Theos-Talk Archives (December 1995 Message tl00448)

>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
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 &
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