Theos-Talk Archives (May 2011 Message tt00005)

Let me add:

Based on my long-time membership in TS, it is my understanding that the
lodges are fully autonomous and the withdrawal of charter is a very serious
matter and has to be done only as a last resort, after all attempts were
made to fix the issues.

Also the charters should not be withdrawn unless the lodge violates the
International Rules and/or Section Bylaws.

Withdrawals should be done in the most transparent way. It is very dangerous
to the future of TS to let boards arbitrarily decide to close lodges and
since the Board Meetings are closed to members, one always wonders about the
real reasons for the decisions.

In the past the members can be kept in the dark. Today, with Internet, such
serious decisions will be brought to the attention of theosophists in USA
and elsewhere. This is a protection to prevent serious adverse and hurtful
decisions made behind closed doors.

It is high time TS leaders come to recognize the important role that
Internet plays in life today. This is all the more important since they seem
to avoid Internet as evidenced by the fact we have not seen any of them
participating in any of the theosophical forums not under their total
control. Let us also not forget that membership outside India is dropping
precipitously, and Internet should be used as a tool to help theosophy.

My 0.02.

MKR



On Tue, May 3, 2011 at 2:24 AM, Spirituality <mail@e0RNMLkHFP5A9aAgGab0uJZpai6SLz823JnhGCxrwnIJPuhKo_wmPNL9VqNBFbgAuvNgKwGOGjMbkAshC38HLjmZ.yahoo.invalid>wrote:

