Theos-Talk Archives (February 1998 Message tl00175)

K. Paul Johnson wrote:

> FYI John Mead has been on this list for 4 years and has never
> piped up with a single word of criticism of Wheaton until the
> last few weeks.  Let up on him.

    He also kindly runs this list. He (along with you and a few others) has never
made any claim without good information backing it that I know of, which is why,
when he said that the TSA leadership does not have the support of the TSA members,
I asked him to expand rather than to explain or prove his statement.

> which has hopeful implications for the entire Society.  Miami
> lodge, which I have not visited, is a particularly shining
> example of a thriving group.  Is it any coincidence that it is
> among the most dissatisfied with the national administration?

    In my opinion, Miami is fulfilling the 3 objects quite well. The only
complaint based in fact that I have heard is that their traditional theosophical
presentations tend not to attract audiences. My in-laws live near there, and, from
the Miami Lodge, they had the impression that Theosophy was just a conglomeration
of various "newage" disciplines. Yet, Theosophy can certainly be taught THROUGH
other subjects (which is part of what I was trying to explain with the recent
quotes from John Algeo supposedly subverting the purpose of the TS).

    When the New York Lodge started expanding its public program, the Lodge
President started forwarding to me copies of the Miami Lodge's program, for the
purpose of getting ideas. One of their programs, examining the spiritual side of
Star Trek, gave me the idea of having a monthly movie night, where we would rent a
movie with Theosophical themes, show it to an audience of members (I originally
wanted it to be public, but that would have involved paying prohibitively large
fees to show the movies, while making it members-only eliminated that problem),
and have a discussion about the Theosophical implications of the movie. National
later started something similar; I do not know if they got it from us. Movies that
were particularly successful were "Groundhog Day", "Monty Python's The Life of
Brian", "Babe", "Lost Horizon" (the original), and "Phenomenon/"

> Finally, I must say in Bart's defense that while I regard him as
> a political adversary vis-a-vis attitudes about the Algeo
> administration (to refer to "Wheaton" as synonymous with Algeo
> and his fans is quite unfair to the staff
> there), I still like him and consider him an honorable opponent.

    And I still like you, too, and consider you to be honorable, and not
necessarily an opponent.

    Bart Lidofsky