Secret societies

Hi everybody!

There was a discussion in another thread about whether Theosophy keeps any teachings secret, and the relationship of present-day secret societies to secret teachings. I came across this quote in The Secret Doctrine.

“An impenetrable veil of secrecy was thrown over the occult and religious mysteries taught, after the submersion of the last remnant of the Atlantean race, some 12,000 years ago, lest they should be shared by the unworthy, and so desecrated.... It is this secrecy which led the Fifth Race to the establishment, or rather the re-establishment of the religious mysteries, in which ancient truths might be taught to the coming generations under the veil of allegory and symbolism. .” (SD vol 2 p 124)

Several times in The Mahatma Letters it is said, "Thus far, and No further". They even said that HPB was to "miss-lead" when necessary. So some (many?) things were withheld. Only a corner of Isis's veil was lifted.
Later in the ES, teachings were given that were not meant for the general audience. Perhaps a 'Mystery School', but I don't believe you would call it a 'Secret Society'.

Jon,

Christian had previously remarked about secret societies, and we had a small discussion on the need for secret societies. We also discussed what type of relationship Theosophy must have with these secret societies. (I once heard a rumor that one of HPB's reasons for being here was to 'modernize' the Masons, that she failed, and that the Theosophical Society was a 'plan B' after her attempts to modernize Masonry failed. I wonder if this is true. What do you think?)

It is an important question, whether the Theosophical Society is a secret society. Most certainly it is not. But I can see how people would think an organization which claims to be connected to a set of secret teachings would be a secret society. (I have even heard rumors that the Theosophical Society had secret passwords and secret handshakes early in the 1900's, but the Society has gotten rid of all of that. Since you are in Whaeaton, can you ask around and see if Wheaton used to have secret passwords and handshakes?) I hope everyone can rest assured that when we receive teachings, we pass them on without keeping them a secret, and that the Theosophical Society is not a secret society.

No secret passwords and handshakes have ever been used in Wheaton (except by the Co-Masons, which are a separate organization that pays rent to use space in the Wheaton HQ building). The Wheaton building cornerstone was laid by Annie Besant (in a Co-Masonic ceremony) in 1926.

Gomes The Dawning of the Theosophical Movement
I think their use had been discontinued by the end of that year.

It's good to know that such secret stuff was gotten rid of so quickly. We also have to consider if such things were normal and expected in those days (seeing how they would be unacceptable today).

What??? You think it has been gotten rid of, ha - not so sure. I will definitly have to get back to this Thread, but a little exausted at the moment. This comment will serve to bump this up to the top of the heap somewhere for me to wonder through when my mind is clearer.

I'll try and make a concerted effort to start collecting and reporting information I come across in this regard. Although these things are both known and written about, they don't seem to have prominent mention in the controlled collective of Theosophical writings that came out of Adyar.

There is one more distinction we must make about secret socities. There are two kinds, one is the type of society such as the Trans Himalayan Brotherhood (which Masters M and KH belong to) and the second type are the secret societies such as the Masons, Jesuits, etc. The first groups are directly controlled by the Maha Chohan and his assistants, the second groups are not. I do not think it is fair to say both types of groups are similar.

I think that any group of individuals has a right to keep things to itself; there is nothing inherently sinister in that. I think we should focus on the intentions behind the secrecy, and the effects of maintaining that secrecy.

The Theosophical Society is open to anyone, so not very secret, and yet the role it adopts in society is relatively secretive. Why is that? Why is the TS reluctant to ‘stand up and be counted’?

Of course, within the TS there is the Esoteric School. That is not open to anyone, and perhaps could be described as a secret society. But what is wrong with that if it performs work for the greater good?

Sinisterness (is that a word?) does not come from an organization's secrecy, it comes from what that organization does. Even some large organized churches can be described as sinister, even though they are not officially secret societies.

I would not say the Theosophical Society is secretive, it is just an organization that does not get enough publicity.

Many people automatically think that secret societies are secret because they have something bad to hide. Unfortunately, this is sometimes true. (The Jonestown massacre of several decades ago comes to mind.) And there is the problem that good secret societies are sometimes taken over by power-hungry maniacs, which then turn their society into something bad. (The horrible things that happened to thousands of Catholic schoolchildren in -- I think -- Ireland come to mind.) Good secret societies like the Theosophical Order of Service have to suffer a 'bum rap' as a result.

Nick, there would be more than two groupings, in my opinion.

Lanoo, ... not to challenge your opinion about "rights," but wondering, are you already aware of WHY societies keep/kept things secret. If not, perhaps we should list them. If yes, then you are taking the position that those reasons are not proper, yes?

No secret passwords and handshakes have ever been used in Wheaton (except by the Co-Masons, which are a separate organization that pays rent to use space in the Wheaton HQ building). The Wheaton building cornerstone was laid by Annie Besant (in a Co-Masonic ceremony) in 1926.

Gomes The Dawning of the Theosophical Movement
I think their use had been discontinued by the end of that year.

Hmmm ... my very selective memory does recall a fragment wherein HPB and her society, not sure at which location at the moment, did indeed employ secret passwords and handshakes. This would have nothing to do with Wheaton, of course, which came along late in the game.

I eventually re-read everything I have, and I notice on revisiting this thread that I promised to pull some of these vague inferences and post them here. I will still keep that in mind ... just haven't been going down that road lately SPECIFICALLY related to Theosophy, but I sure have related to other affairs of the world.

Secrecy and Secret Societies has evolved to secret machinations and bodies behind religions, and literally secret governments. Much of societies modern interests are focused on unraveling mysteries deliberately hidden from us.

To presume the Theosphical Society, and Theosophy itself has not been secretive by design, seems neive to me. Secrecy is a natural protective mechanism, and Theosophy has claimed much needs to be preserved and protected. Because, I think, people have a tendency to view the antics of HPB in a totally real-world literal interpretation, when they [must] have had a spiritual component that most people could not possibly relate to back then, that there would be a clear necessity for secrecy. Recally too, that in the past secrecy is what kept people alive.

a thought. This subject could very well be a tie-into the one on theosophy in politics. For example, there has been much historical referenc to Blavatsky and her cohorts secretly working via theosophy to provide direct and indirect support of political change in India. In fact, she is reported to have gone over there and crawled through the trenches, herself.

Christian,

The Trans Himalayan Brotherhood is a secret society but the Theosophical Society is not. The first one created the second one. It's important to keep track of which one is a secret society and which one is not. (Just because the Theosophical Society was created by a secret society does not make it a secret society itself.)

"This subject could very well be a tie-into the one on theosophy in politics."

--> It is important to keep clear the distinction between theosophical activity and politices. (We have a thread on this topic elsewhere on this forum.) Theosophists are encouraged to take part in politics, just as Besant did. (I don't remember any stories of Blavatsky being politically active; was she?) But Theosophists are not allowed to discuss politics while on Theosophical property or at Theosophical activities. This is a good arrangement, and this is how it should be.