Theos-Talk Archives (April 1996 Message tl00046)

I just thought of a very important meaning of freedom, at least to me it is.
It's the freedom I have of being able to live in the US, where I can pretty
well say & do as I please, rather than being forced to live under an
oppressive ditatorship. Since I have this background, I'm very sensitive to
any abrogation of any freedoms, & I usually notice their slight abrogation
the minute it comes up, & I usually protest them.
I also just remembered a real good expression of freedom. It's the very
touching chorus the prisoners sing in "Fidelio" when they are allowed to
come up out of their dank dungeons, and be in the courtyard in the sun for a
few minutes.
Liesel
Member TI, TSA, TS in Canada, HR
.............................................................................


>>Liesel,
>>I agree with you.  The word "free" has a lot of meanings to different people.
>> Alex and I disagree a lot about it.  And in the context of theTI preamble it
>>takes on a rather hostile implication that I really don't think we want.
>>
>>Chuck the Barbarian MTI, FTSA
>>Heretic
>>Troublemaker
>
>Chuck,
>
>Free shouldn't be a problem to anybody in any TS group. It is well known
>that one of the characteristics of a theosophist - and we all have talked
>about it at one point or another - is the freedom of thought and action in
>the Society. It also happens that in some theosophical groups you see an
>authoritarian attitude on part of the officials in those groups. I have
>seen also examples of adoration that reaches almost to the ridiculous. All
>this given to 'personalities'. I don't care if those personalities are at
>the top of the ladder (read: power structure),  they are still
>personalities, and they are subjected to all the defects and imperfections
>that human personalities have.
>
>Just because I value my freedom, is that I am a member of TI. I also know
>that I don't have to belong to any organization. Freedom, just like many
>other words has been corrupted in its meaning. But to me it is something
>sacred. I know what it means to me. Basically it means freedom from
>illusion. I don't want to extend myself more on this, but I don't believe
>that by saying that we are free men and women, we are being hostile to
>anybody. We're just saying what we really are.
>
>
>THEOSOPHY INTERNATIONAL
><a matter of consciousness>
>
>Web: http://www.garlic.com/~rdon/TI.html