Theos-Talk Archives (January 1995 Message tl00031)

Martin,

ME> I guess the CWL debate has triggered my response.  I was not
sure whether you knew about the mess in Point Loma/Pasadena
societies.  But I see you know about it.  Liesel might feel a
little bit comforted by the idea that the other societies have
their own record of incidents.

Yes, It is because of my familiarity with the Point Loma/Pasadena
Issues that I had asked you on private mail about the background
of your group.

Since Liesel had already informed us that she has some
"unflattering opinions" of the other Societies, I gather that she
is already aware that they also have issues.  She also made it
clear that she doesn't believe in the historical documentation of
information, so her source of information is most likely "through
the grapevine." I asked for a clarification on this, but she
never responded to it.

ME> I agree in principle that a knowledge of the history of the
TS's could be useful - if one learns the necessary lessons from
it.  On second thought, if one refuses to face the past, then the
old images of that past will haunt you.  Having faced the past
and learned your lesson, then it's time to proceed in a more
mature way.  I think that's what was on my mind when I wrote my
last letter.  Not getting stuck in the past.

Yes, the old images indeed hunt those who refuse to face them.
The problem is that the Organizations have done everything
possible to avoid facing that past, and have tried to keep it
from the membership.  I even received a letter from a former
National President (Adyar) informing me that there is an
"unwritten policy" against the discussion of theosophical
history.  I wrote an article about this pathological behavior
about ten years ago entitled "Are We Chained to the Past?" It was
reprinted in the ~Eclectic Theosophist~ around that time.  The
bottom line is that one is indeed "chained to the past" whenever
one experiences discomfort in the face of any discussion of
passed issues that is not in tune with ones personal mythology.
What is ironic is that the historians are chastised for being
disrespectful of other's opinions whenever they make available
information concerning our past.  The truth is that the
Organizations are threatened by information that may expose the
fact that they withheld or misrepresented the past to the
membership in the first place.  In other words, these "unwritten"
anti historical "policies" are not for the purpose of protecting
the feelings of members, but to protect the Organizations from
being exposed.

What I have observed in Organizations and individuals inside and
out of theosophy is that we cannot live in denial and still
proceed in a more "mature way." The old controversies keep coming
to the surface to pollute more worthwhile efforts.  Every time
the controversy comes to the surface, that much energy is sapped
from worthwhile activities in order to push it back under the
surface.  New controversies take even greater tolls.  The recent
Bing Escudero struggle for instance--his being fired and the
change of bylaws that disqualified him from running for the
national presidency, etc.  directly correlates with the
membership of the Wheaton Society dropping from over 5100 to less
than 4000 (a 20% drop).  This is just one more issue for
historians to investigate fifty years from now--and to be
chastised for bringing it up.

ME> Regarding KT I think she probably had clairvoyant powers, but
that doesn't imply that she was a trance medium.  I still wonder
however why she changed the bylaws of her TS.

She said that she was acting under the guidance of the Masters.
Others say that she was power hungry.  Neither view is provable.

ME> I know Crosbie left the Point Loma society at a later stage.
You say he was expelled.  For what reason?

Yes, Crosbie lived at Point Loma for five or six years.  A lot
was going on then.  His wife at the time was antagonistic to
theosophy, and eventually divorced him over it.  Crosbie also,
according to his own account, fell out of agreement with how the
Point Loma Society was run, and "left quietly." He forgot to
mention his expulsion.  Details are missing.

ME> As to the Long/Hartley controversy, I would strongly suggest
to the people involved that they come together and reconciliate.

But I guess there's little chance that that will happen.
It seems so.

ME> One of the reasons I wrote my last mail, was to point out
that there are very strong characteristics dominating the
Theosophical Societies, preventing or blocking cooperation.  If
more people from several societies were to participate on this
list, it could have a benificial effect in clearing some of the
messes of the past.  Couldn't you try to get some more of these
people involved with this list?

There are already people from all of the TSs on the list.
Perhaps if you make a specific proposal, you might get some
takers.  However, I wouldn't touch those issues that involve
people who are still alive.

Jerry Hejka-Ekins