Theos-Talk Archives (February 2011 Message tt00128)

At the risk of being censored again, the wo/man who does so could say to himself 
whether he is my judge, if so, he'd better choose another job, since no one but 
Nature judges me...
Politics is the art of lieing, who lies best stays longest...one mistake though 
and you destroy not only yourself but also those you work for you and with 
you...
Truth doesn't need memory nor thought, Truth is and when needed memory and 
knowledge comes to those who are in Truth at the blink of a Heartfelt feeling.
There is no religion above Truth...I have changed this motto many times:
To state such a motto, is a lie on itself, since Truth cannot be discussed, it 
simply is...





________________________________
From: M. Sufilight <global-theosophy@2t1JiD6Ledqic0_iAPEJzhqkGXltNNf0yBFPppEIUyVkG0QZ0YwnZlMmQYMeIozYyx8UD6amntOVffDkdrHqWavqiKUk.yahoo.invalid>
To: theos-talk@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Sun, February 27, 2011 8:24:53 PM
Subject: Re: theos-talk TS & politics

  
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.

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


 


      

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