Theos-Talk Archives (November 1997 Message tt00167)

According to David Green:
>
> Professor Elwood writes that there are still
> groups that profess great devotion to Judge
> and Besant. How can people still
> hold these two persons in high regard?

As one who agrees with much of the negative assessment of both,
(and author of one of the books you mention) my answer will be
unrepresentative of this list. But I can still hold them in
high regard in certain ways; Judge for his writings explaining
Theosophy, and Besant for her devotion to a wide variety of
liberationist causes most importantly the Indian Freedom
Movement.

More importantly, being a Theosophist isn't dependent on
holding any particular persons in high regard, either Judge,
Besant, Olcott, HPB or the Masters. It's a matter of accepting
the Three Objects of the Society and finding some value in the
Theosophical literature towards fulfilling those Objects.

Many, but hopefully a minority of members of Theosophical groups, would
say through their *behavior* "if you don't share my high opinion
of so-and-so, then I have no obligation to treat you in a
brotherly/sisterly fashion." But even those people would at
least pay lip service to the idea that Theosophy is not a
personality cult.

Cheers,
Paul