Theos-Talk Archives (May 2008 Message tt00274)

Ooops, the ex-communicators are sharpening their swords.  
    Sincerity is true wisdom, it appears, only to the mind of the moral philosopher. It is rudeness and insult to him who regards dissimulation and deceit as culture and politeness, and holds that the shortest, easiest, and safest way to success is to let sleeping dogs and old customs alone. But, if the dogs are obstructing the highway to progress and truth, and Society will, as a rule, reject the wise words of (St.) Augustine, who recommends that "no man should prefer custom before reason and truth," is it a sufficient cause for the philanthropist to walk out of, or even deviate from, the track of truth, because the selfish egoist chooses to do so? Very true, as remarked somewhere by Sir Thomas Browne, that not every man is a proper champion for the truth, nor fit to take up the gauntlet in its cause. Too many of such defenders are apt, from inconsideration and too much zeal, to charge the troops of error so rashly that they "remain themselves as trophies to the enemies of
 truth." Nor ought all of us (members of the Theosophical Society) to do so personally, but rather leave it only to those among our members who have voluntarily and beforehand sacrificed their personalities for the cause of Truth. Thus teaches us one of the Masters of Wisdom in some fragments of advice which are published further on for the benefit of the Theosophists (see the article that follows this2). While enforcing upon such public characters in our ranks as editors, and lecturers, etc., the duty of telling fearlessly "the Truth to the face of LIE," he yet condemns the habit of private judgment and criticism in every individual Theosophist. 
  Free discussion, temperate, candid, undefiled by personalities and animosity, is, we think, the most efficacious means of getting rid of error and bringing out the underlying truth; and this applies to publications as well as to persons. It is open to a magazine to be tolerant or intolerant; it is open to it to err in almost every way in which an individual can err; and since every publication of the kind has a responsibility such as falls to the lot of few individuals, it behooves it to be ever on its guard, so that it may advance without fear and without reproach. All this is true in a special degree in the case of a theosophical publication, and Lucifer feels that it would be unworthy of that designation were it not true to the profession of the broadest tolerance and catholicity, even while pointing out to its brothers and neighbours the errors which they indulge in and follow. While thus keeping strictly, in its editorials, and in articles by its individual editors,
 to the spirit and teachings of pure theosophy, it nevertheless frequently gives room to articles and letters which diverge widely from the esoteric teachings accepted by the editors, as also by the majority of theosophists. Readers, therefore, who are accustomed to find in magazines and party publications only such opinions and arguments as the editor believes to be unmistakably orthodox--from his peculiar standpoint-must not condemn any article in Lucifer with which they are not entirely in accord, or in which expressions are used that may be offensive from a sectarian or a prudish point of view, on the ground that such are unfitted for a theosophical magazine. They should remember that precisely because Lucifer is a theosophical magazine, it opens its columns to writers whose views of life and things may not only slightly differ from its own, but even be diametrically opposed to the opinion of the editors. The object of the latter is to elicit truth, not to advance the
 interest of any particular ism, or to pander to any hobbies, likes or dislikes, of any class of readers. It is only snobs and prigs who, disregarding the truth or error of the idea, cavil and strain merely over the expressions and words it is couched in. 
  http://www.blavatsky.net/blavatsky/arts/ToTheReadersOfLucifer.htm
   

  Cass

MKR <mkr777@gmail.com> wrote:
          I just received a msg from Edi D. Bilimoria, a long-time member from
England. I am quoting from it since it raises some very valid questions
regarding the Election.

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

"I would like to add my own testimonial regarding Radha Burnier's state of
mind, plus my response to the letter from the French National Board - please
see attached.

I am utterly dismayed by the following:

1. To fabricate Radha Burnier's supposed 'brain damaged' and 'weakened mind'
state when: (a) hard medical evidence from two Doctors, one a Professor of
Medicine, indicates the very contrary - please see attached (b) personal,
eye witness accounts of Radha Burnier's performance at the last Convention
have stated that she was able to deliver her Convention speech standing for
one and a half hours (c) facts about her recent travels on duty in India.

2. Then to perform such actions under the thin guise of doing it 'for the
good and welfare of our Society', distribute it widely, and sign a letter
with words such as 'fraternally'.

3. For the International Vice-President NOT to speak out in defense of such
rabid attack against the International President.

4. For lobbying and electioneering activists to present just one side of
the story - Radha Burnier's *supposed* weakened state of mind - and not
mention the facts on the other side.

Indeed the Chairman of British Telecom once remarked: *I have consistently
observed that the amount of back-stabbing and skullduggery in an
organization is directly proportional to the nobility of its ideals.* Sadly,
he seems to be right.

May I kindly remind all that we are TRUTH LOVING AND TRUTH SEEKING SOCIETY.
Compromise that and we plunge into an Avitchi of political mayhem.

I AM OUTRAGED BY THIS BREACH OF THE *FUNDAMENTAL CORE-ETHIC* OF OUR SOCIETY.

It is high time we institute formal measures to revoke the membership of
those who demonstrably act against the cause of truth and the best interests
of our Society.

With best wishes in upholding the Truth

Edi D. Bilimoria"

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