Theos-Talk Archives (September 2008 Message tt00403)

It was a good letter by Mr. Surendra Narayan. His letter also informs
us that attempts are being made to hijack Theosophical Society by
secretly passing rules. 
I think if voting rights in the General Council were proportionate to
the membership of each country, then such attempts to hijack TS by GC
members with negligible membership behind them can not succeed.
It is quite unjust to give equal voting rights to a General Secretary
of India who represents 13000 members and the other General Secretary
with 100 or 200 members behind him. 
Work of promoting justice should start by making our TS constitution just.
Best
Anand Gholap




--- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com, "Pedro Oliveira" <prmoliveira@...>
wrote:
>
> Please see below the text of Mr Surendra Narayan´s letter to the 
> members of the General Council of the Theosophical Society with 
> International Headquarters at Adyar, Chennai, India. Mr Narayan was 
> the International Vice-President of the TS from 1980 to 1995. He was 
> also, for many years prior to that period, the Chairman of the Board 
> of Direct Taxes in India. He is also the the author of the 
> book "Life is for Living" (TPH Adyar).
> 
> I have not consulted Mr Narayan regarding the posting of this letter 
> but decided to do so because it contains an important contribution 
> and reflection for the current debate on the proposed changes of TS 
> Rules. I am the sole responsible for its posting.
> 
> Pedro Oliveira
>  
> 
> 
> To,
> All members of the General Council and copy to Mr. John Algeo
> 
> 
> Dear Friends,
> 
> I have just received copy of an email Circular letter dated 15th 
> September from John Algeo addressed to General Council Members and 
> interested Theosophists. It is from him and on behalf of two General 
> Secretaries of National Societies and two additional members of the 
> General Council, who were nominated by the President. The Circular 
> letter takes the form of a fairly large questionnaire which relates 
> mainly to making large-scale and substantive changes in the Rules 
> and Regulations of the Theosophical Society. It seeks answers 
> in `Yes' or `No' and adds that comments or additional changes for 
> consideration can be added at the end. 
> 
> Practical common sense tells us that questions which involve 
> substantive changes in the structure and functioning of the 
> Theosophical Society cannot be answered in mere `yes' or `no'. These 
> questions are not like the ones required to be answered in `yes' 
> or `no' form in some tests for young applicants who aspire admission 
> to some of the Schools of Business Administration or some specified 
> courses of study in an University. Most questions included in the 
> questionnaire need careful analysis and detailed comments.
> 
> The Rules and Regulations of the Theosophical Society were framed 
> with great care and foresight by the Founders and, but for a few 
> minor amendments from time to time, have well stood the test of time 
> of over 125 years. There is absolutely no urgent need at this moment 
> to hurriedly consider and make substantive and almost drastic 
> changes therein.
> 
> It is most unfortunate that this past election of the President has 
> caused so much misunderstanding and bitterness in some quarters. 
> Even after some months have passed since the results were announced, 
> one notices, with much pain, that the bitterness has not abated and 
> Circular after Circular from John Algeo continue to come in the same 
> spirit in a most unbrotherly way. Therefore, it would be most unwise 
> and inappropriate to launch upon a scheme of making wide-ranging, 
> substantive and substantial changes in the structure and functioning 
> of the Theosophical Society.
> 
> Wisdom demands that time should be allowed to pass and hurt feelings 
> allowed to subside. Let 2-3 years pass by before considering any 
> changes in the Rules and Regulations of the Theosophical Society, 
> particularly changes of the type envisaged in the questionnaire. 
> 
> One point I wish to mention here. I understand that there has been a 
> wrong impression among some members that Radha Burnier has become 
> office-greedy and does not want to leave the Presidential chair even 
> after 28 years. According to my information, Mrs. Burnier offered to 
> refuse nomination for herself for Presidentship both in 2001 and 
> 2008 elections and instead to support Presidentship for John Algeo, 
> provided he, as President, agreed to generally reside in Adyar, 
> which is the International Headquarters of the Society as per Rule 
> 26 of the Rules and Regulations. Both times, John Algeo declined to 
> agree, for personal reasons. Presidents in the past from America and 
> Europe ? Olcott, Besant, Arundale and Coats ? have stayed at Adyar 
> even when air-conditioning facilities and expert medical care were 
> not available, but both are now available in Chennai. A former 
> International Treasurer even in the early 80s used to have air-
> conditioning in her bedroom.
> 
> Membership of the Theosophical Society has been declining. Not only 
> that, even among the members who are eligible to vote, one notices 
> an apathy or disinclination to exercise their voting rights even in 
> a `contested' election for Presidentship held after 28 years. And in 
> the Theosophical Society in America, which has the second largest 
> membership after India, out of a total membership of 4072, 2757 were 
> eligible to vote but only 1234 members voted, besides 13 invalid 
> votes. Can these be taken care of by amending rules?
> 
> The need is to try to infuse new life, zest, power and vibrance into 
> our work for the objects of the Theosophical Society in the world as 
> a whole. Annie Besant once wrote in an autograph book of young 
> theosophist ? `Work so that the world may be the better for your 
> living in it'. The stress is on helpful work, not on changing the 
> Rules and Regulations for achieving that quality. In the Mahatma 
> Letters to A.P. Sinnet, one of the letters stresses the need `to 
> become blended into one universal feeling, the only true and holy, 
> the only unselfish and Eternal one ? Love, an Immense Love for 
> humanity ? as a Whole ! For it is "Humanity" which is the great 
> Orphan'.
> 
> I am now in 90th year of this life and my only interest is to see 
> the Theosophical Society, by the combined efforts of its leaders and 
> members the world over, working as a vibrant and cohesive body for 
> the spiritual evolution of humanity. As "At the Feet of the Master" 
> puts it:-
> 
> `God has a plan, and that plan is evolution. When once a man has 
> seen that and really knows it, he cannot help working for it, and 
> making himself one with it, because it is so glorious, so beautiful'.
> 
> With my best wishes and warm regards
> 
> Yours fraternally
> 
> Surendra Narayan
>