Theos-Talk Archives (May 2008 Message tt00275)

Thank you for this quote Cass

She certainly was a fearless Truthseeker as we are 
each encouraged to be.

Power/politics and freedom/truth make for thorny bedfellows.

Kind regards
Nigel


--- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com, Cass Silva <silva_cass@...> wrote:
>
> 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@...> 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"
> 
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> 
> 
> 
>                            
> 
>        
> ---------------------------------
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