Theos-Talk Archives (February 1997 Message tl00361)

At 05:14 PM 2/14/97 -0500, you wrote:
>
>The Shantara paranoia Down Under reminds me of the time, about
>ten years ago, when Jean Overton Fuller argued in print that my
>paper on Sufism, Gurdjieff and HPB was a takeover effort.  I
>was being used by Muslims who wanted to confuse Theosophists
>into thinking that Islamic rather than Buddhist sources were
>HPB's main inspiration.  This, preliminary to an Islamic
>takeover of the TS.  As I said to Jim Santucci at the time,
>what the hell does she think the Muslims want with the TS, and
>what are they gonna do with it when they take it over?
>
>Leslie Price explained this bizarre accusation on Miss
>Fuller's part by saying that she had witnessed real takeover
>efforts going on in H.I. Khan's Sufi Order in the West (I
>think) and had gotten paranoid on the subject.  But since from
>things Miss Fuller has said in my presence I think she's a ES
>member, I have another theory about it that ties into the
>Shantara fantasy.
>
>A big, bad takeover *has* happened in the TS-Adyar: the ES has
>taken over the society.  It happened long ago (exactly when
>could be argued) but now that the ES control is established,
>they're paranoid about losing it-- thinking someone
>else might do to them what they did to the TS.
>
>Of course, other takeovers *have* happened: the Holy Order of
>MANS by Eastern Orthodoxy, John G. Bennett's Coombe Springs by
>Idries Shah, for starters.  But I think this takeover business
>on the part of certain ES loyalists is in fact based on the
>unconscious knowledge that *they* have usurped all power in the
>TS and subverted all its explicit objectives about democracy
>and freedom of thought.  Equally unconsciously, they know that
>karma is gonna catch up with them for it one day, and thus are always looking
>over their shoulder for potential threats.
>
>That's my half-baked theory for the day.


        Much of what we have been discussing about ES control, at least in
the USA, issue is likely to surface not in the normal arena of democratic
forums. More likely it will come in the courts. Let me give a scenario that
is very likely. It is just a scenario and is very likely, at least in my
opinion. It is more likely than the Shantara takeover.

        Wheaton may cancel the charter of a lodge with substantial assets on
some excuse and then try to take over the assets by using the bylaws. The
bylaws will be challenged in the courts. While litigation goes on, there is
likely to be political attention being paid by some congressman or senator
who in turn asks IRS to investigate into the allegation that ES defacto
controls a democratic tax exempt organization. This will lead to all the
officers (including past ones) being put on oath and asked very many probing
questions. In addition they will also dig into all paperwork.

        From then on it may pick up steam if it is determined that all shots
are called by ES from India. This question of indirect control especially
from overseas may become a very sensitive political issue.

        Where this will lead, who knows. With such a development, and the
availability of Internet, the developments will be public knowledge on a
daily basis. The old environment where info dispersion can be contained and
censored will no more be true. Such dissemination of information will raise
further questions in the minds of ordinary members who are not the sheep and
not in party line.

        One thing is for sure. If this scenario plays out, there will be
some very rich attorneys at the end of the litigation. The attorneys
generally are very happy to represents organizations which has tons of money
to litigate. TIT can and will come in handy.

        This is just a scenario. But is very likely.

         Any comments/additions.

MKR


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