Theos-Talk Archives (February 2011 Message tt00120)

Dear Zaitzev and friends

My views are:

I find myself having a somewhat different view...


H. P. Blavatsky wrote the following on politics:
"Will you revile and scoff at the "Sermon on the Mount" because your social, political and even religious laws have, so far, not only failed to carry out its precepts in their spirit, but even in their dead letter? Abolish the oath in Courts, Parliament, Army and everywhere, and do as the Quakers do, if you will call yourselves Christians. Abolish the Courts themselves, for if you would follow the Commandments of Christ, you have to give away your coat to him who deprives you of your cloak, and turn your left cheek to the bully who smites you on the right. "Resist not evil, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you,"
.......
"Because, while the leaders of the Theosophical movement, recognising fully their shortcomings, try all they can do to amend their ways and uproot the evil existing in the Society; and while their rules and bye-laws are framed in the spirit of Theosophy, the Legislators and the Churches of nations and countries which call themselves Christian do the reverse."
.......
"ENQUIRER. Do you take any part in politics?

THEOSOPHIST. As a Society, we carefully avoid them, for the reasons given below. To seek to achieve political reforms before we have effected a reform in human nature, is like putting new wine into old bottles. Make men feel and recognise in their innermost hearts what is their real, true duty to all men, and every old abuse of power, every iniquitous law in the national policy, based on human, social or political selfishness, will disappear of itself. Foolish is the gardener who seeks to weed his flower-bed of poisonous plants by cutting them off from the surface of the soil, instead of tearing them out by the roots. No lasting political reform can be ever achieved with the same selfish men at the head of affairs as of old. 

THE RELATIONS OF THE T. S. TO POLITICAL REFORMS.

ENQUIRER. The Theosophical Society is not, then, a political organization?

THEOSOPHIST. Certainly not. It is international in the highest sense in that its members comprise men and women of all races, creeds, and forms of thought, who work together for one object, the improvement of humanity; but as a society it takes absolutely no part in any national or party politics.

ENQUIRER. Why is this?

THEOSOPHIST. Just for the reasons I have mentioned. Moreover, political action must necessarily vary with the circumstances of the time and with the idiosyncracies of individuals. While from the very nature of their position as Theosophists the members of the T. S. are agreed on the principles of Theosophy, or they would not belong to the society at all, it does not thereby follow that they agree on every other subject. As a society they can only act together in matters which are common to all - that is, in Theosophy itself; as individuals, each is left perfectly free to follow out his or her particular line of political thought and action, so long as this does not conflict with Theosophical principles or hurt the Theosophical Society. "
.......
"The Society, as a body, eschews politics and all subjects outside its declared sphere of work. The Rules stringently forbid members to compromise its strict neutrality in these matters."
(The Key to Theosophy, 2nd ed. 1890, p.  55-56, 231-232, 308)

- - -
M. Sufilight says:
So her words in the article you mention (WHAT ARE THE THEOSOPHISTS?, 1882), aught as I see it to be viewed in a different light than only a rejection of Socialism and Communism, but also as a rejection of all political activities, as being inferior to altruistic activity - the main aim of the Theosophical Society from its very beginning in 1875.

You cannot legislate altruism. Is is just as simple as that.

So while Blavatsky in her article wrote against Socialism and Communism, she did not interfere, but just said what anyone aiming at altruism would have to do, namely that they were particularily inferior.

That was also why Blavatsky wrote:
"I have never written in all my life on politics, of which I know nothing. I take no interest in political intrigues, regarding them as the greatest nuisance and a bore, the most false of all systems in the code of ethics. I feel the sincerest pity for those diplomats who, being honourable men, are nevertheless obliged to deceive all their lives, and to embody a living, walking LIE."
(Blavatsky Collected Writings volume 10 Page 293)
http://www.katinkahesselink.net/blavatsky/articles/v10/y1889_004.htm

I repeat, politics are to be viewed as "the most false of all systems in the code of ethics".
So I think it is clear that it is in that perspective one as a member of the Original Programe of the Theosophical Society given in 1875-1891, and clearly deviated from after 1907, aught to understand the aims it sought to promote. So the Theosophical Society which aims at altruism, and name theosophy the exact science on psychology --- seek reform in human nature and NOT reform through political agendas or a Messiah craze - something which was promoted by Annie Besant in her failure to recognize this altruistic need and the real aim and even the Original rules of the Theosophical Society.
But all the above are of course just my views.

- What are your views?
- Did Annie Besant not fail to follow the Original rules of the Theosophical Society, (See Article XIII, in The Constitution and Rules of Theosophical Society in the Theosophist, jan 1891)? 
- If not, why not?


best
M. Sufilight


  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Konstantin Zaitzev 
  To: theos-talk@yahoogroups.com 
  Sent: Saturday, February 26, 2011 10:23 PM
  Subject: theos-talk TS & politics


    


  --- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com, "M. Sufilight" <global-theosophy@...> wrote:

  > still supports meddling with politics and a political involvement of the TS. This is what the TS Adyar website says today.

  Anyway, when maintaining that the Theosophical Society doesn't interfere with politics, H.P. Blavatsky made one inportant exception:

  "Unconcerned about politics; hostile to the insane dreams of Socialism and of Communism, which it abhors - as both are but disguised conspiracies of brutal force and sluggishness against honest labour; the Society cares but little about the outward human management of the material world." - WHAT ARE THE THEOSOPHISTS? (HPB CW vol 2).

  The reason why TS doesn't interfere into the politics is that it permits Theosophical Society to work in countries with different political regimes - they would see no danger from its side. But communist regimes (with one exception of Cuba with its religious freedom) persecute Theosophical Society, for their ideological basis is materialism of the most baser sort.
  So in case of them (and also of nazist regimes which prevent realization of the first object of TS) theosophists and TS at lagre should feel free of this obligation, so it's permitted to undermine them by all possible means.
  HPB, with her clairvoyance, could foresee danger of the communist regimes, though there were none yet in her time, and made this important exception.



  

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