Theos-Talk Archives (March 2006 Message tt00553)

Hallo all,

My views are:

You wrote:
"It is disturbing to read the "shoot the messenger" postings directed at 
Paul
Johnson, "

What postings are You talking about?
And what is so disturbing about them?

Perhaps it is the following issue you are talking about.
:-)
In the Land of Fools - alias the "Ugly melon monster"
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/theos-talk/message/23533

And, Let us also remember this:
It is also a fact, that Some persons are way too sensitive.
They observe attacks were there are none. The feel hate, were there are
none.
The ASSUME a whole lot - based on no solid foundation.
Some people sometimes think, that they are either suffering from stress or
are hysterical or have psychological problems of
one or the other kind. Perhaps of a scholary kind.
:-)


from
M. Sufilight with peace and love...


----- Original Message ----- 
From: <gregory@zeta.org.au>
To: <theos-talk@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Sunday, March 12, 2006 7:30 AM
Subject: Theos-World Shooting messengers vs producing the goods


It is disturbing to read the "shoot the messenger" postings directed at Paul
Johnson, but it is probably suggestive of the intellectual decline in the
Theosophical world which (ironically, given the other "pet hates" of most of
Paul's critics) began with the Leadbeater ascendancy. It requires no more 
than
a systematic reading of "The Theosophist" from its beginnings to the
post-Blavatsky period to observe the decline in the intellectual standard of
the journal. Under Besant is grew in size and diminished in quality.

I am not a devotee of Blavatsky, although I regard her as a genius. Nor am I 
an
authority on her life and work. I do, however, know something about the
researching and writing of history and biography. Having read Paul's work 
from
manuscript to published form, I remain unconvinced by the hypotheses he
advances regarding the "Masters". But that I am not so convinced does not 
mean
I question his research methodology, his sheer hard work in research or the
significance of his contribution to Theosophical history.

Assuming that Paul has got it all wrong, totally misrepresents Blavatsky,
perhaps makes it all up or leaves out significant material: where is the
equivalently scholarly Theosophical response? Indeed, where is one single
scholarly - or honest - Theosophical study of biography or history from 
within
any of the existing Theosophical groups? Relatively recent publications - 
from
Mills on the TS in America to Cranston on Blavatsky - are, at best, public
relations brochures, and at worst dishonest distortions in which the 
difficult
facts are omitted or misrepresented.

Where is the fully documented, unexpurgated, reasonably argued and properly
documented work presenting the Theosophical view of, for example, the life 
of
Blavatsky or the history of Theosophy? And, if there is no such work, how is
the deficit to be explained? Intellectual incompetence? Lack of anyone with 
the
ability to do scholarly research? Fundamental incapacity for honesty? Simple
laziness? The material is all there (albeit much of it locked away from any
objective scholarly access, which raises other significant questions).

It is obviously easier to shoot messengers - to denounce Meade and Johnson 
who
actually did some research, put their own time and effort and money into 
quests
for something like the facts, however critical I may be of the results - 
than to
actually compete with them.

I think that a serious, scholarly biography of Blavatsky (and I don't think
Meade accomplished that, but she's worthy of a Nobel Prize compared with the
shoddy hagiography produced by Cranston) or an equally scholarly study of 
her
foundation of the Theosophical Society (and I don't think Johnson 
accomplished
that, but compared to his in-house competitors his name must be engraved on 
an
Oscar) would make for absolutely remarkable reading. She was a woman of such
brilliance - and such eccentricity - that she is worthy of something of
equivalent brilliance and imagination. I only wish I was capable of writing 
it!

So - a challenge to the Theosophists who devote their time to shooting at 
Paul
(or, for that matter, me!): there is an appropriate Australianism - put up 
or
shut up. If you can compete, withdraw from the race.

Dr Gregory Tillett



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