Theos-Talk Archives (January 1997 Message tl00690)

At 03:57 PM 1/22/97 -0500, you wrote:
>----------
>> From: K. Paul Johnson <pjohnson@leo.vsla.edu>
>> 
>> What I don't understand and would like to throw out for
>> discussion is how Theosophy has become so stale and dry as a
>> movement, so dominated by judgment and lacking in perception.
>> I cannot think of a really fresh outlook or stirring new
>> perception that has emerged in Theosophical literature in
>> decades.  And yet the movement began with a person who was much
>> more an intuitive than a thinking type.  Somewhere along the
>> line, maybe in the wake of Krishnamurti's defection, the
>> intuitive side seems to have shriveled up and died.  What
>> happened?
>
>Perhaps it was a delliberate move NOT to stir the waters, because that
>would have put the movement in the possible danger of looking
>too avant-garde.  And it was deemed better to look conservative by
>raking over the coals of the past rather than stirring up any new
>flames.  Being conservative and historical looked dignified, rather the
>possibility of looking foolish if the innovative failed.  Maybe when K left
TS, there was
>so much pain and discreditation of what so many had put their hopes
>on, no one wanted to take the chance of exploring anything new.
>
>Not having that much knowledge about TS history I wonder what the
>public's reaction was to K's resignation and how TS was viewed from
>their angle.  Maybe it cut a wound so deep that no one want to go in
>that direction, for fear it will happen again.
>
>-AEB
=======================================

        Dear Ann:

        I wonder whether the public really cared whether K resigned or not.
Public in general is more interested in scandals and other stuff that hits
tabloid.

        The impact of K's resignation was more on TS members. When K issued
his famous "Truth is a Pathless Land" statement and disbanded all
organizations he was heading, there was real turmoil across the membership
from Annie Besant down to the grass roots. K was administering truth from
his own point of view to the people who had built up various organizations
for his use. He declined the disciples announced for him, rejected all the
modes of organized access to the forces of inner planes, said the system of
master and pupil was injurious, declared that ceremonies were hindrances,
not helps, and reverted uncompromisingly to the position that in order to
have spiritualiy a man/woman must lean upon no thing or person outside of
himself. When he cast off his connection with the TS because, he said, it
was *addicted* to these things.

        The problem/confusion for rank and file membership was compounded by
the fact that Besant suspended the ES for a year. In these circumstances,
many left the TS. Since that time, the membership has never recovered.
Historically looking, there is also the fact TS has never had any dynamic
leader/organizer like Besant, even though those who succeeded her had
impressing academic credentials from well known institutions.

        Just thought I should add my 2 cents worth.

        MK Ramadoss