Theos-Talk Archives (December 1996 Message tl00413)

TR
>I have no information on which to base a definite opinion about
>any specifics of the "Wheaton oligarchy" except that I
>personally think very highly of one of the ex-national officers
>who is a member of my lodge,

JHE
Well, I guess I was not sufficiently explicit when I used the
term "Wheaton Oligarchy."  I doubt that if I were to name names,
they would have much meaning to most of the people on theos-l,
but for the record, here goes:  The people I have in mind do not
necessarily sit on the National Board, though all of them have at
one time or another.  Further, those who are elected to the
National Board are not necessarily a member of this exclusive
group, though this group has a lot of influence as to who does.
I have been a member of the TS since 1963 and have known many of
them, but most are now dead--E.G.: Ann Green, Fritz Kunz, the
Sellons, Anita Wild, the Laytons etc.  Those who are still living
include: Willamay Pym, Dora Kunz, Joy Mills and Austin Bee.  New
comers to the circle include John Algeo and Betty Bland.  I am
not suggesting that any of the above named are or were awful
people--only that they are very powerful influences in the
Wheaton TS.  I personally get along with most of the above people
and I'm even rather fond of one or two.


TR
>but I do not see any necessary problem in their publishing some
>books and not others.  They have to draw the line somewhere.
>Should they publish "Mein Kampf?"  Or does this imply a
>misunderstanding of the degree to which they censor material
>which is clearly relevant to Theosophy?  Krishnamurti has been a
>controversial subject within the TS, but we have his books in
>our library and we discuss his ideas at our meetings.  From what
>I have seen, they should be _more_ selective about their
>material, not less.

JHE
Actually my statement was not really addressing the issue of
selecting books for TPH, though that issue is also related.  I
was only pointing out that the choices that are made, are made by
people who are operating from certain agendas.  I am more
interested in the agendas than the choices.  As for "Mein Kampf,"
I haven't the slightest doubt that it will not be chosen.  As for
censorship--yes this is also related to my thought.  TPH has
edited and censored publications as a matter of course since
early in this century.  I think that was has been censored and
the reasons for the censorship are issues that would make for
worthwhile exploration.

As for Krishhnamurti, whether or not members read Krishnamurti is
hardly an issue of controversy.  TS Presidents in the past have
embraced him, some have ignored him, but none (as far as I know)
have ever renounced him.
TR
>I cannot imagine what motive anyone in the TS would have for
>wanting to use their power to suppress alternative opinions,
>except that the material is considered harmful to Theosophy.  Is
>it a personal battle?

JHE
Past experience has taught me that if the above question has to
be asked, then there is no answer that I have been able to give
that would have much meaning.  I find that members usually
eventually learn the answers to the above questions and do one of
four things: drop out of the TS; pretend it isn't true; fight the
system and become marginalized; or become a part of the problem.

JHE
> Therefore, I'm also in favor of the dissent, but lets focus
> these controversies to trying to figure out what is going on.
> Every person has a unique point of view and each of us holds a
> piece of the puzzle.


JRC
I'd be most interested in a discussion if you'd care to offer a
couple of topics ... I'm not versed enough in TS history to start
a discussion, but could you, for instance, mention some aspect of
doctrine into which distortion was introduced ... and perhaps
even trace the development of the distortion over time?

JHE
Oh there are so many that still affect the policies of the TS.
The Judge Case (1895) and the Krishnamurti resignation (1930) are
very important in understanding why the TS is the way that it is-
-not to mention the topic of the founding and historical
development of the ES.


MKR
>Do you know we even have one person on the Board of Directors
>who has *the* unique position of suing Krishnamurti (yes K was
>sued by this person and few others) ? Of course very few people
>know about it, and it is even possible you may have met this
>person.

JHE
I met his wife some 15 or 20 years ago, but not him.

AEB
> Essentially, it's about a large organization, who had control
> over their communications for a long time and became very upset
> that individuals in the organization could establish a mailing
> list and discuss issues that they felt shouldn't be aired.

JHE
Yes.  That has happened several times in the TS too.


------------------------------------------
   |Jerry Hejka-Ekins,                      |
      |Member TI, TSA, TSP, ULT                |
         |Please reply to: jhe@toto.csustan.edu   |
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