Theos-Talk Archives (October 1997 Message tl00370)

ramadoss@eden.com wrote:
> The work done by various parties/organizations to make more of the
> Theosophical Texts available on line (for free -- yes no dues, no access
> charges, nothing real or hidden cost) is very commendable when the largest
> TS group - when it looks like TSA (Adyar) is asleep on this critical issue
> and may be missing the boat once and for all.

	You are extremely naive if you think that these parties/organizations
are doing this for free. Money is being spent for these services; it is
just that the end user doesn't pay in the form of money. What IS being
spent is allowing those who pay the money to make the decisions of what
is seen or not seen; how the doctrine is defined or not defined. 

	The New York Lodge has some major benefactors, but these benefactors
have seen to it that the Lodge is largely self-supporting. They realized
that even they should not define what is and is not proper in Theosophy,
and the only way to be free of the influence of the major donors is
financial independence. As a result, the narrow mindedness and
censorship that people here seem to find in other Theosophical
organizations are relatively absent in the New York Lodge. And those who
run the Lodge are not those hand-picked by the PTB, but those who do the
most physical work for the Lodge. The working philosophy here is, "If
you think you can do a better job, you are welcome to try." And if there
is a disagreement as to how something is done, the ones who actually
have to live with the result are given a strong benefit of the doubt.

	Now, for example, Dr. Bain is doing a wonderful job, from what I have
hears, with TSI (btw, is there a way that those who are not members to
see some of the digests, so that they may determine better if they wish
to become members or not, before having to join?). And he runs it
according to his philosophy. There is no charge to the members, but the
list is somewhat dependent on Dr. Bain's work and the maintenance of
this list server. If someone is disruptive to the list (and who is to
define disruptive?) then there is a choice between possibly allowing the
group to be spammed into oblivion, or possibly throwing someone out
because of a different point of view. And the decision would be entirely
up to Dr. Bain.

	Remember, TINSTAAFL applies, even in Theosophy.

	Bart Lidofsky