Theos-Talk Archives (December 1998 Message tt00239)

> 	Many of her stunts (bells ringing, etc.) were the standard
> spiritualist
> stunts of the day, which were often faked. If you check out HOUDINI: A
> MAGICIAN AMONG THE SPIRITS, an autobiographical account of Harry
> Houdini's exposures of fakes while searching for true mediums, you will
> be able to find out how many of these stunts were done.


In order for there to be a "fake" anything the original must exist in the
first place.  HPB was as much opposed to the dangerous practices (see "The
Key to Theosophy", for example) of genuine (passive) mediums as she was the
fake ones (the latter practising a form of volitional deception, often for
personal profit, which is equally objectionable).

HPB was a (conscious) MEDIATOR (not medium).  There is as much a possibility
of her deliberately faking phenomena as there is the moon being made of
apple pie and custard.

Rules are rules.

All the best,
Paul