>
>
> I have personal evidence that there IS long standing difficulty between the
> Orlando Lodge and the TSA. The fact that the regional association (of
> Florida I think) supports the national headquarters on this issue is
> evidence to that as well.
>
> Katinka Hesselink
> --- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com, "t_s_theosophist" <THEOSOPHIST@...>
> wrote:
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > FIAT LUX "LET THERE BE LIGHT"
> >
> >
> >
> > The recent article in the April 11, 2011 issue of The Messenger by Jerome
> Michel concerning Orlando Lodge is another attempt to obfuscate and confuse
> issues.
> >
> >
> >
> > There has never been any "long history of difficulties with the
> operations of Orlando Lodge " as Jerome Michel states in The Messenger
> article.
> >
> >
> >
> > IF Mr Michel and others in TSA administration had evidence of any alleged
> difficulties, WHY
> > has no National Director or Agent ever come personally to Orlando Lodge
> to discuss issues with the membership or Officers, and attempt to resolve
> them???
> >
> >
> >
> > And WHY have they ignored our repeated requests for substantiating
> information about their supposed "investigation?"
> >
> >
> >
> > WHY did the Directors conduct an "Investigation" in absentia without ever
> meeting or talking directly to the Officers or membership of Orlando
> Lodge???
> >
> >
> >
> > WHY such stealth and innuendo???
> >
> >
> >
> > Remember, there was Never nor is there now ANY internal dissension among
> our membership, which would have given cause for external intervention.
> >
> >
> >
> > The TSA Directors have NEVER cited ANY particular Theosophical rule or
> regulation which we are supposed to be in violation of.
> >
> >
> >
> > Neither Jerome Michel, nor ANY current TSA Director has ever been to
> Orlando Lodge, and they do NOT know any of our members.
> >
> >
> >
> > A review of the history of our Lodge programs and our Lodge Newsletter
> will reveal that we have consistently maintained quality programs which are
> Classically Theosophical in the best sense. Those who have attended our
> programs can attest to this fact. And ANYONE has always been welcome to
> attend.
> >
> >
> >
> > There have been many many opportunities over the years for any Director
> or National Officer to personally visit Orlando Lodge and discuss concerns,
> yet NONE have ever done so.
> >
> >
> >
> > Another opportunity arose when I
> > and another delegate from Orlando Lodge personally attended the 2008
> National Convention at Wheaton. Yet no discussion of any anomalies occurred.
> There were smiles and handshakes, which now, in retrospect I realize were
> hollow and meaningless as they had already had their plot mapped out. Betty
> Bland, Tim Boyd, Jerome Michel, Ed Abdil, Jeffrey Forth, and the other
> Directors were all there, yet no one mentioned any anomalies about Orlando
> Lodge.
> >
> >
> >
> > This same delegate and I also attended the Spring 2009 Florida Federation
> Meeting at Deerfield Beach, again Jerome Michel and the Officers of The
> Florida Federation were all there, and NO mention of any anomalies of
> > Orlando Lodge occurred.
> >
> >
> >
> > What did happen:
> >
> >
> >
> > In June of 2008 just before the election for the International President
> Mrs. Bland circulated a letter to the members of the TSA urging them to vote
> for her mentor John Algeo. In the letter Mrs. Bland makes some very
> inaccurate statements stating that Radha Burnier is no longer fit either
> mentally or physically to hold the office of President. This in itself is a
> breach of Theosophical etiquette, as we have never politicized our elections
> or denigrated other candidates. What Mrs. Bland did Not share in her letter
> was the fact that 3, Three, highly respected physicians gave written
> statements that Mrs Burnier WAS indeed fit to carry out the duties.
> >
> >
> >
> > At that same time Mrs.Bland and the General Secretaries of the New
> Zealand, South African
> > and French sections of the T.S. were covertly planning ( This was ultra
> secret) to introduce a measure in the General Council revoking the rights of
> the world wide membership to vote for the International President, and
> arrogating that
> > privilege to themselves only, thus making the International President a
> puppet of the General Council.
> >
> >
> >
> > If John Algeo had been elected, their plan was to eventually close Adyar
> and move the International Headquarters to Wheaton, Illinois.
> >
> >
> >
> > A group of independent minded Theosophists of which we were a part
> discovered their covert plan ( we had an inside informer) and broadcast it
> over the internet, exposing their intentions to the membership worldwide.
> They were foiled in their political ambitions by the good sense and
> integrity of the general membership.
> >
> >
> >
> > Since that time, because we were very vocal in supporting Radha Burnier,
> we have been the target of a political vendetta. We represent in Mrs. Bland
> and her allies' opinion a continued threat for their political ambition.
> >
> >
> >
> > Make no mistake, there is a small select group of politicans at Wheaton
> and around the world
> > that seek to control the dissemination of Theosophy. They attempt to
> crush diversity of
> > communication through subtle intimidation tactics. Part of the "control
> issue" is tied to
> > "who gets to run " the Kern Foundation money.
> >
> >
> >
> > When we have a good number of autonomous Lodges each teaching Theosophy
> in their own unique and diverse ways, it makes it more difficult for a
> centralized bureaucrat to promote a single "authorized version."
> >
> >
> >
> > They, the Bland/Algeo group would prefer to be the only genuine voice for
> the communication of Theosophy. They have subtly implemented a long range
> plan to achieve this hegemony.
> >
> >
> >
> > A look over the spectrum of past few years will reveal how many
> established Lodges they have closed or attempted to close for the flimsiest
