The Esoteric School Lobby

[Anand Gholap]

(Annie Besant was the head of the Esoteric School and Colonel Olcott was the President of TS.)
Mrs. Annie Besant wrote:
“In the T.S. we have a curious mixture. The Exoteric Society is purely democratic - it is only fair to admit this fully. On the other side we have an Esoteric body which is practically autocratic in its constitution ... The existence of a secret body to rule the outer Society made the constitution of the T.S. a mere farce, for it was at the mercy of the inner … All the differences that arose between the Colonel and myself were on this point; he could not believe that I was serious in saying that I would not use the E.S. against him, but slowly he came to understand it ... The greatest power will always be in the hands of the E.S., and not in the head of the Society ... I know that I exercise a quite unwarrantable power. This is what makes some people say there should not be an E.S.T. … We must recognize the danger and try to neutralize it. At any time during the last fifteen years I could have checkmated the Colonel on any point if I had chosen ...”

I could see frustration of some officers in TS regarding the results in Presidential elections. They were wondering how one person can get elected unopposed for around 30 years. It happened again and again in TS history. Different theories were offered to explain this phenomenon. I think all that mystery is solved by above passages of Annie Besant.
Best
Anand Gholap

[Janeth]

>"Does not special position or affiliation of the Esoteric School (in comparison with other organizations) with the Theosophical Society imply that choice of this particular school of thought is “forced” on the members of the Theosophical Society?"<---

Dear Anton,

The answer to your question is NO!!

That some human beings have not developed yet enough inner strength to stand up firm to their own personal standards, that is another entirely different matter and has nothing to do with the ES or TS allowing so and so to do such and such, or not do this or that.

There is FREEDOM in TS!! This is what makes it such a unique institution and vehicle of Theosophy. That some human beings willingly give up that right and allow other human beings to have control over them, THAT, Anton, that is something completely different and has nothing to do with the ES and/or TS forcing anything on anyone.

[Pablo Sender]

Well, now it seems to me that in this discussion there are people who have some political intentions behind their words, and their critics are more an attack to people they don't like than an earnest interest of improving the TS. Now we are not even talking about the subject.
It is sad to see how much suspiciousness is in the heads of some members. How can the TS be healthy with members working in that frame of mind? It seems the rule is “first judge then ask (for the facts)”. I may be wrong, but that's my perception.
Everybody has the right of expressing his/her views, of course, but I cannot spend more of my time in a discussion with this spirit.
Have a nice day

[Konstantin Zaitzev]

The reason why people got involved into politics is that they see that an organization isn't effecient and poorly fulfills its objects. Of course they infer that it's fault of the president and higher officials.
Now it's obvious that that the Theosophical Society has a lesser influence in the world than under presidencies of Olcott or Besant. Even not long ago, with John Coats it could be called flourishing if to compare with today's situation.

[Pablo Sender]

Mary,

This only shows either your dishonesty or that of the one that gave you the information. The text HAS BEEN ADULTERED because, among other things, Radha Burnier never mentions the TS in her letter. Somebody purposefully added that part to generate confusion.
One requisite to be an ES member is to have confidence in the ES head in his/her function as ES head. This is clearly stated in papers since HPB's times. The current ES head is doing what she has the right (and probably the duty) to do.
But everybody can see through your action how members are manipulated by people who misinform and twist the truth for personal reasons.
There are many examples of things like this happening in the past; and then, people say this is the ES fault. In most cases the problems have been produced by TS members who were not even up to the TS ideals.
Thank you for providing such a clear example.

[Janeth]

Pablo,

Thank you so very much for: "Reply by Pablo Sender 34 minutes ago

Mary,

This only shows either your dishonesty or that of the one that gave you the information. The text HAS BEEN ADULTERED..."

[Anand Gholap]

Pablo wrote "One requisite to be an ES member is to have confidence in the ES head in his/her function as ES head. This is clearly stated in papers since HPB's times."
How is this confidence in ES head supposed to translate into action? By voting for her in Presidential elections? How can an ES member have confidence in spiritual capacities of ES head, decide to follow her, and at the same time vote against her in TS elections? It would be contradictory actions on the part of ES member if he takes pledge similar to what Blavatsky recommended and still votes against that person in TS elections.
There are three independent members, Roberta from Latina America, Preethi from India and Mary Underwood who are saying that ES members were asked to either believe in the capacity of Mrs. Burnier as President of TS or leave the ES.

[Pablo Sender]

Does anybody believe that this "Mary Underwood" is a real person? It could be, but I find it hard to believe. It looks like a fake name for somebody who was already in this discussion and wanted to say something anonymously. Why do I say this? Well, she joined the community yesterday and ten minutes later she was actively discussing this subject, hardly having had time to read the messages. Then, she sends this fake document, and after that she leaves the community. That's kind of suspicious, isn't it? But even if she was a real person, it seems she joined the community with a clear purpose in mind.
This is the way certain people work. I've seen this happening in my country also. They usually work covertly, with half truths (which everybody knows are more effective than plain lies), etc. The quality of their actions is enough for me to value their contributions.

