Theos-Talk Archives (December 1995 Message tl00445)

At 040800 PM 12/26/95 -0500 Liesel wrote:
>>At 085700 PM 12/23/95 -0500 Alan wrote:
>>>
>>>When the Adyar objects are considered there is no commitment to
>>>study anything at all and theosophy as a subject is not even
>> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>>>mentioned an all too familiar peculiarity to the Adyar TS
>> ^^^^^^^^^
>>>thinking members.
>>>
>>
>> It is one of the very important facts that I point out to new and
>>prospective members that it is *the only* organization where its main
>>subject is not *defined*. The motto of TS is "There is no Religion Higher
>>Than Truth". As all of us are just students of Truth Divine Wisdom -
>>Theo-Sophia cannot IMHO be static and be *defined*. The fact that TS has
>>lived for 120 years is a standing evidence of the soundness of this decision
>>of the Founders.
>>
>> IMHO that is why when there is some talk about the what lodges and
>>study centers should *study* I felt that there could not and should not be
>>any specific set of books as the specific line of work of each lodge/study
>>center/ is different from any other.
>>
>> Long time ago I was a associated with an extremely active lodge
>>which is as active today which had close to 300 members not counting
>>their family members who participated in the programs. For example in
>>spite of the varied kinds of programs there was *not* a single lecture or
>>study class on "Secret Doctrine" during the thirteen years I attended the
>>lodge programs. So each lodge has to tailor its activities to the line of
>>work its members want to commit themselves.
>>
>>MK Ramadoss
>>
>>Doss
>
>I don't quite agree with you on that one. The pattern you describe was
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

No problem. By the same token I think a Lodge should not be forced
to adopt a particular program "approved" by the National Hq or anyone else.

>followed by the small branch I was President of in NJ. We went along for
>many years with a very varied Theosophical program until one fine day we
>decided that we should really study Basic Theosophy because none of us were
>sure of what it really was. I think it's a good idea to at least briefly
>study the basics of Theosophy & then branch out from there. The trouble is
>no one has as yet written a decent brief Basic Theosophy course. The only
>one by Imogene Simons is hopelessly dated. I haven't looked at Doss
>McDavid's but the blurp on that one says that it's for more advanced
>students. Also I imagine it's too long. My idea is to have something that
>touches briefly on the main Theosophical concepts & then let the group go
>on from there to wherever they wish to go. I think to tie up a group for
>several months by only giving them Basic Theosophy would be deadly. I know
>that the group I'm trying to keep alive just now the Onondaga Provisional
>Study Center isn't too interested in Basic Theosophy. They're interested in
>New Age & esoteric things. They enjoy being members because they get "the
>Quest". But other than that Theosophy doesn't mean too much to them yet &

Each Lodge is unique due to the unique composition of its members.
So it is the active members of the lodge who are in the best position to
figure out with full communication with its members what is best suited to
its needs. This approach will foster harmony and unity of its members and
will in due course strengthen the lodge. This is what I feel.

>I think meetings filled with nothing but Basic Theosophy would be the end.
>We're struggling now without that because I'm insisting that I can't be the
>whole program. They loved it when I ran the show & they came &
>participated but I'm having problems with getting one of them to run the
>show. If I now come preaching Theosophy I'd make it brief & in a style
>that won't bore them to death.
>>
>>Liesel

Do not worry about the length of the msg. When you have to discuss
important issues sometimes it is difficult to be very brief. Sometimes the
brevity itself will lead to not being fully or correctly understood by others.

MK Ramadoss