> of reasons. They have set up an adversarial mindset between National
> Headquarters and the autonomous Lodges.
> >
> >
> >
> > Mrs. Bland has many political allies in Florida, and she attempted to
> enlist them in her attempt to close us.
> >
> >
> >
> > We have repeatedly asked for an explanation of their allegations and an
> opportunity to defend ourselves from their libel, but have been consistently
> ignored.
> >
> >
> >
> > The International Rules of the Theosophical Society give Lodges the right
> to petition the International President to quash the action of any Section
> and demit the Lodge directly to Adyar. We invoked this clause and the
> International President granted our request.
> >
> >
> >
> > Their (the TSA Board ) actions against us began to unfold just after the
> last International Presidental elections. We strongly supported Radha
> Burnier, and were part of a group that
> > exposed the mis-information being propagated by Mrs. Bland and others in
> favor of John Algeo, and the ultra secret plot to deprive the worldwide
> membership of the right to vote.
> >
> >
> >
> > Neither Mrs. Bland nor Mr. Michel mention in any of their replies that
> Orlando Lodge filed for
> > and received a temporary injunction from the Orange County Circuit Court
> to prevent them (the TSA Directors) from seizing our assets and property. We
> were to have a court hearing on this matter to obtain a permanent injunction
> on January 11, 2011, however in the meantime the TSA attorneys petitioned
> our attorney for an abatement of the case because Mrs.Burniers
> > action in our behalf attaching us directly to Adyar, took the case out of
> their jurisdiction .
> >
> >
> >
> > You may check the truth of this by Google, Look up: Circuit Court of the
> Ninth Judicial Circuit in and for Orange County Florida. Case Number:
> 2010-CA-4077
> > Number 32
> > Judge Thomas B. Smith
> >
> >
> >
> > And just what do Mrs. Bland and Jerome Michel mean referring to us as a
> "renegade internet flamer?"   They, with the assets of the TSA behind them
> and the Quest magazine and The Messenger newsletter as a forum make
> defamatory statements about us and we as a small Lodge with very little
> assets are not supposed to defend ourselves from their libel?
> > No, that is not fair play.
> >
> >
> >
> > One thing that their statements do indicate is the virulent nature of
> their animosity against us. We represent in their eyes a continued political
> threat for ambitions of their political friends and agenda.
> >
> >
> > Mr. Michel states that : "The situation was complicated by the defunct
> Orlando Lodge successfully petitioning the International President of the
> Theosophical Society to recognize the Orlando Lodge as a Theosophical Lodge
> directly attached to the International organization."
> >
> >
> >
> > The "SITUATION WAS COMPLICATED???" Mr. Michel really means that their
> political agenda was upset and an impartial and fair minded International
> President was willing to give Orlando Lodge the DUE PROCESS that it
> deserved.
> >
> >
> >
> > Mr. Michel further states: " This decision creates an "island" of a
> renegade lodge functioning within our midst, falsely representing the
> Society and its principles.
> > The situation is particularly troubling as it has major implications for
> all Sections now facing
> > the possibility of the International President countermanding their
> disciplinary decisions."
> >
> >
> >
> > A "RENEGADE LODGE???" "FALSELY REPRESENTING THE SOCIETY AND ITS
> > PRINCIPLES???"
> > Anyone who has ever been to Orlando Lodge and has seen our Newsletter
> could hardly concur with Jerome Michels statement. We have ALWAYS been
> Classically Theosophical and congruent with the principles of The Society.
> >
> >
> >
> > What Jerome Michel is really saying is that there is no room in the
> Society for diversity of opinion and thought, and integrity of conscience
> will not be tolerated if it differs from the "Official Party line" of
> thought.
> >
> >
> >
> > Colonel Olcott intentionally structured the Society so that AUTONOMY of
> the Branches would protect them from the political ambitions of the so
> called "Leaders" and politicians in our midst.
> >
> >
> >
> > For Mr. Michels information, the International President has always had
> broad discretionary powers to intervene in the affairs of the Society,
> although rarely and wisely used.
> >
> >
> >
> > Fiat Lux: "Let There Be Light"
> >
> >
> >
> > There comes a time in card games when the players are required to show
> their hands or drop out of the game. Enough is Enough...
> >
> >
> >
> > it is that time for the TSA Directors to come clean with the TSA
> Membership and to disclose and be transparent about this issue.
> >
> >
> >
> > Only cowards throw stones from behind a fence and then attempt to run
> away. Why are the TSA Directors acting in such a cowardly manner???
> >
> >
> > Orlando Lodge has NOTHING to hide or be ashamed of, and we will defend
> this position in any court of law, and in the court of Public Opinion.
> >
> >
> >
> > We also notice that the VERY Same Directors have had their allies
> re-nominate them for re-election. ( Where was the call for open
> nominations?)
> >
> >
> >
> > Before any vote is cast, we invite and encourage the TSA Membership to
> Demand that these persons explain themselves and their actions in Full
> disclosure. Barring their cooperation they should have the integrity to
> recuse themselves from the elections.
> >
> >
> >
> > There is only ONE way for TRUST and INTEGRITY to be restored to the TSA.
> >
> >
> >
> > It is reprehensible and very unfortunate that His Holiness the Dalai Lama
> is unwittingly participating in the TSA Program and unknowingly giving
> credibility to this cowardice and deceit.
> >
> >
> >
> > Fiat Lux: Let There Be Light;
> >
> >
> > William Delahunt, ( Lucifer)
> > Secretary;
> > Theosophical Society In Orlando
> >
> >
> > Theosophist@...
> > http://www.tso-orlando.org
> >
> >
> >
> > ========================
> >
>
>  
>


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