Theos-Talk Archives (October 1996 Message tl00268)

> From: Bart Lidofsky <bartl@sprynet.com>
>
> 	Well, it all started out when Alice Bailey was with the Esoteric
> Section. She claimed to be in touch with the Mahatmas. Annie Besant
> essentially said, "Nobody is in touch with the Mahatma's until I say
> they are in touch with the Mahatmas. Bailey disagreed.

I've heard this one several times, but also other stories relating to her
leaving TS, including the one Alice Bailey wrote in her autobiography.

I've learned a lot about the many Theosophical organization from being on
this list, but most of all, I've learned the differences that separate
them, almost to the point of it looking like different sects of one
religion.

The Internet is educational in more ways than one can count.  In my
relationships with the LCC and the TSA, there was no mention of any other
independent churches or  Theosophical organizations.  Perhaps one way to
beat the competition is to simply pretend it doesn't exist.  If your
members don't know about anything else, they'll think your group is the
only game in town.  God bless the Internet!
>
> 	I, for one, find that Alice Bailey puts somewhat too much of her own
> filtering on her works. I particularly find her racism and homophobia to
> be highly offputting, even though I know that she is just a product of
> her times (Leadbeater's couching everything in Christian terms has a
> similar effect on me).
>
As they say, to each his own.  I posted those quotes because I had the
material available and I thought it would be interesting to those who do
not own the books.

-Ann E. Bermingham

A thank you to Jim Meier for his comprehensive response.