Theos-Talk Archives (January 1997 Message tl00376)

M K Ramadoss wrote:
> 
> As far as the cancellation of charters in Canada and Denmark etc. no one who
> has first hand access to the information has come forth and explained why
> the charter was cancelled. Cancellation of a National Section Charter is not
> a simple or easy decision at the highest level, especially at a time the
> membership world wide is perhaps at its lowest and perhaps shrinking. So
> there should be some valid and strong reasons. The questions is what is
> preventing anyone who knows full facts to come out with details.
> 
> Again why the secrecy? What or who is/are being protected?

	There WAS an official explanation of Canada: According to Canadian law,
the Canadian section lost some tax breaks by being part of the
Theosophical Society (Canadian only organizations got breaks which
organizations that were part of an international organziation did not
get). The Canadian section therefore amended its bylaws so that it no
longer declared itself to be part of the Theosophical Society. The
Theosophical Society therefore revoked its charter; if it allowed the
Canadian section to keep its charter, then it would have been
participating in a fraud.

	Now, it is certainly a matter of debate whether or not it would have
been a legal fiction or a fraud, and it certainly is possible that,
being composed of human beings, factors other than strictly legal ones
influenced which way Adyar made the decision. And I am not aware exactly
how much money was at stake; for example, whether it would have been
enough to destroy the Canadian section. But the reason was completely
valid.

	Bart Lidofsky