Theos-Talk Archives (January 2010 Message tt00017)

Yes.
I agree.

A few views of mine:

I would like to add, that assumptions and unexamined assumptions as well as prejudices bars many of us humans from understanding that there really and honestly might be something more intelligent and wise and compassionate about all this we call life. Hypothesis are allright, but dogmatism not. - I found that an article by TS Radha Burnier quite wisely referred to the issue "assumtions" a few days back on the Internet. - And we ought also to remember the very stubborn impatience or feverish haste or even - and very very important - the lack of coming to a decision about doing something instead of nothing; something often to be found in Western countries, but also Eastern ones, and even within theosophical groups. (smile.)

There is a vast accumulation of theosophical teachings, much of it in writings, which would-be students plough through, looking for theosophy (Wisdom of the Gods), and wondering why it seems, so often, self-contradictory. The simple answer is that this material is largely time-and-culture-based. Most of it was prescribed for specific audiences at certain times and under particular conditions. Choosing the relevant materials for any time is a specialised task. To try to make sense of all of it would be like taking a bundle of medical prescriptions, issued over the years to a variety of people, and working out one's own therapy from such largely irrelevant papers - and without a certain specialised knowledge. Theosophical Teaching is PRESCRIBED.

Such parts of the theosophical Classics, stories, and letters and lectures and so on which apply to the individual and the group today - have to be selected and applied consciously and appropriately, by someone who is attuned to certain realities.

This concept is especially irksome to the academic worker, who always has a bias towards utillising every scrap of information he can find, not towards assessing contemporary applicability. He is, in fact, in a different field from the theosophist. His attitude influences even general readers.

If the scholar is unwilling to accept this concept, the conventional spiritual thinker (i.e. the Would-be Theosophist) is equally hampered. He, or she, does not wish to face the fact that theosophical activity is often carried out in a way which does not, for the conventionalist, resemble spiritual matters at all. The fact that the theosophist has to script and project his teaching in a manner which will work - not in a manner which will remind others of spirituality - arouses, if ever perceived, feelings of great discomfort in the conditional 'devout' man or woman. 


- - -
Does TS Meddle with Politics year 2010?
Did Annie Besant meddle with Politics?


I will add the following, because it is vital to the present day TS and its acitivties.
Well, that is at least how I see it.


1.

Is there today any TS groups which still contain the following Article in its Constitution and Rules?


>From The Theosophist; January 1891:
CONSTITUTION AND RULES OF THE THEOSOPHICAL SOCIETY
"ARTICLE XIII
Offences

1. Any Fellow who shall in any way attempt to involve the Society In political disputes shall be immediately expelled. "

- - -

2.
Or perhaps instead this from oct. 1886, written shortly after A. O. Hume created his Indian National Congress (which Besant favoured, and which Olcott and HPB did'nt) and the Hodgson Report:

["ORIGINAL PROGRAMME" MANUSCRIPT] 
"In order to leave no room for equivocation, the members of the T.S. have to be reminded of the origin of the Society in 1875. Sent to the U.S. of America in 1873 for the purpose of organizing a group of workers on a psychic plane, two years later the writer received orders from her Master and Teacher to form the nucleus of a regular Society whose objects were broadly stated as follows:

1. Universal Brotherhood;

2. No distinction to be made by the member between races, creeds, or social positions, but every member had to be judged and dealt by on his personal merits;

3. To study the philosophies of the East-those of India chiefly, presenting them gradually to the public in various works that would interpret exoteric religions in the light of esoteric teachings;

4. To oppose materialism and theological dogmatism in every possible way, by demonstrating the existence of occult forces unknown to science, in nature, and the presence of psychic and spiritual powers in man; trying, at the same time to enlarge the views of the Spiritualists by showing them that there are other, many other agencies at work in the production of phenomena besides the "Spirits" of the dead. Superstition had to be exposed and avoided; and occult forces, beneficent and maleficent--ever surrounding us and manifesting their presence in various ways-demonstrated to the best of our ability.

Such was the programme in its broad features."

