Theos-Talk Archives (October 1996 Message tl00341)

Dear Jerry,

Since you ask me on the list about my ambivalence regarding TS
memberships, I'll answer on the list.  Have been thinking a
fair amount about this, along lines similar to your own.  The
important decision for me lately was raising my A.R.E.
membership from the associate to the sponsoring level, due to
my consistently favorable impressions of the work that
organization is doing.  Since the T.S.--Adyar requires dues and
has not acted in the past year in a way that makes me want to
pay more, I'll let that membership lapse.  Outright resignation
would imply that I think the organization will *never* be one I
can support, whereas I retain hope that in the future I may
wish to renew membership.  I'd need to see convincing evidence
that the E.S. stranglehold on the T.S.--Adyar had ended before
considering renewal.  With Pasadena, the question becomes
different, because there are no dues and one thinks of being a
theosophist as a lifetime commitment more than an annual
decision.  But basically my interests and orientation have now
become dominated by Cayce and A.R.E. and the Theosophical
membership is secondary at best.  As for finding a spiritual community
that is receptive to, rather than rejecting of, one's literary
efforts, I think the A.R.E. looks far more promising for me
than Theosophy ever did, and suppose the same is true for you
with the Magicians.

Cheers
Paul