Theos-Talk Archives (February 2010 Message tt00124)

The answer would be simple but they would use a lot more words.  "The  
Colonel could make any rule he wanted, but he's dead now and we don't  care."
 
Chuck the Heretic
 
www.charlescosimano.com  

 
In a message dated 2/11/2010 1:05:26 P.M. Central Standard Time,  
global-theosophy@stofanet.dk writes:

 
 
 
Dear friends

My views are:

The below words might be  worthwhile to consider...
Some of you already know about them, - yet others  do not.

"In the Supplement to The Theosophist for July 1883 can be  found a very 
important pronouncement by Col. H. S. Olcott, the co-founder and  President of 
the Theosophical Society, against mixing Theosophy and politics.  This 
statement, which H.P.B. endorsed, reads:

The tenacious observance  by the Founders of our Society of the principle 
of absolute neutrality, on its  behalf, in all questions which lie outside 
the limits of its declared  "objects," ought to have obviated the necessity to 
say that there is a natural  and perpetual divorce between Theosophy and 
Politics. Upon a hundred platforms  I have announced this fact, and every 
other practicable way, public and  private, it has been affirmed and reiterated. 
Before we came to India, the  word Politics had never been pronounced in 
connection with our names; for the  idea was too absurd to be even 
entertained, much less expressed. But in this  country, affairs are in such an 
exceptional state, that every foreigner, of  whatsoever nationality, comes under 
Police surveillance more or less; and it  was natural that we should be looked 
after until the real purpose of our  Society's movements had been thoroughly 
well shown by the developments of  time. That end was reached in due 
course; and in the year 1880, the Government  of India, after an examination of 
our papers and other evidence, became  convinced of our political neutrality, 
and issued all the necessary orders to  relieve us from further annoying 
surveillance. Since then, we have gone our  ways without troubling ourselves 
more than any other law-abiding persons,  about the existence of policemen or 
detective bureaux. I would not have  reverted to so stale a topic if I had 
not been forced to do so by recent  events. I am informed that in Upper 
India, some unwise members of the Society  have been talking about the political 
questions of the hour, as though  authorized to speak for our organization 
itself, or at least to give to this  or that view of current agitations the 
imprimatur of its approval or  disapproval. Again, it was but a fortnight or 
so ago that one of the most  respectable and able of our Hindu fellows 
strongly importuned me to allow the  Theosophical Society's influence-such as it 
may be-to be thrown in favour of  Bills to promote religious instruction for 
Hindu children, and other  "non-political" measures. That our members, and 
others whom it interests, may  make no mistake as to the Society's attitude 
as regards Politics, I take this  occasion to say that our Rules, and 
traditional policy alike, prohibit every  officer and fellow of the Society, AS 
SUCH, to meddle with political questions  in the slightest degree, and to 
compromise the Society by saying that it has,  AS SUCH, any opinion upon those 
or any oth_er questions. The Presidents of  Branches, in all countries, will 
be good enough to read this protest to their  members, and in every instance 
when initiating a candidate to give him to  understand-as I invariably 
do-the fact of our corporate neutrality. So  convinced am I that the perpetuity 
of our Society depends upon our keeping  closely to our legitimate province, 
and leaving Politics "severely alone," I  shall use the full power 
permitted to me as Pres ident-Founder to suspend or  expel every member, or even 
discipline or discharter any Branch which shall,  by offending in this respect, 
imperil the work now so prosperously going on in  various parts of the 
world. "





_ (http://www.charlescosimano.com/) 
_http://www.teosofiahttp://www.thttp://www.tehttp_ (http://www.teosofia.com/Mumbai/7112politics.html) 

A question and a few words by  M. Sufilight:
I find it to be a fact that the Theosophical Society today  are muddling 
its stance on politics and clearly seem to be deviating from the  above words 
as it stands today. 

It seems fair to ask the leaders of  the Theosophical Society to come 
forward and clearly explain why its relation  to the activities performed by 
Annie Besant are of such a kind as they  consider her a great theosophist with 
reagard to her political activities? -  And I will allow myself to ask this 
question on this forum. Will you the  leaders or even members of the 
Theosophical Society clearly explain us all  why?

And later offshoots of the Theosophical Society could be asked the  same 
question on whether they have deviated from this original  programe?
And will especially ask the so-called esoteric and openly masonic  oriented 
Alice A. Bailey groups about the same?

- - -
Are there no  members of the Theosophical Society at this forum?
Perhaps some members at  this forum will ask some of_ the members of the 
Theosophical Society about this  central issue?

M. Sufilight

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_ (http://www.charlescosimano.com/) 



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