Theos-Talk Archives (October 2008 Message tt00668)

Dear friends - Lovers of Truth,

I don't know how it is elsewhere but here, in Slovenia and in the 
region of former Yugoslavia in general, Masters' names are abused 
every day for special interests. In "esoteric" circles there is 
almost everyone in touch with them, if not directly then through 
some "enlightened" person. There are prophecies of all sorts 
delivered around; there are thousands of written words spread to 
enchant people to stick with definite circle with quite obvious but 
hidden political agenda and which is generating countless business 
opportunities on the fields of alternative medicine, psychology, 
agriculture, energy, tourism, ? actually with the aim to continue to 
control the society.

Many people here are gifted psychics. Remember, Nikola Tesla was from 
this region and he, for instance, felt passage of a carriage at the 
distance of three kilometers as an earthquake. But in general these 
people don't know what to do with their gifts and usually finish as a 
prey of money greed. 

Books of A. Besant and C. W. Leadbeater therefore appeal to their 
nature and bring them some understanding about the real source of 
this knowledge, about the nature of psychic phenomena and ethics 
which should be followed. And to more smart ones (with some 
introduction) they can reveal possible subtle manipulations which 
were and are going on.

The Theosophical Society here is not excluded; actually it is deep in 
this game thanks to the Esoteric Section. You can read in E. E. 
Wood's book about the manipulations he has to face when running for 
the office of the TS President:
http://www.teozofija.info/tsmembers/Wood_IsThisTheosophy.htm

In the past I witnessed forging of documents, intrigues which were 
worth of political police, unbelievable accusations of opponents out 
of sick vivid imagination and political manipulation - a complete 
dismantling of the democratic process. 

And I saw many elements (also noticed by other observers) of this 
kind of manipulation in the past TS President elections. 

But let's speak E.E. Wood once again:

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"By 1925 prayers of all the materially powerful religions were 
introduced on the Society's official platform, and the movement 
definitely degenerated into a brotherhood of creeds. Criticism of 
other people's ideas became "unbrotherly!" And besides, it "spoiled 
the work," and the work was largely a conveyance of blessings and 
forces by those who were admitted to the systems of organized access 
to these things. On these grounds offices were filled, and 
invitations were issued to leaders to preside and lecture at the 
Society's gatherings nearly all over the world.

Bishop Leadbeater was one of the worst politicians in this respect, 
especially as he grew older. He detested argument and criticism - 
such a waste of time; such a dissipation of energy. He said to 
me: "We must try to get our own people in as General Secretaries in 
as many countries as possible." He wrote many letters hinting that 
certain persons were the best. I did not question his earnestness and 
sincerity, but I thought that he ought to have gone out and started a 
new society on his own lines, which were quite different from those 
for which the Theosophical Society was intended. But he won his way, 
on account of his extraordinary persistence.

Bishop Leadbeater and his agents were eminent in the theosophical 
weakness of wanting things both ways at once, though that was quite 
illogical. The Society must be quite without dogma, and yet its 
councils must be governed and its platforms occupied by those who 
were eager to promote certain beliefs, leaderships and objectives, 
and members who opposed these must be kept in the background."

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And I would like to conclude with the words of F.P. Spinks:

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"Theosophist should examine his beliefs to see if any of them rest 
upon the declaration of some Voice of Authority, some "ipse dixit," 
some dogmatic statement, by a `leader' or `teacher.' If so, he is 
advised to hold these beliefs up to the light of sound reason, good 
judgment, and not to be carried away by the present prestige of the 
declarer as a `teacher' or `authority,' nor to his assertion that the 
declaration is being given out "in the Master's name" and is occult. 
Is it really likely that occult knowledge - which has to do with the 
use of hidden, secret and powerful forces - would be printed and 
handed out in this form to those who merely promise to keep it 
secret? 

All students of psychology know that when a dogma is rigidly held, it 
tends to make that person difficult to deal with, maladjusted. 
Particularly is this true in the religious area. Dogmatism spawns 
bigotry and bigotry, fanaticism. We do a distinct disservice to 
Theosophy when we become so dogmatic that we enter the area of 
fanaticism. George Santayana once defined a fanatic as a man who 
redoubles his efforts after he has forgotten his aims. 

If we probe into the dogmatic assertions of our Voices, of Authority 
we will find that these assertions are often in the nature of a smoke-
screen to hide a position of weakness, even ignorance. We must cease 
the falsity of hiding behind these dogmatic assertions, which are 
intended to shroud the maker in an aura of spiritual respectability 
greater than that of his hearer - and always greater than he 
deserves. Its obvious purpose is to use the aura of the Masters to 
impress those of us who are mere lay members. Those who fraudulently 
make assertions in the name of the Masters are guilty of dishonorable 
conduct which debases and corrupts the Society wherein they take a 
prominent part. It is a crime against the integrity of all those 
sincere if misguided people who pay them and their utterances a 
greater respect than they deserve. Let us once and for all do away 
with this cant and this hero-worship of not 
infallible `teachers,' `leaders' or gurus of any description. There 
should be no sacred cows in the Theosophical Movement. We have here 
learned on the highest authority that all are fallible."

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Wouldn't be fun if some day an UFO would land and we would see our 
Masters in company of some other People stepping down the stairs 
saluting us and saying: "Well, nothing special, isn't it, but you 
earned it!" 

Warmest regards,
Anton