Theos-Talk Archives (April 1996 Message tl00631)

Hi, everybody:

The current state of membership in all the TS groups not increasing all
over the world and perhaps dwindling. While some of us think that quality
is more important than quantity, it is a fact that we should try to
expose more and more persons to Theosophy in the hope that out of this
exposure some good will mushroom  and make the world a little better for
it. If you go back and look at the early correspondence you will find
that the First Object of the TS is of primary concern to the "Founders".

Internet may be last chance we all have to bring Theosophy to the masses.
The exposure of more people to Theosophy is likely to to bring more help
to the Humanity than all the technical theoretical material however
impressive and important that latter are.

When the new subscribers read the mail in the maillist, the atmosphere
should be such that it is inviting rather than frightening. New
subscribers do not know or understand what is going on. They may have
come here looking for knowledge or information or help. Scaring them away
does no good to Theosophy.

Let us all try and help everybody so that everyone feels invited to
discuss any idea or opinion however off the wall, stupid, dumb, they may
be. In due course of time, everyone outgrows such ideas or opinions, if
in fact they are erroneous.

It brings to my mind the way one of the great charismatic leaders used to
handle situations. Frequently people would come and present an idea or
plan which is perhaps not the best. However this person would go along
and sooner or later the person who presented the idea or plan outgrows
and recognizes that the idea or plan was not the best.

Many may disagree with my thougts above. It does not personally matter to
me so long as we are able to bring more Internetters to Theosophy.

	...doss




On Wed, 17 Apr 1996, Bee Brown wrote:

> Date: Wed, 17 Apr 1996 10:56:24 -0400
> From: Bee Brown <bbrown@whanganui.ac.nz>
> To: Multiple recipients of list <theos-l@elvis.vnet.net>
> Subject: Re: Reply to JRC -- Same Old Arguments
>
> Eldon writes as below:
>
> I'd say that people's feelings are important, but their
> unjustified emotional reactions to things are not. I should, for
> instance, be able to express myself using the word "cat" without
> regard to someone's unexpected phobia of that word. Here there is
> no harm intended in the word and the reaction is clearly the
> listener's psychological problem. That is different than
>
> ""trouncing upon someone's beliefs because of not liking the beliefs, without
> regard to the effect upon their spiritual lives"".
>
> You mention that an attack on people's beliefs is justified,
> because if the beliefs are based upon illusion the beliefs will be
> upset sooner or later anyway. That may be so, but I wouldn't
> prematurely rip open a baby flower bud or cut open a cocoon, just
> because "sooner or later..."
>
> On the other hand, I'd agree with this idea in another direction.
> I'd say that sooner or later people's false beliefs, beliefs based
> upon illusion, will be subject to challenge and the reality of
> life will make itself known.
>
> Bee writes: I am plagiarizing Eldons post to express my similar attitude
> especially in the ""    "" bit. The trouncing bit is what has deterred me
> from saying any more. In the past I used to give a quote as it expressed
> what I was thinking better than I could and it meant that, that particular
> quote stood for an idea I was expressing not for the enlightenment of the
> list as such. Some times a quote had a meaning that I found illusive and by
> posting it here I thought I might have gained an insight into it from
> someone's experience or knowledge. I don't mind if someone points out an
> error of thinking I may be expressing as long as they don't 'rip open the
> rose bud' in the process. I have heard from lurkers privately who express
> the same feelings and if we don't speak to each other reasonably and kindly
> then there will only be a very few left to talk on theos-l and that would be
> sad. My cats have a carpeted post for sharpening their claws and it gets
> into a real mess and has to have a new cover on it periodically. It saves my
> furniture though. I wonder if there isn't a list somewhere for sharpening
> mental claws too.
> Peace to us all.
> Bee Brown
> Member TSNZ,Wanganui Branch.
> Theos Int & L
>
>