Re: Theos-World Huge increase of Theosophical members in Denmark!
Jul 26, 2009 11:38 AM
by Morten Nymann Olesen
Dear MKR and friends
My views are:
Thank you for your kind response.
I would like to be more precise about the Internet and its use. I would not call the Internet - essential. I would rather call it important to use, when it is important to use. And when it is not, it is not. I think you agree.
Some clairvoyants do not think that much of it. And in fact in the end one will later on the path regard the use of the Internet as being able to deteriorate the mind. Mass-mailing is perhaps not the best of activities, when one is in an urgent spiritual need for visiting a friends or two, or in need for helping someone in real llife - and not throught this artificial screen, some readers tend to look at right now. Yet, a great number of persons realise that the Internet are - spiritually - changing the planet we live on and it is fueling, political changes as well. And this is truely important.
What I am considering to be of most importance is the fact, that the "New Age" term and concept seems to have had this huge - and perhaps primary - influence in Denmark. Also apart from the fact, that most of the theosophical groups in Denmark use the Alice A. Bailey version of the term (we Know that Alice A. bailey groups around the globe have had a great success in westernized countries), but the importance of it when we read and look at our present time and hour on this globe, as well as H. P. Blavatsky's (and partly the two Masters) words about a coming Torchbearer after the years 1975. People simply need something, they, can call new!
Who was this Torchbearer and did he/she or even It arrive? What impulses have been created since 1975 until today we may ask? And what New Age is dawning ahead of us in the near future to come?
- I think the answers to these and similar New Age related questions will return the missing key to the various theosophical groups, who have come to a stand still or are declining heavily.
Another issue is the marketing used. Local advertisning and creating very small groups everywhere, and advertisning - single local members in the countryside near the readers. How many theosophical groups advertises (!) a one day each week - no fee - open house library, free tea and talk day?
M. Sufilight
----- Original Message -----
From: Messenger
To: theos-talk@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Sunday, July 26, 2009 5:33 PM
Subject: Re: Theos-World Huge increase of Theosophical members in Denmark!
Glad you posted the msg. TS(Adyar) followers can benefit from the experience
discussed. Interface with the public is necessary. Use of Internet is
essential.
Active programs which repeat some of the fundamental messages of theosophy
will slowly sink in. Most politicians know why repetition of a short
statement does affect the masses. George Bush Sr lost to Clinton because of
the repetition of the famous words âWatch my lipsâ.
Messenger
visit theosophy.net
On Sun, Jul 26, 2009 at 10:12 AM, Morten Nymann Olesen <
global-theosophy@stofanet.dk> wrote:
>
>
> Dear friends
>
> My views are:
>
> Maybe the following could be helpfull to consider if any of you are
> planning to increase awareness of the theosophical doctrines. Read the
> below, and tell me what you think about it all.
>
> July 2009
> *** Huge increase of Theosophical members in Denmark! ***
> A few days back, july 2009, there were a reoccurring radio program here in
> Denmark called something which translates to "Religious Report" on the major
> Danish radio channel Program 1 (or P1).
>
> The program was about religion and about half of it - about 20 minutes -
> was about the Theosophists and the continous increase in membership they
> have had here in Denmark the latest 30 years. The journalist interviewed a
> Professor named Renà Dybdal Pedersen (A religions sociologist) on the issue
> and about theosophists in general. - From the interview it clearly appears,
> that Renà Dybdal Pedersen (RDP) had studied theosophy a lot. Although he had
> a few slip ups in the interview, he made a good case. ( To those with Danish
> abilities the interview is still online:
> http://www.dr.dk/P1/Religionsrapport/udsendelser/2009/07/13144107.htm )
>
> THE FOCUS OF THE INTERVIEW
> The focus of the interview was the strange fact, that the membership of
> theosophy (Only Theosophy, and Alice A. Bailey groups, and for instance not
> Steiner, not LCC, not Krishnamurti) in Denmark had increased dramatically
> during the latest two decades, when compared to theosophists in other
> European countries. And when compatred to other New-religious movements in
> Denmark.
>
> MAJOR INCREASE IN MEMBERSHIP
> In Denmark the theosophists had according to Renà Dybdal Pedersen increased
> its membership since early 1980'ies with 400%! - A staggering increase
> although a small number - only 1200 without taking related groups into
> account. An further he said that most of the other new-religious movements
> more or less derived their teachings from theosophical ones or very similar
> ones.
