Theos-Talk Archives (July 1997 Message tt00020)

Gail:

> Regarding HPB as messenger, the following is an interesting
> quotation, from the article "HPB -- The Direct Agent" (Theos.
> Mag.25,289):
>
> "One need not blindly believe in the credentials of HPB, nor in
> those she gave us with respect to the position of her colleague
> and co-worker, Whilliam Q.  Judge.  The great error lies in the
> assumption that HPB could have been *both* right and wrong, that
> the Masters could have permitted mis-statements of hers to pass
> uncorrected - allowed their teachings to be misrepresented to
> humanity.

This in itself is a great error.  HPB herself made it quite clear
that she *was* both right and wrong, that there were probably
things in her teachings that were incorrect due to her own lack
of understanding.  I could dig up quotes, but haven't time at the
moment.  Suffice it to say that HPB ABSOLUTELY NEVER claimed the
kind of infallibility that the above passage claims for her
teachings.  Moreover, she EXPLICITLY REJECTED such an idea not
once but many times.

> Were this possible they could not be Masters.  If her Masters are
> *not* Perfected Men, Theosophy is a hoax, the study of which is a
> waste of time.

Oh, how much misunderstanding is contained in these lines! The
Masters could not be Masters if they allowed HPB to make
mistakes? Lordy, read what HPB herself says about all the
mistakes in Isis Unveiled! The Masters were never claimed by HPB
(or by themselves in their letters) to be omniscient or
omnipresent or omnipotent.  And she makes it clear that she and
Olcott *were* allowed to make mistakes.

And, we may add, if

> it is a waste of time to study the philosophy which formed the
> basis of the teachings of such men as Buddha, Plato and Christ,
> life is not worth living."

One need not regard Buddha, Plato or Christ as omniscient and
omnipotent in order to find the study of their teachings
worthwhile.  And life is indeed worth living without believing
anyone to be Masters in the way depicted in this article.