Theos-Talk Archives (February 1997 Message tl00322)

At 06:53 AM 2/12/97 -0500, you wrote:
>At the Theosophical History Conference in 1992, Gregory Tillett
>presented a paper on esoteric groups in Theosophy, and devoted
>particular attention to the Seven Virgins of Java.  A couple of
>weeks after the conference, its organizer got a blistering
>letter from John Algeo, expressing extreme dislike of Tillett's
>paper and some others.  Also complaining that Grace Knoche got
>too much attention (this for an event held at Point Loma!)  The
>clincher was that his language conveyed an implicit threat to
>prevent any TSA support or involvement in Theosophical History
>Foundation events in the future, unless assurances were given
>that obnoxious papers like Tillett's wouldn't ever again be
>presented.

        We all know he who pays the piper calls the tune. I do not know how
much of the funding, if any, came from TSA. May be it is time to look for
funding elsewhere. If you do not expect any money or other non monetary
support or favor from any one or any organization, then there is nothing
it/they can do. They can be unhappy etc. It is their problem.

        With Internet, anybody and everybody can prepare a paper and post it
for free. And many all over the world will be able to read them. No
organization can control or censor any of it however much they would like.
Is that not the old way things were done.

        I would like to see a copy of Tillett's and other papers posted
here. If Paul or anyone has a copy or access to a copy, I can get excerpts
posted so that each one of us can see for ourselves what the various issues
and viewpoints are.

        Also it would be interesting to see Algeo's letter and Tillett's
response. What is it that Algeo did not like in Tillett's papers and some
others. Is he responding in his private capacity or speaking for TSA? Is it
the new facts dug up by Tillet and others or their interpretations or
conclusions? If Grace Knoche got too much attention, so what. Did Algeo want
all attention for himself?

>
>My source for this, among others, is Tillett, who showed me the
>letter involved and wrote his own response.
>


MKR


------------------------------