Theos-Talk Archives (August 1997 Message tl00329)

At 04:46 AM 8/15/97 -0400, Tom Robertson wrote:
>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.

As theos-xxxx are the totally unmoderated, we don't even see the owner for
months and months, anyone is free to say anything, and as such there would
be wide difference of opinions and language vocabulary used etc. and they
only reflect the individual's background and not the list.

The fact most are on the list and post messages is reflective of the fact
that there is a need of this type of list. Again, from personal experience I
can tell that I have learned of things here in 2 years which I had not known
in 40 years and some of the information is totally unobtainable anywhere
else for love or money. At least I have found this list of value and does
not even cost me anything, no membership dues, no fees, nothing etc and I am
yet to find *any* substitute to it for what it does.

My 2 cents. YMDMV.

.............mkr