Anand, I personally know one of the other two people you mention and, although she is a good person, she has a particular way of perceiving things. I myself (and two other friends) was accused by her about things that were only in her head.
We are very complex. Sometimes people are against a leader (let’s say Radha, for example) because of their past experiences. They seem to be unable to discriminate between the person and the institution. So, they attack the TS or the ES, using all kind of arguments, when they really are against the person. It is obvious that when there is not clarity in our minds regarding what is the real cause of our unhappiness about something, it is very difficult to solve any matter, because we are looking at the wrong direction, not looking into the real cause of our disagreement.
So, people say all kind of things. Sometimes they are true, sometimes they are false. Sometimes they know what they say is not true. They are not honest. Other times they don’t know if what they say is true, but they say it nevertheless because they like that opinion. Other times they are just mistaken and sincerely think what they say is true.
As I said, we are very complex creatures, and you can never take anybody’s words (mine included) for granted. Remember what At the Feet of the Master say:

“Therefore you must not hold a thought just because many other people hold it, not because it has been believed for centuries, nor because it is written in some book which men think sacred; you must think of the matter for yourself, and judge for yourself whether it is reasonable. Remember that though a thousand men agree upon a subject, if they know nothing about that subject their opinion is of no value.”

As we all know, refraining from saying something we don’t know is true is among the hardest things. It requires quite a bit of self control and detachment. Besides, as Master KH said to Laura Holloway:
"THE fundamental principle of occultism is that every idle word is recorded as well as one full of earnest meaning."
This is why this is such an important part of the occult training.
If we examine our lives, how many things could we say that we are fairly sure? I could “defend my case” so much effectively if I could say things I think are true, but I don’t know by direct experience…
Anyway, in the history of our institution there were innumerable attacks to the TS and the ES. They were never successful. I truly believe what one of the Masters said (and I hope, being in the TS, I’m entitled to freely hold my beliefs without this preventing me from holding any position--see the official declaration of Freedom of Thought). I believe, I was saying, that there is a greater power behind these institutions and that nobody can destroy them as long as there is at least a group of sincere members that remain true to the cause.

[Konstantin Zaitzev]

It should be also noted that the ES/TS issue and recent elections may be not necessarily connected, or, better to say, are not necessarily the same thing.
For example, miss Kim Dieu from EFTS supported John Algeo, though she is probably a member of ES (I don't know exactly).

[Pablo Sender]

Yes, she is. And so is John Algeo, who stood against Radha in the elections.
Besides, many ES members supported John Algeo. You can see that in the proposals TS National Presidents sent proposing John to stand as candidate for the International election. I think there were even more proposals in favor of John than of Radha. And many National Presidents are ES members.
If you perform a sincere, unbiased, research, you will find that TS/ES members are free in their decisions about the TS.
If Radha would've wanted to manipulate the elections through the ES, she could've sent (that being her right) a letter asking ES members to confirm their confidence in her as ES head before the elections. And she didn't. But even in that case, this wouldn't have worked, because everybody knows they are free to decide in TS matters.
And it is easy to distinguish between these two roles. In my country, for example, one high ES official was elected as TS president, because he was such a reliable person and most members loved him. His role as National president was quite defective though, because he had no administrative skills. People didn’t vote him for a new term.
In the ES, we look at the head solely for his/her “spiritual worth”, so to say. That’s all is needed. Now, a spiritual person is not necessarily able to manage the international TS. Therefore, TS/ES members are free to vote against the ES head in any TS position, without breaking their pledge in the least.

[Janeth]

>"If Radha would've wanted to manipulate the elections through the ES, she could've sent (that being her right) a letter asking ES members to confirm their confidence in her as ES head before the elections. <---Another reason NOT to allow ONE single TS member to occupy these two very important positions, the TS presidency and leader of the ES!!

There is an article in local TS lodges' by-laws that prevents the lodge's President and Secretary from occupying any other position. In other words, the lodge's President and Secretary cannot occupy two positions at the same time. Challenges arise when by-laws are ignored by those who should know most!!

There should be something similar in TS's by-laws!!

[Anand Gholap]

Also it will be better if TS does not allow any one person to become the President of TS for more that two terms. This will greatly help in preventing nepotism.

[Janeth]

>"It should be also noted that the ES/TS issue and recent elections may be not necessarily connected"<---All this confusion could have been avoided had TS President not been at the same time ES leader...

What you say could be accurate, Konstantin. You, Anand and Anton have raised very valid questions in several of your postings on this thread, as well as on George's forum.

I believe it all comes down to having one single TS member in charge of both institutions. I find it hard for TS members to understand, let alone, accept, the two institutions are separate having TS President in charge of both of them.

If all that happened last year and at the TS annual GC meeting last December is not a wake up call for all true and loyal to Theosophy TS members, of how inappropriate it is, among other things, to have the same person occupying both positions, I do not know what other thing needs to happen for all TS members to realize significant amendments need to be made to TS by-laws to bring the Society up to speed with today's reality.