Theos-Talk Archives (August 1998 Message tt00117)

Mika's reply to Nicholas set me off on a tangent.  How important
it is to "save time and confusion"?  First reaction: gee, if only
I'd stuck with Cayce and ARE back in 1978 when I started reading
theosophical books in their library, and never gotten involved with Theosophy,
wouldn't that have saved me an awful lot of time and confusion?
(Not a new thought for me by any means but reinspired by Mika.)
But then, had I not opened that window, would I appreciate Cayce
the way I do now?  Would I perceive him in a way that would be
fresh and interesting enough to inspire a book anyone would read?
And surely, had I never had an adolescent phase as a Baha'i, five
more years of time and confusion would have been saved.  But
wasn't a lot gained in those years that has stood me in good
stead?

At another level, if I'd been celibate for life, had no romantic
entanglements, wouldn't *that* have saved a huge amount of time
and confusion?  How about having no siblings, half-siblings, or
step-siblings (I'm one of 9 in all)-- now that *really* would
have saved a lot of time and confusion.  Jobs and houses and
friends have all involved t&c too-- away with them!

In short, everything worthwhile in life seems to involve plenty
of t&c, so advising people to "save" them doesn't strike me as
wise.  Moreover, the thought that my books might cause confusion
in readers is actually encouraging.  (Although the amount of time
some people have devoted to attacking them seems bizarre.)  Times
of greatest confusion are often times of major breakthroughs.
Most people make up their minds about a subject and then manage to
avoid encountering anything that would shake up their settled opinions.
As true of Theosophists who believe HPB never lied as of skeptics
who think she never told the truth.  To have shaken up the certainties of
people at both ends of the spectrum at once is hardly something
to be ashamed of.  As Francis Bacon wrote:  "If a man will begin
with certainties, he will end in doubts; but if he will be
Content to begin with doubts he shall end in certainties."

Not there yet but maybe in a few lifetimes,

Paul

PS-- Mika, thanks, glad to see you back.  I find it amusing that
the same people who regard Greg T. as a hero for "debunking" CWL
often hate my books, yet Greg was one of my biggest supporters
from way back.