Theos-Talk Archives (June 1997 Message tt00084)

Rodolfo Don wrote:
> There is more than one Theosophical Society. We even refer to the
> Theosophical Society when we speak of the Theosophical Movement. When I
> speak about the Theosophical Society I mean the Society that was founded in
> 1875 with the ideals that it had in 1875. The Society that *is* based on
> Universal Brotherhood. How do you explain when somebody claims that a
> member cannot write about the Theosophical Society because he doesn't hold
> any official position in it? That he needs to ask Wheaton permission.

	I didn't see ANYTHING in the letter about that. All they asked you to
do is to make a statement that the page was your personal page, and not
an official statement. Talking about Theosophy is one thing, but your
page gives the kind of organizational details (how to join, important
addresses, etc.) which imply that you are not speaking as an individual,
but speaking as the Theosophical Society itself.

> I'm sorry but I don't agree with that position. That goes against Universal
> Brotherhood. To me there is no difference among any theosophists regardless
> of what organization they are affiliated: Adyar, ULT, Pasadena, or any
> other. We all are working for the same Cause, and definitely we don't need
> to ask permission to anybody to implement theosophy the way we think is
> appropriate.

	If you wish to start your own Theosophical organization (like Dr. Bain
did), you certainly have every right to do so, and I would be the first
on line to defend you if some other Theosophical organization tried to
dictate what you put on your page. But you are writing about the TSA.
And all they asked was that you place a statement that it is not an
official page, but your own opinions.

	Do you have any idea of the kind of legal jeopardy you put the
organization in by implicitly claiming to be its voice? Would you really
want to see lawsuits against the TSA based on information displayed on
your personal page? That's the only reason for a letter like the one you
received; all National Headquarters wants to do is to shield themselves from
any legal reprecussions of your personal actions, over which they
have no control.

	Bart Lidofsky