Theos-Talk Archives (April 2008 Message tt00141)

A friend sent me the following which is being sent to members in Brasil.

mkr
======================================================

Dear brothers and sisters:

The upcoming election for President of the International Theosophical
Society is causing much pain to many MTS.

In Brazil, our National Council upheld the proposal of our General Secretary
to back up Radha Burnier for one more term of office, her fourth, in view or
his assurances that the incumbent President is in good health, physically
and mentally, and perfectly able to carry on her duties as she has done in
the past. Since that time more information has filtered down from India
indicating that age, she is now 85, and a disabling stroke have taken their
toll. For this reason some MTS in Brazil decided to express openly their
disagreement with the proposal of our General Secretary and intend to vote
for John Algeo with his platform of renewal. The number of dissenters is
growing as more facts relating to Radha's condition and administration
become known.

While governments and institutions the world over realize the need for
renewing periodically their cadres and their approaches to management, we at
the TS seem to be going backwards in this respect. **But we have a choice.**
*O***ur actions (or inaction) today will determine what we will reap
tomorrow. **

Before we decide on whom to vote it might be appropriate to recall
Blavatsky's words, in /A Key to Theosophy/, that the future of the TS "/will
depend almost entirely upon the degree of selflessness ? and wisdom
possessed by those members, on whom it will fall to carry on the work and to
direct the Society after the death of the Founders/". Do we see selflessness
and wisdom in our leader today?

I leave here my plea to our future President to endeavor to alter our
Statutes so as to limit the tenure of future Presidents to two terms only.
Fourteen years is more than enough for anyone to bring his contributions to
our cause. Thus we would prevent the recurrence of such an embarrassing
situation in the future. After all, the ST is not the Vatican where the Pope
only relinquishes power when he dies.

Last but not least, I take advantage to express my gratitude to our sister
Radha for her tireless work behind the presidency for twenty one years.
After such a long term of service it is natural that she now needs some time
of her own. Therefore, I invite all brothers and sisters of the theosophical
movement to express fully our gratitude wishing her wisdom and strength to
follow the tradition of her own culture, thus capping a life of dedication
to work in the outer world with a retirement into the inner world in her
last years of life as a sannyasin.

If you agree with these considerations feel free to share them with others.

God bless us all.

Raul Branco MTS ? Brazil


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