Theos-Talk Archives (October 2008 Message tt00129)

The simpler reason is that TS members, at least in the US section, wouldn't  
pay any attention to the rules even if they knew them.
 
Chuck the Heretic
 
 
In a message dated 10/5/2008 10:54:37 A.M. Central Daylight Time,  
anton_rozman@yahoo.com writes:

 
 
 
Hi Warwick,

It's great that you have joined the theos_talk!  Welcome!

>This is a time for cool heads, clear thinking and  attunement to true 
theosophical understandings. â Objective discussion,  free from low 
emotion, is surely the expected norm for discussion in the  Society. 
It is not always easy to find at present. â Let the discerning  
Theosophists make their voices heard and let us heed the wisdom of  
Sophia and of the Fathers of Democracy.<

It is my conviction  that TS members in general have very little 
knowledge of the TS Rules and  Regulations. TS Rules are not presented 
to them when they join the Society  and are not discussed. Therefore, 
it is natural that they prevalently  evaluate them on the basis of 
their personal impressions about the system  and how it works for them 
and not by some objective measures. 

But,  in my view, also debate on a general level can not bring much 
greater  insight. What is probably needed is more detailed analysis of 
individual  rules or sections, how they are implemented, what are 
their good and bad  sides, which solutions would be better and why. 
But it would be difficult  to have such particular approach on this e-
mail list alone as it can  become vast and vague. Therefore I can 
create special web page on which  basic information and commentaries 
can be exposed and then presented here  for the discussion. Just a 
proposal!

Warmest regards,
Anton  

--- In _theos-talk@yahoogrotheos-t_ (mailto:theos-talk@yahoogroups.com) ,  
"Warwick Keys" <keyteach@..k> 
wrote:
>
> 
>  Dear Theosophists
> 
> Beneath the surface of the present 'hooha'  on the proposed changes 
to
> the TS international constitution of  the Society is a basic 
principle, a
> principle which surely must be  basic to modern theosophical 
thinking. It
> is the principle of  democracy and democratic process.
> 
> An objective outside  obsever who has any knowledge and experience of
> organisational  structures and democratic process can immediately 
discern
> that the  TS rules are seriously flawed and follow a hierarchial
> Victorian line  that allows for the possiblity of manipulation and
> autocratic control.  The constitution is seriously out of date and
> certainly out of time  now in the twenty-first century.
> 
> Those members presently  debating the pros and cons of the suggested
> changes are on the whole  displaying an untheosophical lack of
> objectivity and discernment -  both ways. Emotionally based tirades 
do
> nothing to further the  progress of the Society or the advancement of
> theosophy - in fact they  hinder the process.
> 
> This is a time for cool heads, clear  thinking and attunement to true
> theosophical understandings. Few of  the contributors to the current
> discussions display much knowledge  and/or experince of democratic
> organisation and process.
>  
> I have around forty years such experience here in New Zealand -  
outside
> of the Theosophical Society. I have been involved in  political 
activity
> at all levels from national politics to local  governement at all 
levels.
> I also have been involved in the  drawing up of constitutions for 
three
> or four incorporated  societies.
> 
> The present constitution of the Inernational  Theosophical Society is
> seriously flawed when viewed objectively and  with discerning eyes. 
It
> allows for an organised group within the  Society to dominate the 
Society
> by 'constitutional' means, whether  knowingly or unwittingly 
(although I
> think the latter is  unlikely).
> 
> If the Society is to make progess, and more  importantly, if the
> promotion of the Theosophical teachings and the  work of The 
Masters, is
> to move forward - instead of remaining  stagnant, then one of the 
first
> moves has to be to free up the  method of governance and bring the
> Society into line with progressive  and positive modern 
organisational
> practice.
> 
>  Objective discussion, free from low emotion, is surely the expected  
norm
> for discussion in the Society. It is not always easy to find  at 
present.
> 
> Let the discerning Theosophists make their  voices heard and let us 
heed
> the wisdom of Sophia and of the  Fathers of Democracy.
> 
> Fraternal greetings
> 
>  Warwick Keys
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  
> [Non-text portions of this message have been  removed]
>


 




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