Theos-Talk Archives (December 2001 Message tt00421)

Dear Adelaisie,

Welcome to the list. Since our perceptions are so diametrically 
opposed, I'll just try to point out factors that would modify your 
perspective if you took them into account. You wrote:

> Anyone who thinks that Dallas posts as he does in order to attack 
> someone without their knowledge hasn't been paying very close 
> attention to what Dallas is saying. It is always thus, that those 
who offer their heart and soul in an attempt to bring some truth, 
some light and wisdom, into the world, are crucified by those they 
try to help. 

I tell you in all sincerity that the above phrase expresses exactly 
why I spent years devoted to historical investigation of HPB and 
writing books about her. Most Theosophists who publicly commented on 
them, including many prominent ones who reviewed my works in such 
journals as The Quest, Le Lotus Bleu, Theosophy in Australia, the 
Theosophical Journal (UK) recognized and appreciated my books 
precisely as the work of someone who offered heart and soul in an 
attempt to bring some truth, some light and wisdom, into the world. 
As I said in the foreword to The Masters Revealed, "this book has 
been written in the hope that HPB and Theosophy will be judged with 
greater wisdom and objectivity in the future." Of all the people who 
have reacted with extreme hostility and unreasoning aggression to 
that effort, Dallas has been the most extreme. The most personally 
insulting, the most indifferent to the disagreement of others, even 
Daniel, when he has bashed me personally for years with all manner of 
false accusations as to motive. If it were possible for Theosophists 
to organize a lynching party to "deal properly with" heretical 
authors, I feel absolutely sure that Dallas would be in front of the 
pack. This is based on many years of observation, and is not a 
conclusion reached lightly.

Dallas' comments are uniformly devoted to revealing the inner 
> meaning of theosophical teachings,

AS HE SEES THEM, and rudely dismissing the inner meaning as seen by 
others.

to defending those wrongly 
> abused,

To wrongly abusing those whom he falsely and stubbornly perceives as 
attacking HPB and Theosophy,

> and he offers his comments with humility and devotion.

With the self-righteousness and fervor of a self-appointed 
Theosophical Grand Inquisitor,

He 
> has a more complete understanding of these teachings than most 
> of us,

For some value of "complete" but not for others,

>and if we only could see that he is offering us the very things we 
need the most, we would stop trying to manipulate his words 
> and pay attention instead to what he is trying to show us. 
> Theosophy belongs to all humanity. It is not a game or an 
> intellectual exercise.

Precisely. Why then should individuals take it upon themselves to 
present their own sectarian, limited understanding of a small body of 
theosophical literature as the be-all and end-all of universal 
truth? That's a game, an intellectual exercise, if there ever was 
one. Real truth-seeking isn't about citing chapter and verse and 
beating down all dissent.

It is our heart's blood. It is us, the real inner 
> Self of us all. We can ignore its truths,

Which we most certainly do when we presume to place ourselves above 
others and preach relentlessly to them, showing disrespect to our 
fellows despite the basic message of respect for all.

snip

> the war that is upon us. How long will humanity continue to repay 
> generosity and devotion with slander and hostility?

More to the point, how long will fundamentalist Theosophists repay 
the generosity and devotion of those they deem heretics with slander 
and hostility?

How much 
> longer do we really have to play that useless and destructive 
> game? 

As long as fundamentalism has us in its grip.

> them. We should be saying thank you, with all our hearts.
> 
> Adelasie

We should be saying thank you to Steve and Brigitte for offering more 
fresh perspectives for discussion than any true believers have come 
up with here in years.

Thank you, with all my heart, for the opportunity to register my 
profound disagreement.

Paul