> [Apart from the fact that all those associated with it were eminent
> members of the TS, that the foundation stone was laid and "consecrated" by
> Leadbeater with Theosophist-Co-Masons enthusiastically participating, that
> it contained a Shrine Room for the ES of the TS, that TS members were
> urged to contribute to the building of the Amphitheatre in TS
> publications, etc, etc.]
>
> "It was built by an organization known as The Order of the Star in the
> East (OSE) which had been formed in 1911 in Benares (now Varanasi), India,
> in order to support the work of J. Krishnamurti, especially in his
> prophesized role as the next 'World Teacher'."
> [The OSE, presumably using this logic had nothing to do with the TS either
> - apart from being headed by Besant and Leadbeater, who were the ones who
> "prophesized" Krishnamurti's World Teacher role, apart from having in all
> its senior positions senior members of the TS, apart from being promoted
> in "The Theosophist" and other TS journals, apart from holding its meeting
> in TS premises, apart from books promoting the Coming being published by
> the TPH, etc, etc.]
>
> "In August 1929 Krishnamurti publicly renounced that role and dissolved
> the OSE."
> [Not quite what Krishnamurti said..but he certainly did dissolve the OSE.]
> "Over the decades since that time sections of the Australian press have
> repeated the story, based on the poetic licence of a journalist for the
> Truth - a newspaper that specialized in 'sensational news', that
> Krishnamurti, in his role as World Teacher, was going to walk on water
> through the Heads of Sydney Harbour before addressing a gathering of
> followers at the amphitheatre!"
>
> (Source: Theosophy in Australia, March 1989)
>
> "We reproduce below the letter which the National President of the
> Theosophical Society in Australia, Linda Oliveira, sent to the editor of
> The Sydney Morning Herald about the old myth of Krishnamurti 'walking on
> the water'. Unfortunately the letter was not published."
>
> "17 October 2007
> "Balmoral Amphitheatre - The Facts
>
> "The letter of 17 October from Tony Backhouse continues the persistent,
> incorrect and sensationalised myth regarding The Theosophical Society
> (TS), the Order of the Star in the East (OSE), the former Balmoral Beach
> amphitheatre and 'predictions' of a Messiah walking on water. This is
> based on a serious misunderstanding. Here are some facts."
>
> "The TS and the OSE were very separate organisations."
> [apart from the facts that..see comments above..]
>
> "The TS, formed in 1875, still exists as a world-wide organisation today.
> Its members are united by a common search and aspiration for truth in
> their lives."
>
> "The OSE was founded to promote the work of J. Krishnamurti and was
> disbanded in 1929. However, its supporters and organisers included
> individuals from both organisations thus leading to a misunderstanding of
> the role of the TS. J. Krishnamurti was, for a time, a member of the TS."
> [The OSE was founded by leaders of the TS - Besant, Leadbeater, Arundale -
> unless Ms Oliveira can name anyone of significance in the OSE who was not
> also a major player in the TS? The "supporters and organisers" and the OSE
> did not "include" some members of the TS: the vast majority of its members
> were also members of the TS.]
>
> "The amphitheatre was built with private funds to provide a venue for the
> teachings of J. Krishnamurti, who some saw as a future World Teacher."
> [Perhaps it might be mentioned that the "some" who saw Krishnamurti as a
> "future World Teacher" include the then President of the TS and OH of the
> ES, Annie Besant, along with every leading figure in the TS - like
> Leadbeater, Jinarajadasa, Arundale, Ernest Wood, J.I. Wedgwood - who
> published their claims in "The Theosophist" and almost every other TS
> journal, and gave public lectures promoting them?]
>
> "There was never any suggestion that he would "walk on water through
> Sydney Heads". As far as is known he gave only one lecture in the
> amphitheatre."
>
> "It is important to emphasise that The TS, as an organisation, since its
> early days has subscribed to no Messiahs and has no formal affiliation
> with any other organisations. Also, the TS has no ideology which is
> binding on any member."
> [Apart, perhaps, from "The Basic Truths of Religion" agreed upon by the
> General Council of he TS on December 23, 1925 - and presumably
> subsequently repudiated - which included the statement: "The Wold Religion
> will thus help in preparing the way for the Coming of the World-Teacher,
> who shall give to the Basic Truths the form suited to the age He will open
> - the Age of Brotherhood."]
>
> "Linda Oliveira
> National President, Theosophical Society in Australia"
>
> 
>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]