Theos-Talk Archives (August 1997 Message tl00328)

Alan wrote:

>I was kicked off my Lodge committee for
>*participating* in Internet activities and promoting Theosophy
>International's approach to the three objects.  This, BTW, is exactly
>how *cults* behave - see other post.
>
>I can post the letter of dismissal again if you like. They even
>considered throwing me out of the UK TS altogether.

My experience with the TS (at least its Seattle lodge) is that it
completely promotes freedom of speech and of thought - if anything,
too much.  At meetings, everyone is encouraged to say something - if
anything, too much.  Anyone who wants to be on the voting board could
have political power.  If anything, it should have more of a party
line.  If it has no specific message, it should disband.  I have made
my Internet activities known, and no one has threatened to kick me off
of any committee.  No one has ever told me not to say anything.  This
list was the first experience I had with Theosophists trying to shut
me up.  No Theosophist personally attacked me for what I said until
some of those on this list did.  Maybe you got kicked out for
generally having the same attitude that it took for you to immediately
call me a "sexist bastard" just because I wrote that I believed that
men are superior to women in some ways, without stopping to think how
hypocritically sexist the alternative is, with your Internet
activities merely being used as a pretense.  Stated reasons can
radically differ from real reasons.  Maybe they haven't kicked me out
because I am nice, decent, and respectful towards everyone, as
everyone has been to me.  If I wasn't, they _should_ kick me out.  An
organization that promotes brotherhood can't afford to let destructive
attitudes survive in it.  I wouldn't want to belong to an organization
that sanctioned personal attacks.  For freedom of speech to be
maximized, some speech has to be inhibited.   Those anarchists who, in
the name of free speech, advocate freedom of attitude and who
therefore wouldn't touch a moderated discussion with a ten-foot pole,
the more so as it more effectively eliminated such obstacles to a
productive discussion, are the real enemies of free speech and
thought.