Theos-Talk Archives (March 2011 Message tt00094)

Yes.
One question though:
Was the TS not originally aimed at being a non-secterian body without any leaders, but administrative ones?

A non-secterian body does not promotes the idea of charismatic leaders.
Not as far as I understand the term.

Charismatic authority
"Weberâs model of charismatic leadership giving way to institutionalization is endorsed by several academic sociologists, such as Eileen Barker. In a book written for the general public Barker discusses the tendency for new religious movements to have founders or leaders who wield considerable charismatic authority and are believed to have special powers or knowledge. Charismatic leaders are unpredictable, Barker says, for they are not bound by tradition or rules and they may be accorded by their followers the right to pronounce on all aspects of their lives. Barker warns that in these cases the leader may lack any accountability, require unquestioning obedience, and encourage a dependency upon the movement for material, spiritual and social resources"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charismatic_authority



M. Sufilight


  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: MKR 
  To: theos-talk@yahoogroups.com 
  Sent: Tuesday, March 15, 2011 6:34 PM
  Subject: Re: theos-talk Re: Update on 2010 General Council Meeting


    
  Most of the current environment in the TS Sections can be traced to
  passivity of the membership. If only members get concerned and start taking
  interest and start discussing important matters, then the elected leaders
  will start paying attention because if there is enough support, elected
  leaders can be forced out of their offices. It has happened in the past. In
  the 1920s there were two groups very active in the TS matters in the US and
  leaders paid attention to their demands.

  In the last several decades I have been around the TS, there is significant
  lack of grass roots level activity so that the leaders do what they want to
  and very little of what is going on at GC levels is shared with the
  membership. For example even the crumbs of info I was able to pick up on the
  happenings in the last GC meeting was thru non official cyberspace sources.
  But for the Internet, we all would continue to be in the dark.

  It is in this environment, that behind the backs of all members, a daring
  attempt was made to disenfranchise all members in the election of the
  International President and but for the timely discovery and dissemination
  with the help of Internet, what further damage would have been done to the
  TS we can never imagine.

  The lesson we all see from what is going on in the Middle East is that
  popular membership action is needed if TS goes forward since the current
  passive environment and lack of charismatic leaders, the growth is
  continuing to decline every day in every section outside India.

  Members can wake up and demand changes they feel are needed. Internet is
  there to help.

  MKR

  On Tue, Mar 15, 2011 at 11:10 AM, Konstantin Zaitzev <kay_ziatz@cLI1zX6BXbJVT87UERrc2pxQ7y9rGusV1Gj2xgIzFOEFGE95iqT_klpULBSliuKrsNXsU2-Z8OhDcnUB.yahoo.invalid>wrote:

  >
  >
  > --- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com, MKR <mkr777@...> wrote:
  >
  > > Most of the items mentioned were routine ones and as usual lacking
  > > any meaningful details providing transparency to membership.
  >
  > > no mention of discussions about some of the most serious problems
  > > facing TS in most countries
  >
  > > It is a pity and disappointment that the Section leaders spent so
  > > much of SocietyÃââs money (yours and mine) in traveling to India
  > > and did not address the most fundamental problem
  >
  > Is that possible to initiate general meetings in the sections, on which the
  > members shall give direction to their leaders which problems to discuss on
  > the General Council?
  > As far I understand, rules of some sections permit to convene meetings by
  > request of some necessary number of members. Or, if not, it should be done
  > in lodges, and presidents of the lodges should talk on annual national
  > convention.
  > It it is possible, this activity can be organized in the internet.
  > If not, that would mean that the probably sections aren't democratic.
  >
  > 
  >

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