Theos-Talk Archives (November 2008 Message tt00156)

CHANGE, CONSENSUS & THE MIND OF THE MEMBERSHIP 

Dear Fellow Theosophists; 

There is a need for greater lateral communication among the Lodges,Groups & the Membership in general. 

Currently most communication originates from the National Headquarters without adequate membership participation. This project is an attempt to address this situation. 

We invite your open participation. This is to be a Forum at which you can express your opinions, ideas and concerns with all other Theosophists without fear of being edited. We are Not controlled by National Headquarters. 

Your comments will be posted just as you intend them. However we do request that you observe our three ground rules. 


1. Always address only Issuse, Not personalities, this is Not an attack forum. 


2 Please address Only Issues, not matters of Teaching or Doctrine. There are many other fine websites that deal with our Teachings. 


3. Please be Rational and avoid Emotionalism. We may Strongly Dis-agree, that's OK! We do Not have to agree. But we must strive to keep an open mind and seek further clarification and understanding. We can dis-agree in a manner that does not denigrate the personhood of anyone or alienate us from their Goodwill. 

[ Posting which violate these ground rules will be deleted] 


>From such Open, Honest & Respectful Dialogue we all can achieve new insights and understandings which would have not occured previously. 


The words of our classic "Golden Stairs" begin with: " A Clean Life, An Open Mind."   


What is an Open Mind? Is it one with strongly held preconceptions, or an agenda? Or is it one that is willing to consider without prejudice the "emergent values and insights" that occur in Honest, Respectful and Open Dialogue? 


We need to talk together and find these emergent insights and understandings. 

These will give us an intelligent basis for formulating any changes we might want or need to consider. 
In the Theosophical Society there is NO Authority to adjudicate or Pontificate these matters. We do Not elect Gurus, we elect Administrators. 


Hopefully the administrators we elect are also Good Students of Theosophy. We are ALL Students. Some are more learned, others just beginning. But there is No Orthodoxy to compel us or deprive us of our freedom of conscience 


So finding a Consensus by poling the Mind of the Membership is critical to nurturing and maintaining our Theosophical Traditions of Individual Freedom. 


Intelligent changes that are congruent with our Traditions are brought about this way. Which also means that Our elected Leaders must be responsive to the membership  or they are betraying our Traditions. 


Leaders who ignore this Consensus must have either their own or someone else's private agenda to promote. That does not seem to be having an "Open Mind." Nor can asking the opinion of 12 or 15 people who also happen 
be be in your employ, be considered a legitimate Consensus of the Membership. 


We have heard recently of many many cases in which members communication to the Leadership and/or their District Director has been ignored, not answered. They are Silent. 


This is Not a noble silence, it is a cowerdly evasion. This certainly cannot be construed as being responsive or keeping in touch with the membership, and creates a sense of alienation in the membership. 


This attitude creates an adversarial feeling between the membership & National Headquarters, and is very detrimental to fostering fellowship and goodwill. 


We also hear the term "Elite" Theosophists. In actuality there are No "Elite " Theosophists, We are ALL "Elite." You must awaken from a sense of inferiority and claim and demand your equal status be recognized. Those who perpetrate or imagine or think that they enjoy an "Elite " status are caught in a web of egotistical pride, certainly contrary to our egaltarian tradition of Universal Brotherhood. 


We must remember that The Society is NOT the National Headquarters, it is US, The Society Is US, an organic living collective consciousness. 

And that those whom we have elected that fail to be responsive to US have forfeited their right to represent US, they are acting on their own agenda Not OURS. 


We Must Demand that They Listen and act on Our consensus....or they will continue to disregard us and mis-represent OUR Society. The apathy of the membership is their license to continue to dis-regard us. 


We also hear of attacks against the Esoteric Section. While not a member of the E.S. myself, I think that these assumptions are unfounded. These suspicions have been prevalent also in the past. I strongly believe in the Integrity and neutrality of the E.S in these matters. The E.S. does have its' legitimate place as a separate but allied organization for discipleship training, and has always cautioned and forbidden its membership from involving themselves in The T.S. issues or influencing T.S. matters in any way. Until my confidence in them is proven wrong, I will continue to give them the benefit of the doubt. 


We need to talk about these and many other things. There is no "Glass ceiling" to our dialogue, other than our three ground rules of courtesy. Please join in and express yourself. 


Issues like removing the Theosophical Seal from our website & letterhead are serious. The Seal represents an epitome of the Perennial Wisdom of all ages and has Great Significance in our Tradition. If one is embarrased or uncomfortable with it, maybe they are in the wrong organization. 


Rather than hide it we should study it so that we are able to intelligently explain it to others. After all Our Society does stand for something, and Our Seal represents what we stand for. 


Questions of Consensus: How many of you agree with the removal of our Seal? 


How many of you want to give up you right to vote for our International President? 


We could talk about many other things, these are just examples to get us started. 


Although our primary focus is Adyar Theosophists in the United States, We cordially also welcome the amity and participation of ALL Theosophists worldwide...We want you too. 


N. Sri Ram once wrote one of the most beautiful expressions of spirituality that I have ever encountered:    

"When you are one with every heart that beats, then you are nothing in yourself." 
  
" I will listen to you, especially when we dis-agree." 

Can each of us, in honor of Sri Ram begin to listen to all others as though we were one with every heartbeat on earth?  Let's do it. 


Let us QUEST Together in Fraternal Respect and Goodwill. 


Fraternally & Respectfully;

Wiliam Delahunt
Orlando, Florida
Theosophist@webtv.net 


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LET'S TALK 

Click this link to begin the journey and Dialogue... 

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TSDIALOGUE/ 


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KEEP UP TO DATE ON THESE ISSUES 

Refer to these websites: 

A Time For Healing And Creative Solutions 

(click link) 
http://www.teozofija.info/Teozofsko_gibanje/Healing_Time.htm 


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Wake-Up Say What You Think

http://eletzerich.wordpress.com 

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After the TS President Elections 2008 

http://www.teozofija.info/Teozofsko_gibanje/After_Elections_2008.htm 

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PLEASE CIRCULATE THIS NOTE TO OTHER THEOSOPHISTS YOU KNOW OF. AND SHARE WITH YOUR LODGES & GROUPS. 

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