Theosophical
Society in America at a Critical Juncture ---
In
recent days, Theosophy News posted several messages on Internet
Forums trying to alert theosophists about the critical juncture faced
by the American Section. Explanation is needed why Theosophy News
feels the urgency. Discussed below is the background info. It is
hoped that the reader will see the facts and come to their own
conclusions.
Executive
Summary
The
American Section has the largest membership second to India. During
the last four decades, it is losing membership non stop. Today it is
less than 50% of what it was four decades ago.
While
every spiritually oriented group which has come to USA from the East
has continuously grown, only Theosophical Society in America has been
losing membership. So far no one has identified the root cause.
Killing
of George Floyd, woke up USA to the injustice endured by Afro
Americans. It led to self examination of all segments to see what can
be done to redress the injustice faced by Afro Americans and other
minorities.
Certain
event took place in the American Section which led the writer, a
theosophist for over sixty years, to inquire the reasons why
membership continues to drop in spite of heavy infusion of money from
Kern Foundation ($1 million annually) and other sources. This led to
the discovery of the root cause of the continued drop in membership
which has baffled many theosophists and its leaders.
The
root cause is very simple and stares in your face. Theosophy in
America did not reach the minorities especially Afro Americans.
United States is a melting pot of immigrants. Early immigrants were
from Europe and they later brought slaves from Africa. Today’s
immigrants are from every country in the world. In a few years, the
descendants of immigrants from non-European Countries will become the
majority.
Anyone
visiting a theosophical conference or meeting in USA will see for
themselves total lack of minorities especially blacks. The writer,
who has lived long in Texas has seen just ONE black member in the
last four decades. Even he was a student from Africa.
The
Great Guru who was behind the launch of modern theosophy movement
made it clear that theosophy is not for elites alone and has to reach
alpha and omega of Humanity. Theosophical Society in America has
failed to reach Afro Americans.
Great
places of pilgrimage attract large crowds due to the presence of
Initiates. Analogically the spiritual backing of the Initiates is
essential for any movement to succeed. Failure of American Section to
take theosophy to the minorities seems to have resulted in the loss
of spiritual support of Initiates. Continued depletion of members is
a clear evidence of this.
If
the situation is not turned around quickly and American members get
active in projects to take theosophy to the growing minorities, the
theosophical movement in USA cannot flourish. Public is now
sensitized to the issue of treatment of minorities. So when it sees a
group which is de facto practicing exclusivity, natural forces would
shut it down.
Early
Days of Theosophy in USA
HPB
and Olcott, a White woman and a White man, launched theosophy
movement in 1875, whose foundation is Brotherhood. Inspiration came
from two Eastern Gurus. They sacrificed everything they had – prime
of life and all the money to spread theosophy to the world and they
succeeded.
United
States was a young growing country and the Eastern Seers foresaw its
great future. Today, rest of the world looks to USA for all social
and political leadership.
As
a growing civilization, it was seen as the seat of future Religion of
the world. The Great Adept stated “the Theosophical Society was
chosen as the cornerstone, the foundation of the future religion of
humanity. To achieve the proposed object, a greater, wiser, and
especially a more benevolent intermingling of the high and low, of
the alpha and the omega of society, was determined upon. The white
race must be the first to stretch out the hand of fellowship to the
dark nations, to call the poor despised “nigger” brothers.”
In
the first half century, many unselfish white men and women helped the
growth of theosophical society in the United States. However, no
effort was made to take theosophy to the emancipated slaves and other
minorities. So the membership and leadership became exclusively white
immigrants and their descendants. This continued and no theosophical
leader recognized the critical need to take theosophy for the blacks
and other minorities.
Failure
of the Esoteric Section –
Esoteric
Section is called the Heart of Theosophical Society. Theosophical
leaders look to inspiration from it and its Head. Every International
President and National Leader is a member. In Theosophical Society
one cannot move up the leadership ladder unless one is a member.
Since
1980s Radha Burnier was its Head, in addition to holding the position
of International President. She lived in Adyar and infrequently
visited USA. So she did not have first hand knowledge of criticality
of the failure of spreading theosophy to the minorities especially
the blacks.
Her
successor lives in Australia and visits USA infrequently. She too
does not have first hand knowledge of critical need to take theosophy
to the minorities in USA. One has to live a long time in the USA to
understand the critical role minorities are playing and how theosophy
can immensely benefit them. So the Esoteric Section also missed this
critical fact.
American
Section outsources the training of future leaders to Krotona where
Esoteric Section has its American headquarters. Obviously the
trainers have no clue to the critical need to take theosophy to the
minorities especially Afro Americans.
Failure
of leadership identify right priorities
American
Section has had several excellent leaders. All of them are able,
scholarly and dedicated theosophists. However, they did not pay
attention to growth of branches. Growth of American Section depends
on the growth of membership in branches. While it is the
responsibility of the branches to develop programs, elected leaders
have a responsibility to act as coaches to help branches to grow with
right priorities.
In
addition, money from the branches seems to have been siphoned off by
National Center to support its activities. An example was discovered
in the Cleveland, Ohio branch. Cleveland has a significant Afro
American population. Yet the branch, which is 70 yrs old has almost
no Afro American member. It is also an affluent branch and most of
its income is sent to National Center and very small amount spent in
local activities. No one has asked the simple question why the branch
has not grown and has no diversity. Similar situation may be
pervasive in other branches.
Even
after the Black Lives
Matter
– issue came to the focus
of American Public, to-date
theosophical leaders in USA are silent on
lack of black members.
Neither have they recognized
the critical failure nor have they publicly announced the steps being
taken to take theosophy to the minorities. Continued status quo would
only kill Theosophical
Society in America.
Government
can step in and decide
American Section is
operating as an exclusive club and cancel
its tax exempt status.
Missed
opportunity to take theosophy to minorities
Three
decades ago, theosophists in USA had an opportunity to bring
theosophy to the minorities. Bing Escudero, a well known theosophist
from Philippines emigrated to USA. He worked full time for the
American Section and widely toured theosophical branches and
lectured. He formerly led the Philippines Section and had a lot of
organizing experience. When he ran for the elected office of the
National President in USA, he was defeated. Many theosophists believe
he lost because he was not a native born theosophist with right
national lineage. Had he succeeded, branches would have expanded and
theosophy would have spread around the country and reached minorities
and we would not be in today’s critical predicament.
Duty
of theosophists in America
All
the leaders in USA are now salaried employees like preachers in
churches. Every successful great social movement was led by unselfish
volunteers. HPB and Olcott did not negotiate salaries when they
accepted the task of spreading theosophy to the world. So we have low
expectation of quick action from salaried leaders.
Today,
everyone of us have access to very powerful communication tools of
communication for free through Internet Social Forums. You can
disseminate your ideas to the world at very little cost. Even if you
do not have a computer, you can always go to the local library and
get on Internet and speak up.
Too
long, members have been silent on issues critical to the well being
of theosophy. Today, American Section is in
a critical juncture. Unless theosophists wake up and get
active, Theosophical Society
in America may get shut down due to natural causes. So whatever you
can do, better hurry up.
All good acts have the blessings of the Higher Powers looking for
unselfish volunteers to
spread Universal Brotherhood.
Let
us all TRY anything we think would help.
Peace