Theos-Talk Archives (August 1998 Message tt00167)

Paul J. wrote
>
> 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?

You`re quite right. Perhaps these 'phases' are essential stepping-stones
so that we can go on with our 'path'(or whatever), unless, of course,
we stick to old patterns with our teeth and nails (Finnish
expression?)and refuse to see these 'phases' as what they really are.





> 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.


That`s familiar to me too. Some theosophist friends of mine here are
happy with Tillett`s book, but when I tell them about your book, they
become very, very skeptic. Itīs some kind of tabu.

Glad to see you are here too, Paul, after all that has happened...
I`ve been lurking here most of the time, but I have not felt like
talking.


mika