Theos-Talk Archives (November 1995 Message tl00226)

JRC:

>Pass this stuff thus completeing the institutionalization of a
>specific and to some very narrow view of Theosophy that began several
>years ago and has now used manipulation of the by-laws to virtually lock
>out anyone that would dissent from this point of view from holding
>office and yet another schism ... that has been brewing beneath the
>surface for awhile now ... will surface before long.

The tendency is both in the right direction and wrong direction at
the same time. Theosophical groups need more clearly-defined focus
and yet need an broader appeal.

>Funny that in a world that has seen a massive wave of
>liberalization sweep through it ... that has seen business political
>religious and social leaders forced to acknowledge that authoritarian
>centralized top-down leadership is becoming less and less effective as
>the days pass that the TS appears to be rowing like the devil upstream.

The loss of centralized control comes with general education and the
ability of the common citizen member to think for himself. When
the leadership of a culture or organization has the power money
and education they call the shots. When there is a near-universal
access to education and training in how to think an hierarchical
approach fails to work except with the exertion of power.

On the other hand a hierarchical approach is fine with regard to
spiritual schools. The individual still has freedom to pick which
school to join so the sense of authority is granted by the followers
rather than demanded by the leaders.

There could be a generalized Theosophical Society with only the
requirement of universal brothernood but no specific teachings
or practices. Everyone in it would be recognized as part of the
theosophical 'sangha'. Apart from that T.S. there could be a
multitude of actual spiritual schools that evolve and specialize
over time each with their respective methods of training. Some
of those schools could be guru-based like Vajrayana Buddhism.

These specialized schools are comparable to SIG's special
interest groups but not under the official control of the
primary T.S.

Perhaps your objection is that the T.S. appears to be moving
in the direction of becoming a single specialized school rather
than retaining its broad approach with room for everyone to belong
and follow their own interests?

>PS. Say anyone for a palace coup? Or perhaps starting a new TS?

Not another T.S. per se but *several* theosophical schools.
There's no reason why one such school couldn't be formulated
along the lines that you perfer and another along lines I'd
find more suitable. Each school could specialized in its own
way. And our different paths could cross as members of a
generic T.S.

If we want this to happen we need to do two things. 01 Work
to keep the T.S. generic in nature not giving a strong slant
according to our individual preferences. 02 Focus our needs
to go further and to specialize theosophy into companion
organizations independent yet in respectful cooperation with
the overall theosohical community.