.....
Rule 14 of the Constiution:
"XIV. The Society having to deal only with scientific and philosophical subjects, and having Branches in different parts of the world under various forms of Government, does not permit its members, as such, to interfere with politics, and repudiates any attempt on the part of anyone to commit it in favor or against any political party or measure. Violation of this rule will meet with expulsion."
http://www.katinkahesselink.net/blavatsky/articles/v7/yxxxx_019.htm



- - - - - - - -

But in 1917 all this had changed! 
Annie Besant namely became President of the Indian National Congress in 1917.
- And today the TS has appearntly the same changed view.
- And we ask the TS leadership why? 
And we most often hear the sound of silence.




ANNIE BESANT

Annie Besant said in her Presidential Address in 1917 - to the Indian National Congress:
"In the adapted words of a Christian Scripture, it passionately cries: "What shall it profit a Nation if it gain the whole world and lose its own Soul? What shall a Nation give in exchange for its Soul?" "
.......
"This may seem strong language, because the plain truth is not usually put in India. But this is what every Briton feels in Britain for his own country, and what every Indian should feel in India for his. This is the Freedom for which the Allies are fighting; this is Democracy, the Spirit of the Age. "
.......
"And from that union shall arise the mightiest Empire, or rather Commonwealth, that the world has ever known, a Commonwealth that, in God's good time, shall put an end to War."
http://whiskypedia.valeriodistefano.com/Gutenberg%20Project%20-%20HTML%20-%20vol.%2004/HTML/1/2/8/2/12820/12820-h/12820-h.htm


There are, (try page 25-27) a few allusions to Annie Besant's political acceptance of involving the Theosophical Society directly with her politicial activities in her book "The future of Indian politics" - a contribution to the understanding of present-day problems; (1922) - Published through the apparently NON-POLITICAL: The Theosophical Publishing House!
"The new departure in 1913 resembled in one marked way the new departure when the National Congress was planned in 1884. The seed of both was planted by the Theosophical Society. It was at the Theosophical Convention of that year that a small group of earnest Theo-sophists - deeply concerned for the political future of their country and aroused to a sense of her past powers and her then present impotence by the awakening crusades of H. P. Blavatsky and Henry Steele Olcott, stirring the educated to self-respect and res-pect for their Nation - meeting in Adyar, decided to make an effort for political redemption".
(http://www.archive.org/details/futureofindianpo00besarich) 



HPB letters to A. P. Sinnett, p. 327:
"Hume will probably leave us alone now. He has his heart's desire in being Boss-General in Native politics and is humbugging them with sweetness as he did us. He got together about a 100 Delegates at the Bombay "National Congress" and one fine day will leave them all sitting in the mud while he walks off with band playing and colours flying to do some fresh deviltry. But meanwhile he will have helped Indian evolution, as he did with us. " (by H. S. Olcott)

Blavatsky said:
ARE ALL RUSSIAN LADIES RUSSIAN AGENTS?
"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)



M. Sufilight says:
So if the present day TS wants to turn H. P. Blavatsky into a Indian AGENT(!) by paws of the words of Annie Besant, it is entirely their choice. But I am pretty sure that the old Lady, will come around a set this issue straight in her astral body, if none of the leaders in TS will today year 2010. - Time is running.

The TS was never formed so to meddle with politics. And we do not hope, that it has - leading - members who do such a thing today. The Law of Karma is to some of us real. The Law of Karma is to us not build on a piece of paper or in court with hairy "Judges". (smile.)




- - - - - - - -
APHROISMS OF THE SAGES
- He never dies whom Wisdom keeps alive.
- The Heart is the hidden Treasure of man.
- Truth is heavy; few therefore can bear it.
- Wisdom is a tree, that grows in the Heart.

Shigatse and Gyantse - Tibet Part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rideFSFSefA





M. Sufilight



  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Martin 
  To: dac-krant@hotmail.com 
  Sent: Sunday, January 10, 2010 10:36 AM
  Subject: Theos-World Religion


    
  http://worldoftak.ning.com/forum/topics/religion-1?xg_source=activity

  It isn't Religion that binds us to demons and angels but mainly It's dogma's and the people who invented them... 

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