Theos-Talk Archives (May 2009 Message tt00628)

Time may be running out for TS outside India
.
Foundation of TS:
.
The three legs of the TS are - Brotherhood, Truth and Welfare of Humanity.
These are very simple that even illiterate can understand. Theosophical
lecturers, scholars, leaders have been talking about them quoting various
Founders of Religions, scriptures, theosophical classics, trying to explain
varied aspects of the three legs.
.
Election and the aftermath
.
The 2008 election is a landmark.  How the electioneering was conducted is
unparalled in the history of TS. For years, it would be discussed and
written about its players, strategies and tactics. In the past, after the
election was over, members and leaders around the world got on with the work
of popularizing theosophy. This was not to be the case in 2008.
.
When members thought, voting settled the election, unproven allegations were
made about procedures in India (which Indian Section challenged), possibly
with a view to question the legitimacy of the election results. This was
followed by a bomb, which shocked members world-wide.
.
A small group of GC members from the West, made an ultra secret attempt to
seize the presidency by GC taking over the appointment of the President by
disenfranchising of all members world-wide. Thanks to Internet, this scheme
was discovered in time and disaster averted. Also members world-wide shocked
at what their leaders were upto. Many members felt that this attempt was in
very bad faith on the part of those behind it.
.
GC Meeting
.
For reasons members do not know, there seems to be strong feelings about the
election and other issues. None of the members who are familiar with early
theosophical writings, were surprised at it. One of the Founders has
categorically stated that human nature is the same whether in the streets of
London or Paris or at Adyar.
.
The GC members have known and interacted with each other and the President
during past several years and are more like members of a close knit family.
So the next opportunity for them to get together came when many of them
visited Adyar for the 2008 Convention and the GC meeting. They were fully
aware of the issues and the opinions on them.
.
When you have complex problems in the family, what do you do? You get
together in an informal setting and discuss the issues and usually they lead
to some resolution. You cannot resolve complex problems using email, faxes,
letters, telelphone calls. Anyone who has been in the middle of complex
problems know this to be a fact.
.
>From the reports we have seen so far about the GC meeting/Convention, no one
seems to have taken the initiative to discuss issues in an informal setting
prior to the formal meeting of the GC with a view to resolve them. What the
voting in the GC showed was a clear cut cleavage displayed by a solid block
of GC members opposing every nominee and some required the vote of the
President to break the tie. This is most disappointing and unusual in the
history of TS. What is even more unexplained is that the nominations are
made with greatest care and all of them are long term dedicated outstanding
members of TS. When anyone opposes such nominees, there should be a
justification for opposition, because ordinary members are perplexed about
the standard that GC members apply when they exercise their votes. It is
further not their personal votes; they are the representatives of the
Sections and they owe it to their members an explanation. This is all the
more so with the background of bad faith  secret attempt to seize the
presidency by disenfranchisement.
.
Impact on and damage to TS
.
Membership recruitment and retention outside India is in a sad state. After
all the developments described above, many members hold their leaders in a
low level of trust. We do not know if the leaders outside India are aware of
how all of the above is hurting the TS. With the passage of each day, the
damage continues. From individuals' point of view, they will all be gone
sooner or later. It is the damage to TS that is going to last for a long
time.
.
Where are we heading?
.
The TS was built-up by the sacrifices of many unknown members who were
energized by the First Object and recognized what it can do the Humanity.
Building up is hard and takes time. Causing damage is very easy. We are yet
to see actions from the "leaders" to fix the cleavage problem and the damage
continues. Unless some leaders take quick dramatic personal steps to bring
about cooperation and unity of purpose, it is TS that is going to be
damaged. The fix cannot be done by email, phone, letters, faxes or formal
meeting trying to split hairs and arguing about rules and regulations. It
can be done only in personal informal approach.
.
Let us keep tuned and hope some miracle happens.
.
.
MKR


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]