Theos-Talk Archives (October 2008 Message tt00415)

Hi. Anton:

I am concerned that no one is paying any attention to the sad situation with
membership trend. Quartet and everyone outside India should be immediately
concerned and focused on it. Rules change will never fix it.

I got interested in the recent affairs, when in the election, an attempt was
made to steal the presidency on the allegation that Radha's health is so
poor that she should not be elected. We who have been exposed to theosophy
are expected to stand for and act in the highest moral, ethical and
political ways and I never expected the behaviour from those who lecture and
write about these theosophical values to the members. Now they no longer
have the trust or moral authority with many members who know what has
happened and happening.

It is very sad indeed.

mkr


On Thu, Oct 16, 2008 at 1:36 PM, Anton Rozman <anton_rozman@yahoo.com>wrote:

>   Hi Pedro,
>
> It seems that your post tends to be more analytical and a little less
> political. You say that the nature and timing of the proposed
> amendments should be examined objectively, but it seems that in a
> same time you are not willing to attribute to their proponents any
> genuine concern and any goodwill in regard to the current situation
> in the Theosophical Society. You consider their exchange of opinions
> and decision to act in a unified manner as a conspiracy and their
> statements as attacks. Do you not think that such a perspective is
> rather bias?
>
> Be no mistake. In my comments of the proposed amendments I expressed
> my opinion that the motion of certain amendment is an attempt to
> solve the situation in the TS (which the proponents see as un-
> democratic) by short cut and that the amendment would entirely
> disrupt the subtle balance of power as determined by the TS
> Constitution. I also share the opinion that the chosen way was un-
> democratic and I see it as an act of despair which actually brought a
> lot of damage to all who would like to see some democratic changes in
> the TS.
>
> But if TS officers accuse each other of being un-democratic then
> there must be some basis for this overall conviction.
>
> The question is who can heal this situation? Are current TS officers
> willing and capable to begin to act in a democratic way? Are they
> willing to listen to and give opportunity to members who are willing
> to participate in the creation of renewed Theosophical Society?
>
> Firing from all guns does not show this willingness!
>
> You can launch at this very moment a discussion about the new TS
> policy and plan of work for the next Presidential mandate!
>
> Best regards,
> Anton
>
> --- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com <theos-talk%40yahoogroups.com>, "Pedro
> Oliveira" <prmoliveira@...>
> wrote:
> >
> > The nature and the timing of the amendments to TS Rules proposed by
> > Betty Bland, John Algeo, Tran-Thi-Kim-Dieu and Wies Kuiper should
> be
> > examined objectively. When someone, who was a candidate in a
> > Presidential election and soon after the results are declared,
> > launches attacks at a sister TS Section (Indian) and at the
> > international Executive Committee, which is appointed by the
> General
> > Council, it becomes clear that that person has not accepted the
> > election results.
> >
> > The next step was Algeo's attempted formation of a "caucus" within
> > the GC. He obviously never consulted the Chair of the Council, who
> is
> > the President, about it. He unilaterally attempted to form a lobby,
> > with the help of his supporters, within the Council. His contempt
> for
> > the constitutional authority of the President again shows that he
> did
> > not accept the results of the elections, which were determined by
> the
> > vote of the majority of TS members.
> >
> > Bland-Algeo-Dieu-Kuiper's decision to propose substantial
> amendments
> > to the Rules of the TS very soon after a bitterly fought
> Presidential
> > election, including the termination of direct voting by members in
> > the Presidential election, is one of the most astonishing acts of
> > political violence in the history of the Theosophical Society. And
> it
> > is not difficult to see that the hurry to do so is directly
> connected
> > to the notion of Algeo's perceived majority within the General
> > Council on the basis of the number of nominations received by him
> > before the elections. I say "perceived majority" because it becomes
> > evident that any General Secretary who votes for such proposal
> would
> > be betraying the trust of his or her own members, after all the
> Rules
> > of the Society provide for the democratic election by members of
> > Lodge/Branch officers, General Secretary and the international
> > President. As a General Secretary is elected by the members why
> would
> > he or she deny them the right to elect the international President?
> >
> > The Bland-Algeo-Dieu-Kuiper proposal, if successful, would
> certainly
> > disrupt and destroy the very fabric of brotherhood without
> > distinctions which has been the foundation of the TS from the
> > beginning. For brotherhood implies and includes self-expression,
> > freedom of thought and freedom of choice. It is, as one teacher
> > said, "the only secure foundation for universal morality." A
> society
> > in which its members cannot have a say in the election of its
> > President can never be a brotherly society. It may be a regimented
> > body, but it can never be a body of seekers after truth.
> >
> > In his Inaugural Address (February 1953), N. Sri Ram wrote: "The
> > Society is even already a unique organization. There are so many
> > National Societies, each autonomous. Each Lodge, each member is
> > autonomous ? or should be. There is freedom for each and all, and
> > there ought to be also a complete openness of mind. But how are
> these
> > Sections and Lodges held together? Not by rules and constitution.
> > What is to prevent their breaking away and declaring their
> > independence, as did the various parts of Alexander's empire after
> he
> > passed away? The only thing that holds this world-wide organization
> > is the life which flows through the Society and the response which
> > the members all over the world make in their freedom to the impact
> of
> > that life."
> >
> >
> > Pedro Oliveira
> >
>
>  
>


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