Theos-Talk Archives (July 1996 Message tl00691)

According to James S Yungkans:
> >
> their beliefs as Hasidic jews or "Bible Bashing Baptists."  This has caused
> a rift in the society which may not be remidied until another society is
> formed to superceed it.  This is unfortunate, but it is KARMA.  If the
> masters were to come today to one of our "Annual Conventions", they would be
> appauled at what we have done to their "Society."  Why do you think we
> haven't heard from them? Here's your answer.

HPB, in the Key and in her letters to American conventions, was
very clear about the probable fate of the TS.  Her warnings
about a "sandbank of thought" and a "moulded carcass" stranded
on it seem to have fallen on deaf ears.

> >
> >The masters, I'm sure, have visited our grand fiasco.  The question is,
> what can we do to remedy the situation.  Bar anyone who does not speak the
> "Party Line" from attending?  Condemm anyone who does not accept the
> required "Dogma" as a "Heretic?"

My fond hope in researching and writing my books was to open
up the field of Theosophical history, question orthodoxies,
get people to consider multiple possibilities.  I now fear that
it has had the reverse effect of inspiring people to circle the wagons,
battle the infidels, etc., bringing out the worst rather than
the best in Theosophists.  But that fear is based on a handful
of reactions from influential people.  The average Theosophist
is a lot less orthodox than the minority which runs
everything.  That minority knows its position is precarious,
which only makes it more vigilant in defending orthodoxy.

  If so, we've become no better then
> Iraneus, writing against Valentinus.  What good does it serve, but to
> alienate ourselves from the masses for which THEOSOPHY was intended.
> >
Are the average members alienated from the masses, or is is
just those who are leaders?  And more particularly those in the
ES, or still caught up in ES karma somehow, who glory in
elitism and the sense of preserving something that is too
precious for "ordinary people" to appreciate.

> >Perhaps we, as a group of Internet-ional Theosophists, can design a new way
> to present theosophy within the framework of the "New Age movement" so as to
> accept and embrace those teachings which are beneficial and speak of TRUTH.
> "He who is not against us, is WITH US!"  Don't worry about scorn (from the
> 'Old Folks back home'), but "Let the Dead Bury their Dead" as we "Strike a
> blow for Liberty" and Theosophy.  After all, what do you have to lose
> besides antequated ideas.
> >
> >
> >                                A True Theosophist
> >
> 
> What are your comments?

I have concluded that what people have to lose, if for example
they let go of certain dogmas about the Masters, is their
sense of being a special people, a chosen people, HPB the one
sole chosen messenger of the one brotherhood that preserves the
one ancient wisdom.  Such a simple world, and we Theosophists
so smack dab at the center of it!  Relinquishing that "chosen
people" mentality means saying HPB is *a messenger* of *some
Masters* who conveyed *some wisdom* but that there are lots of
Masters, messengers and wisdoms that are *not* included in our
modern Theosophical lineage and that we should respect rather
than disdain as inferior or fraudulent.  For me and you, what
people would lose by accepting that point of view is an
illusion anyhow, so what's the big deal?  But for people whose
illusion is that they are at the center of the universe due to
some special link with a unique source of truth-- losing that
illusion destroys their whole world.