Theos-Talk Archives (April 1996 Message tl00088)

At 01:43 AM 4/9/96 -0500, you wrote:
>>>>>>cut<<<<<<
>JRC:
What you have written below is a truly clear and unequivocable description
of what those of us who have been drawn to the TI concept have hoped to do.
Your clear distinction between the kind of thing TI is, and the kinds of
theing the Theosophical Societies do, is really good. I support your
statement 100%

alexis
>Interesting attmept to catagorize, and in fact reduce TI to just another=20
>one of the many factions and perspectives Theosophy has split into. It is=
>=20
>not simply an "other" group or approach ... or perhaps you've defined it=20
>that way in your mind, but there is a big difference in fact between TI and=
>=20
>the "other" approaches. Your "approach" may be, for instance, to follow=20
>G.deP's own particular take on source literature, and to follow some kind=
>=20
>of path that you evidently see defined somewhere in the vast range of=20
>Theosophical literature. Another group may form specifically to=20
>investigate what you label as "psychic" phenomena - and you would perhaps=
>=20
>be right to say that the two groups would to some extent be pursuing=20
>contradictory ends (if, that is, one accepts your view of what "psychic"=20
>is) ... the psychics could not pursue their ends within your group, and=20
>you would not pursue yours within the group of psychic investigators.=20
>However, *both* could fully legitimately operate as groups, and pursue=20
>those seemingly contradictory ends, *within the organization called=20
>Theosophy International* ... all members of both groups could call=20
>themselves "Members, Theosophy International", and so long as they=20
>claimed membership, and agreed to the Three Objects, no "leadership"=20
>would try to tell them that what they were doing was *not* theosophy, nor=
>=20
>try to have them removed, nor membership revoked, nor their property=20
>taken. You could, simply by desiring to put the effort into it, start the=
>=20
>"Eldon" branch of TI, and teach whoever wished to join it whatever=20
>practices or disciplines you believe theosophy to be, and expound on=20
>whatever you believe to be the "doctrines" of Theosophy. Of course, many=20
>people do not believe there is a specific "path" taught by theosophy, and=
>=20
>virtually every Theosophist has a different view of what, if *any*, the=20
>actual "doctrines" of theosophy are ... which is precisely the reason=20
>for TI - I think what has happened since the beginning of this list is=20
>that many here have been positively astounded by how *great* the=20
>diversity of belief and opinion exists within the ranks of those=20
>connected to theosophy ... what virtually every organization and offshoot=
>=20
>up to now has done is essentially come down of some *side or sides* of=20
>particular issues ... and people can belong to them if they agree, and=20
>may even be expelled if they don't.=20
>=09TI, especially in this discussion of freedom, is making it clear=20
>that the *only* thing required for membership is the acceptance of the=20
>=D4hree Objects, which is the only thing *HPB & the Masters* required.=20
>=09Those who *do* wish to stay within a particular faction, who not=20
>only feel that their reading of theosophical writings and their=20
>interpretation of a path are *their* readings, but go a step further and=20
>wish to assert that they are the only "correct" readings, or that they=20
>are somehow "higher" than all other perspectives, probably will not be=20
>attracted to TI - but even in this choice, it is they who choose not to=20
>join ... neither themselves, nor whatever practices and beliefs they=20
>hold, would be cause them to be *refused* membership, or expelled.
>=09A house cannot hold a city, but a city can hold many houses. TI=20
>is not simply another house, it is the city ... which I believe the TS=20
>was supposed to be from the very beginning.=20
>=09You may stand on the side and try to catagorize it as just=20
>another approach if you like ... but ... your approach *does* fit within=20
>it, and you've been invited to join, but apparently *it* does not fit=20
>within your "appraoch" ... as you've chosen not to. You've=20
>inadevertantly, I fear, catagorized not TI, but only yourself.=20
>=09=09=09=09=09=09=09-JRC  =20
>
>