>
> IS THEOSOPHY A SPIRITUAL-SCIENCE or GOD-worship?
> RDP says that from 1875-1905 it remained a Spiritual-Science. After 1905 or
> 1910 it turned more or less into a religious oriented movement according to
> RDP.
> (M. Sufilight says: Interesting words coming from a scientist!)
>
> THE REASON WHY other countries did not increase:
> When asked why this had happended to the theosophists in Denmark and not
> theoopshists in other countries, he said:
>
> 1) It has primarily been due to good marketing. The theosophists did
> however not do as much marketing as the Christians and their missionary
> activities according to Renà Dybdal Pedersen. So what did the theosophist in
> Denmark in fact do? - They simply stated the same doctrines over and over
> again. And they did it by lectures, books, internet presence, and in the
> medias in generel.
>
> 2) New kind of activities. (M. Sufilight: As far as I know, it has been the
> allowance of lectures by Spiritists, claimed Clairvoyants, and others.
> Inviting foregin lecturers. By having one day weekly: Totally free open
> workshop and healing day! - And by using their own radio program. We are a
> small country. )
>
> 3) Breaking with TS Adyar's policy in 1989 - nearly all danish theosophists
> choosing Alice A. Bailey's teachings, although they seek to formulate it as
> close as deemed possible towards TS Adyar's policy!
> (M. Sufilight: Too much non-critical acceptance of Alice A. Bailey and C.
> W. Leadbeater is still at problem in Denmark, if I am asked.)
>
> 4) Pushing the doctrine called the New Age, implying a Paradigm Shift in
> the near future.
>
> - - -
> M. Sufilight says:
> Let me add other possible influences: Denmark is one of the wealthiest
> countries on the planet. There is near no poverty at all in Denamrk. Most
> citizens are living on a high level of Maslows pyramid - and have spare time
> to consider - self-actualisation. Denmark is special in the sense, that a
> higher number of citizens (in percentage) are very actively interested in
> politics. Denmark is a small country. Denmark was and is one of the
> countries in Europe, who are using the Internet much more than other
> European countries. - There is a widespread tradition for the free creation
> of societies in Denmark. - Creating theosophical groups no matter how small
> is quite normal.
>
> THE REASON WHY other New-religious groups did not succed in Denmark:
> 1) The reincarnation doctrine is not like the Buddhists in general.
> Reincarnation into a animal will not happen like that, if you have behaved
> bad in the past life. And the Law of Karma.
>
> Others do not have this doctrine at all.
>
> 2) Theosophical groups are extremely good at publisizing online on the
> Internet and a great number of books - or related books are already
> available. And books about New Age as well.
>
> 3) The New Age concept is accepted in the Theosophical groups in Denmark.
>
> 4) The doctrine about the Masters. And that there are more than one person
> you can communicate with.
>
> 5) Mediations. And especially also Meditations seeking contact with the
> Masters.
>
> 6) The theosophists in Denmark have promote what people wanted and perhaps
> also what they needed.
>
> DANISH THEOSOPHISTS influence the Christian Churches:
> The Christian Church in Denamark have during the latest 30 years
> increasingly allowed meditation within the Church it self or multi-religious
> activities to take place. Whether the theosophist have influenced this
> change directly cannot be proven, but it seems somewhat likely. (The essence
> of his words given by M. Sufilight)
>
> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
> M. Sufilight adds:
> In Denmark the official statistics says, that 25% believes in
> reincarnation.
> Yet 82,1 % (jan. 2008) are still members of the Christian Lutheran Church.
> (In Denmark one is born as a member of the Church if your parents are
> members, and you will pay Church-tax automatically until you resign. ) And
> about 2-3% are Muslims.
>
> Some of the main danish lecturers behind the above mentioned increase is:
> Asger Lorentsen, Soren Hauge, Erik Ansvang and a number of others.
>
> - - -
> Maybe the various TS groups aught to re-consider the main issue:
> The NEW AGE factor?
>
> I am tlaking about New Age in a broad, karmic and scientific sense etc.
> etc.
> And I do not recommend it in a narrowminded Alice A. Bailey sense.
> We cull the good we find in each.
>
> M. Sufilight
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>
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