In support of theosophy
Sep 21, 1999 05:52 PM
by Alan
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Dear All,
This is partly in response to the post from JRC replying to Bart, but =
never having been part of the TS in the USA, I do not feel altogether =
competent to make direct responses to that post.
What I would like to share with you all follows:
Way back in 1956 - 43 years ago - I began the study Theosophical =
teachings a la Adyar Society vie Jinarajadasa's *First Principles of =
Theosophy* which although flawed by the CWL/Besant influence (admitted =
now by the TS in England) none the less gave a thorough presentation of =
the basics as suggested by its title, and I would still recommend it to =
anyone who can find a copy and is starting out on the occult way.
When I began teaching Kabbalah a couple of years later, all students =
were recommended to read this book, and by 1959 I was pretty well =
informed on theosophical ideas and teachings generally. In good faith I =
approached the TS in England as it was then constituted, and was treated =
as a dumb enquirer who would, of course, no absolutely nothing of the =
subject. This was most people's experience in those days. Faced with =
this air of arrogant superiority by such people as *bookshop staff* as =
well as HQ officials of the day, I continued to teach a Theosophical =
Kabbalah, but recommended to students that they study theosophy =
*outside* the TS and to use its best features in their own spiritual =
work.
Many years later (in 1983) I found myself living in Theosophical =
premises as a result of a Co-Masonic contact whose integrity I =
respected. I also ran an Independent Catholic Chapel in the basement =
(rented from the TS) in the line of succession from the LCC (but not an =
LCC chapel). In 1989 I felt that having been fairly treated by the =
local TS Lodge, I ought to offer something in return, and became a =
member. Shortly after, there was a vacancy for Lodge Treasurer for =
which I was nominated and elected. The following year I had the =
opportunity to make my own input to the Lodge when I was elected Lodge =
President, as also the following year.
During my two years as President, I was able to increase attendance at =
public meetings, as well as a slight increase in the membership. =
However, some of the "old hands" of the previous administration did not =
like my approach, which is fair enough, and began to spread rumours =
about my desire for personal glory (!) behind my back, which is not fair =
enough, nor fair at all. At least one of these (a former lodge =
president) was an E.S. member. My main "real" crime was in promoting - =
yes, promoting - criticism of TS teachings as the best means of taking =
the TS motto seriously, that there is no religion higher than truth. If =
the teachings hold up under criticism, then they must be doing OK.
So .... although the rules required that no Lodge President should hold =
the office for more than two consecutive years, which meant a change of =
President in any event, I was presented as the TS equivalent of a tool =
of the devil at the AGM, and the former president mentioned above was =
re-elected. I nonetheless became Vice-President for a year, and the =
following year simply a committee member. In this capacity I did what I =
could to promote group meetings of local members interested in =
broadening their horizons in the Kabbalist direction (Kabbalah is *a* =
theosophy). Part of this also included the promotion (with other =
members) of Theosophy International [which looks like a dead duck at the =
moment - maybe it's the word].
There followed a smear campaign of lies, accusations of sexual =
impropriety, glory-seeking (again) and contrary to International, =
National, and Local rules, I was summarily thrown off the committee by a =
different lodge president from the one mentioned.
The furore which followed was no surprise, and became so intense that =
the National Secretary (who is the equivalent of the National President =
in the US) was obliged to chair the next AGM. As I had seen what was =
coming, I had resigned from the Lodge but not the Society. This meant =
that the AGM could discuss my alleged shortcomings/virtues but that I =
was not allowed to present my case in person, being barred from the =
meeting as a non-lodge member!
About this time I came across Theos-L (Hurrah) and those of you who were =
on the list at the time will recall some of this story posted at the =
time.
One way and another, I supported Theosophy and its perspectives, if not =
all of its dogmas, for over 40 years - *and still do.*
In a thousand years I would NEVER recommend to ANYONE that they join the =
Adyar-run TS in any of its sections. My 1959 instincts are, it is very =
clear, as reliable in 1999, forty years later, as they were then.
I still point people towards theosophy, the good and the bad, as my web =
site testifies, but as for the "Official" TS, long may t die - it =
betrays its own as its history has shown it to do since before and after =
the death of HPB. I honestly believe that I she were with us today, she =
would most definitely not be a member, if only for want of steak and =
tobacco!
Heigh Ho!
