Theos-Talk Archives (January 2009 Message tt00623)

Dear Morten and All

Morten, in light of your extracts below, the following 
quote may be of interest:

"But what has a "working" member of the Theosophical 
Society independent of any public function or office, 
and who is neither judge, public prosecutor nor preacher, 
to do with the misdeeds of his neighbours? If a member of 
the T.S. is found guilty of one of the above enumerated or 
some still worse crime, and if another member becomes 
possessed of irrefutable evidence to that effect, it may 
become his painful duty to bring the same under the notice 
of the Council of his Branch. Our Society has to be 
protected, as also its numerous members. This, again, would 
only be simple justice. A natural and truthful statement 
of facts cannot be regarded as "evil speaking" or as a 
condemnation of one's brother. Between this, however, 
and deliberate backbiting there is a wide chasm."

IS DENUNCIATION A DUTY? H P Blavatsky & Mabel Collins
Lucifer; LONDON, DECEMBER 15th, 1888; Vol. 3,  No. 16 

>From my perspective, this article is one of great wisdom 
as it considers the eternal debate concerning "judgement" 
from the authors' theosophical perspective.

Regards
Nigel 
 

--- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com, "Morten Nymann Olesen" <global-
theosophy@...> wrote:
>
> Dear friends
> 
> My views are:
> 
> 
> On how to relate to slanders spread about the Society...
> 
> 
> H. P. Blavatsky wrote in The Key to Theosophy, p. 250:
> 
> " 
> WHAT A THEOSOPHIST OUGHT NOT TO DO. 
> 
> ENQUIRER. Have you any prohibitory laws or clauses for Theosophists 
in your Society?
> 
> 
> THEOSOPHIST. Many, but, alas! none of them are enforced. They 
express the ideal of our organization, - but the practical 
application of such things we are compelled to leave to the 
discretion of the Fellows themselves. Unfortunately, the state of 
men's minds in the present century is such that, unless we allow 
these clauses to remain, so to speak, obsolete, no man or woman would 
dare to risk joining the Theosophical Society. This is precisely why 
I feel forced to lay such a stress on the difference between true 
Theosophy and its hard-struggling and well-intentioned, but still 
unworthy vehicle, the Theosophical Society. 
> 
> 
> 
> ENQUIRER. May I be told what are these perilous reefs in the open 
sea of Theosophy? 
> 
> 
> 
> THEOSOPHIST. Well may you call them reefs, as more than one 
otherwise sincere and well-meaning F.T.S. has had his Theosophical 
canoe shattered into splinters on them! And yet to avoid certain 
things seems the easiest thing in the world to do. For instance, here 
is a series of such negatives, screening positive Theosophical 
duties: - 
> 
> No Theosophist should be silent when he hears evil reports or 
slanders spread about the Society, or innocent persons, whether they 
be his colleagues or outsiders. 
> 
> 
> 
> ENQUIRER. But suppose what one hears is the truth, or may be true 
without one knowing it? 
> 
> 
> 
> THEOSOPHIST. Then you must demand good proofs of the assertion, and 
hear both sides impartially before you permit the accusation to go 
uncontradicted. You have no right to believe in evil,
> 
> 
> until you get undeniable proof of the correctness of the statement. 
> 
> 
> 
> ENQUIRER. And what should you do then? 
> 
> 
> 
> THEOSOPHIST. Pity and forbearance, charity and long-suffering, 
ought to be always there to prompt us to excuse our sinning brethren, 
and to pass the gentlest sentence possible upon those who err. A 
Theosophist ought never to forget what is due to the shortcomings and 
infirmities of human nature. 
> 
> 
> 
> ENQUIRER. Ought he to forgive entirely in such cases? 
> 
> 
> 
> THEOSOPHIST. In every case, especially he who is sinned against. 
> 
> 
> 
> ENQUIRER. But if by so doing, he risks to injure, or allow others 
to be injured? What ought he to do then? 
> 
> 
> 
> THEOSOPHIST. His duty; that which his conscience and higher nature 
suggests to him; but only after mature deliberation. Justice consists 
in doing no injury to any living being; but justice commands us also 
never to allow injury to be done to the many, or even to one innocent 
person, by allowing the guilty one to go unchecked. 
> 
> 
> 
> ENQUIRER. What are the other negative clauses? 
> 
> 
> 
> THEOSOPHIST. No Theosophist ought to be contented with an idle or 
frivolous life, doing no real good to himself and still less to 
others. He should work for the benefit of the few who need his help 
if he is unable to toil for Humanity, and thus work for the 
advancement of the Theosophical cause. "
> 
> http://www.phx-ult-lodge.org/aKEY.htm
> 
> 
> 
> M. Sufilight
> 
> 
> 
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>