Theos-Talk Archives (November 2008 Message tt00063)

In a comment on www.theosophyforward.com (Website is no longer up), Susan
Kaschula, GS from South Africa wrote:

"The votes of the General Council should carry more weight as its members
are in a better position to ascertain the true situation. From my
experience, members did not know who to vote for and said they would vote
for the person the Section nominated".

The GS represents the small  South African section and reflects the mind-set
of a typical GC member. I surmise that with the low retention rates of
membership outside India, ignorance of members about the candidates is the
logical result. Combined with downward trend of membership outside India,
the situation is going to become worse unless attention is paid to diagnose
the membership bleeding problem on a priority basis and try to increase
membership.

Due to the decentralized autonomous setup of the TS, the key to any growth
of the organization is the lodge members' commitment and grass roots
activity. It is the responsibility of the elected General Secretaries to do
everything they can to vitalize lodges in their countries.

Instead of recognizing the serious membership problem in the backyards, GC
members are busy secretly attempting  to disenfranchise members and
radically change the rules.

I am yet to hear from anyone (1) how the membership bleeding is lowest
priority ignorable/ignored issue and (2) how the secret attempt to
disenfranchisement and radical changes to the rules is the highest priority
issue.

More silent the GC members are, coupled with the secrecy surrounding the
proposals and decisions, more vigilant all of us should be, since we do not
know what is cooking we may be in for a surprise not in the best interests
of the members or TS or theosophy.

Again, let me add, without our most powerful ally - Internet - coming
December we all would have woken up to find we are all disenfranchised and a
clique of handful GC members seized the power and made the International
President a puppet.


MKR


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