Alan
Alan@ambain.softnet.co.uk
http://www.soft.net.uk/ambain/
Alan@ambain.softnet.co.uk
http://www.soft.net.uk/ambain/
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<DIV>Dear All,</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>This is partly in response to the post from JRC replying to Bart, =
but never=20
having been part of the TS in the USA, I do not feel altogether =
competent to=20
make direct responses to that post.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>What I would like to share with you all follows:</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Way back in 1956 - 43 years ago - I began the study Theosophical =
teachings=20
a la Adyar Society vie Jinarajadasa's *First Principles of Theosophy* =
which=20
although flawed by the CWL/Besant influence (admitted now by the TS in =
England)=20
none the less gave a thorough presentation of the basics as suggested by =
its=20
title, and I would still recommend it to anyone who can find a copy and =
is=20
starting out on the occult way.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>When I began teaching Kabbalah a couple of years later, all =
students were=20
recommended to read this book, and by 1959 I was pretty well informed on =
theosophical ideas and teachings generally. In good faith I =
approached the=20
TS in England as it was then constituted, and was treated as a dumb =
enquirer who=20
would, of course, no absolutely nothing of the subject. This was =
most=20
people's experience in those days. Faced with this air of arrogant =
superiority by such people as *bookshop staff* as well as HQ officials =
of the=20
day, I continued to teach a Theosophical Kabbalah, but recommended to =
students=20
that they study theosophy *outside* the TS and to use its best features =
in their=20
own spiritual work.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Many years later (in 1983) I found myself living in Theosophical =
premises=20
as a result of a Co-Masonic contact whose integrity I respected. I =
also=20
ran an Independent Catholic Chapel in the basement (rented from the TS) =
in the=20
line of succession from the LCC (but not an LCC chapel). In 1989 I =
felt=20
that having been fairly treated by the local TS Lodge, I ought to offer=20
something in return, and became a member. Shortly after, there was =
a=20
vacancy for Lodge Treasurer for which I was nominated and elected. =
The=20
following year I had the opportunity to make my own input to the Lodge =
when I=20
was elected Lodge President, as also the following year.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>During my two years as President, I was able to increase =
attendance at=20
public meetings, as well as a slight increase in the membership. =
However,=20
some of the "old hands" of the previous administration did not like my =
approach,=20
which is fair enough, and began to spread rumours about my desire for =
personal=20
glory (!) behind my back, which is not fair enough, nor fair at =
all. At=20
least one of these (a former lodge president) was an E.S. member. =
My main=20
"real" crime was in promoting - yes, promoting - criticism of TS =
teachings as=20
the best means of taking the TS motto seriously, that there is no =
religion=20
higher than truth. If the teachings hold up under criticism, then =
they=20
must be doing OK.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>So .... although the rules required that no Lodge President should =
hold the=20
office for more than two consecutive years, which meant a change of =
President in=20
any event, I was presented as the TS equivalent of a tool of the devil =
at the=20
AGM, and the former president mentioned above was re-elected. I=20
nonetheless became Vice-President for a year, and the following year =
simply a=20
committee member. In this capacity I did what I could to promote =
group=20
meetings of local members interested in broadening their horizons in the =
Kabbalist direction (Kabbalah is *a* theosophy). Part of this also =
included the promotion (with other members) of Theosophy International =
[which=20
looks like a dead duck at the moment - maybe it's the word].</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>There followed a smear campaign of lies, accusations of sexual =
impropriety,=20
glory-seeking (again) and contrary to International, National, and Local =
rules,=20
I was summarily thrown off the committee by a different lodge president =
from the=20
one mentioned.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>The furore which followed was no surprise, and became so intense =
that the=20
National Secretary (who is the equivalent of the National President in =
the US)=20
was obliged to chair the next AGM. As I had seen what was coming, =
I had=20
resigned from the Lodge but not the Society. This meant that the =
AGM could=20
discuss my alleged shortcomings/virtues but that I was not allowed to =
present my=20
case in person, being barred from the meeting as a non-lodge =
member!</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>About this time I came across Theos-L (Hurrah) and those of you who =
were on=20
the list at the time will recall some of this story posted at the =
time.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>One way and another, I supported Theosophy and its perspectives, if =
not all=20
of its dogmas, for over 40 years - *and still do.*</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>In a thousand years I would NEVER recommend to ANYONE that they =
join the=20
Adyar-run TS in any of its sections. My 1959 instincts are, it is =
very=20
clear, as reliable in 1999, forty years later, as they were then.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I still point people towards theosophy, the good and the bad, as my =
web=20
site testifies, but as for the "Official" TS, long may t die - it =
betrays its=20
own as its history has shown it to do since before and after the death =
of=20
HPB. I honestly believe that I she were with us today, she would =
most=20
definitely not be a member, if only for want of steak and tobacco!</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Heigh Ho!</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Alan</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><A=20
href=3D"mailto:Alan@ambain.softnet.co.uk";>Alan@ambain.softnet.co.uk</A><B=
R><A=20
href=3D"http://www.soft.net.uk/ambain/";>http://www.soft.net.uk/ambain/</A=
></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><A=20
href=3D"mailto:Alan@ambain.softnet.co.uk";>Alan@ambain.softnet.co.uk</A><B=
R><A=20
href=3D"http://www.soft.net.uk/ambain/";>http://www.soft.net.uk/ambain/</A=
></DIV></BODY></HTML>
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