Theos-Talk Archives (November 2008 Message tt00319)

--- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com, "Anton Rozman" <anton_rozman@...>
wrote:
>
> Dear Anand,
> 
> As I find the topic in discussion crucial for the understanding of 
> the role of the Theosophical Society I would like to express some 
> personal views. 
> 
> In what sense was the Theosophical Society meant to be vehicle for 
> the spiritual movement? Can "spiritual movement" express itself 
> through an organization which is an artificial form of association of 
> different individuals and not by itself a body capable to express 
> some "spiritual truth"? Can not spiritual truths, ideas, express 
> themselves only through individuals? If this is the case, and it 
> certainly is, then these expressions are necessarily different as 
> individuals are different. The organization can promote some 
> uniform "spiritual truth" only when its individual members decide to 
> give up to their individual expressions and subdue themselves, for 
> whatever reason, to some other individual expression of "spiritual 
> truth" or "teaching" transforming it into dogma. 

Theosophical Society may be proud of not having any creed. And it may
also become proud of not having distinctions based on caste, creed,
sex etc.
But then why should we meet in Theosophical lodge? 
Person can go to any club to pass time. Or he can join a library where
there will be many books on different religions. He can borrow those
books and study, or he can join some Theology course. 
So, despite fantastic idea of not having creed, I feel that members of
TS come to TS to study Theosophy, which is composed of writings of
main Theosophists. For these students writings of these favorite
Theosophists is creed. You can see students of Blavatsky believing in
writings of Blavatsky like creed. And some others believing in
writings of Besant and Leadbeater like creed. So I think despite
official statements of no creed, there do exist some creeds in TS. And
if people are not interested in those creeds, i.e. writings of
favorite Theosophists, they will not come to TS. 
That means even if TS has not declared officially any creed, there are
3-4 unofficial creeds in existence. And if even these unofficial
creeds are removed, then there does not remain any reason for people
to come to the Theosophical Society.
My problem is related to this issue. I want to spread creed of Besant
and Leadbeater. Because Blavatsky and Krishnamurti were connected to
the TS, when I spread creed of Leadbeater, I indirectly give impulse
to other creeds of Blavatsky and Krishnamurti. Now, I don't agree with
writings of Blavatsky and Krishnamurti and I don't want to be
responsible for spreading creeds of Blavatsky and Krishnamurti. How
can I do that? One solution I found is to reject Krishnamurti by
expressly writing in my article. I think I should show mistakes of
Blavatsky and reject that teaching expressly. 
This message gives some idea of how unofficial creeds exist in TS and
their dynamics.

Best
Anand Gholap