Theos-Talk Archives (January 2010 Message tt00118)

Let me give my take on it.

TS leaders always had control over the medium of one-way communication with
the membership. So they told members what they chose to tell, mostly
unimportant and insignificant. If you look at how the organization manages
at the section and international level, it is with very little transparency.
The secrecy of operation helps them to do whatever they want without members
knowing the specific details. Having grown up with the mind set, which gives
them a cozy feeling and used to one way communication, I do not think they
have either understood the importance of or how to deal with Internet
multi-way communication. So they simply keep quiet.

Add to this is the fact that theos-talk is not under their control and hence
is treated like a pariah; but from all accounts it is being monitored, which
is good.

Now comes the members. Many members follow their leaders. There are those
who room and board depend on TS leaders and hence they dare not risk their
room and board. With the unofficial connection with other organizations such
as Co-Masonry etc., the progression - getting higher degrees which makes
many feel good and superior to ordinary folks like us - will be risked if
they do not follow the unwritten rules of the leaders.

For many members, who deliver lectures or do a song and dance, or travel
with TS treasury money, the leaders are in a position to control access to
the platform. If you do not toe the unwritten policy, your access to the
platform will be cut off. There may be other reasons that other members may
be able to share.

Present mode of operating and keeping silent has not worked. Actually it has
worked against the spread of theosophy. Just see the frozen situation with
membership in most sections outside India. Krotona which was started by
Besant as a vibrant center, now has turned to be a retirement community with
septua and octogenarians residing there. Besant would be turning in her
grave if she sees what is going on in Krotona.

Today, every organization in the West is using Internet to communicate with
their customers. Even Pope recently encouraged their ministers to use
Internet. TS is still in stone age as far as Internet is concerned even in
the Western countries. Until and unless we get some young leaders who
understand Internet lead the sections and international, I do not think the
situation is going to change unless the leaders open up their eyes and take
a daring leap into using Internet.

MKR


On Sun, Jan 31, 2010 at 5:18 AM, Morten Nymann Olesen <
global-theosophy@stofanet.dk> wrote:

>
>
> Dear
>
> My views are:
>
> wrote:
>
> "Continued silence will not make the issues and
> problems go away."
>
> I find this to be central to the problems facing The Theosophical Society
> Adyar.
>
> Let me ask a few questions, which seem begging to be answered:
>
> * Are there no members from TS Adyar on this forum, who can enlighten us -
> so we at least might understand, what kind of shortcircuit which has made
> this thundering silence come about?
>
> * When did it begin?
> * When did the honest debates on the Theosophist stop and come to a halt?
> * Who were or was responsible for this?
>
> Is a Universal Brotherhood promoted through silence?
>
> M. Sufilight
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: MKR
> To: theos-talk
> Sent: Saturday, January 30, 2010 1:50 AM
> Subject: Theos-World Aging Leadership and Current Situation
>
> Aging leadership did not arise overnight. It has been developing over the
> past several years. In some sections, such as the USA, the rules were
> tightened after the Bing episode (that is another story) so that it is very
> difficult for any promising young leader to move up quickly. Nor we have
> seen any concerted effort by anyone to identify and develop promising young
> leaders.
>
> Also, the GC members have been derelict in not raising the issue of
> developing young leaders because the future depends on them. If the same
> level of energy now being spent on lay men/womenâs hair splitting of rules
> and regulations, had been directed say a decade ago, on this serious issue,
> we now will have a choice of younger leaders to lead TS into the future.
>
> Recently, a theosophist mentioned that if you visit Krotona, it looks like
> a
> old age home with aged theosophists. To give some respectability, many
> residents are called âEldersâ. Anyone who has had a chance to read the
> history of Krotona which is fully depicted in Rossâ book, would realize
> that
> when it was established by Annie Besant, although independent of TS/TSA, it
> was to be a dynamic and vibrant place where only ES members are allowed to
> reside and help the growth of TS in America. The current situation should
> alarm even an ordinary member and raise a red flag in their minds.
>
> Having been blind to the current serious situation in TS, the events of
> last
> election, followed by the unsubstantiated allegations about the election in
> Indian Section, culminating in the ultra secret failed attempt to
> disenfranchise all members (behind the back of members) and seize control
> of
> the presidency, and the subsequent display of cleavage in the GC meeting,
> and many GC members from many European countries absent from recent
> convention, and with no sign of any effort by any GC member who opposed
> Radha Burnier in last election in coming up with creative plans to bring
> about quick cooperation and reconciliation, speaks for itself.
>
> With the above situation, all of the above has not helped either TS or
> theosophy. With Internet, anyone in the world can see what is going on. In
> my opinion, they have definitely hurt TS and theosophy and no one knows how
> long it would take to get out of the ditch into which both have fallen.
> Anyone who thinks all the above actions are helping TS and theosophy,
> should
> come out and convince the membership how these events have helped TS and
> theosophy move forward. Continued silence will not make the issues and
> problems go away. Also if there are any machinations behind the silence,
> they are not going to help TS and theosophy.
>
> If HPB and Olcott were to see what is going on, they would be turning in
> their graves.
>
> Let us hope and pray that everyone opens their eyes and hearts and sees the
> truth and put into practice what has been preached in various theosophical
> classics.
>
> MKR
>
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>
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>
>  
>


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