Theos-Talk Archives (November 2008 Message tt00355)

Dear Anand and all,

It is probably time to cease to pretend that we don't know what all 
is about. We have in the Theosophical Society a corporative interest 
of creeds which is preventing free study and expression of each 
individual experience of theosophy for the benefit of humanity. This 
freedom is prevented because it is not controllable otherwise than 
with strict application of constitutional platform and realization of 
Society's objects and purpose of existence, which on the other hand 
deny the basis for existence of creeds and authority of so-called 
spiritual leaders. 

If the Theosophical Society would in fact allow, encourage and 
organize free study and individual expression then we would have 
trouble to manage the inflow of young and serious people willing to 
work and collaborate. It already happened in some cases and it was 
successfully suppressed by those who put their personal interests 
before the common interest of the Theosophical Society and humanity 
at large.

If the top aspirations of the Theosophical Society will continue to 
be the study of hundred years old literature for the amusement of 
people who don't know how to otherwise spent their extra time then it 
will not be better then association of Sunday clubs. 

Warmest regards,
Anton 

p.s. I apologize for these statements to all those countless members 
of the Theosophical Society who continue to be faithful to the 
original program of the Theosophical Society and invest tremendous 
efforts to keep Theosophical Society alive in these unpleasant 
circumstances.



--- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com, "Anand" <AnandGholap@...> wrote:
>
> In coming decades, I think, there will be significant change in
> psychology of people. Earlier people used to follow, believe and 
study
> only one religion. Recently I came across some young people who 
showed
> desire to study different religions, even if they were following one
> religion. 
> I think, after two decades or so people will not be satisfied by
> studying just one religion. There might be future generations which
> will be "MULTIRELIGIOIUS", who will study many religions and
> philosophies and try to understand common ideas among them. 
Theosophy
> of Leadbeater, Besant and those in that tradition will be suitable 
and
> useful to this new generation of MULTIRELIGIOUS people. And because
> this generation will appreciate good things in all religions, they
> will become more tolerant toward people of different religions. 
> I think, real work of Theosophy might have just begun. It is because
> intelligent people will ask for fuller explanation of things which
> Theosophy offers. They won't say religions are false, but they will
> not be satisfied with little knowledge given by old religions. They
> will want to know more and for that they will study more than one
> religions and philosophies. And Theosophy will be of great help in
> making them understand the creation.
> Best
> Anand Gholap
> 
> 
> 
> 
> --- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com, "Joseph P. Fulton"
> <jpfulton314@> wrote:
> >
> > I haven't posted here for a while, but what comes to mind Anand, 
is 
> > the whole idea of having creeds.  My primary influence in 
Theosophy 
> > comes from reading the first six years of the Theosophist 
magazine.  
> > The one thing so amazing about the Theosophist was how involved 
it was 
> > in asking questions, and the discussion those questions 
fomented.  It 
> > reminds me very much of the site www.edge.org insofar as it 
> > represented the cutting edge of thought for the day.  
> > 
> > Right now, I hate to say this boys and girls, but as a movement 
we're 
> > hardly relevant to anything.  It's really sad because our culture 
is 
> > about to really go through some bad stuff with technology (like 
3rd & 
> > 4th RR stuff...self-destruction and the like), and perhaps 
> > Theosophists are the best positioned to ask the right questions 
and 
> > help steer the thought into something that may not be so 
destructive.  
> > 
> > But its ok, keep arguing about stuff that nobody cares about, and 
> > while you're doing that make sure to play the song "One Tin 
Soldier", 
> > by Coven.
> > 
> > Therefore, it seems that the Theosophical movement would do best 
to 
> > ask questions, concentrate more on promoting the study of 
comparative 
> > religion, philosophy and science, and the investigation of the 
> > "unexplained laws" of nature.  The whole "Masters" thing is 
little 
> > more than a distraction to our work as a public movement, and the 
> > advice given to Besant in 1908 by KH seems to be as appropriate 
as 
> > ever.  This is, after all, a movement of ideas!
> > 
> > Joe
> > 
> > --- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com, "Anand" <AnandGholap@> wrote:
> > >
> > > 
> > > --- 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
> > >
> >
>