Theos-Talk Archives (May 2003 Message tt00062)

It is unfortunate that many critics of (as well as many supporters of)
Paul Johnson's historical research must resort to "name calling" 
and "ad hominem" arguments instead of dealing with the historical 
issues to be found in Johnson's works and those critiques of his work.

Jerome's labelling of Johnson as a "fraudulent historian" and Steve's 
reference to Johnson's "dishonest and untalented detractors" only 
DISTRACT readers and inquirers from exploring the REAL historical 
issues and problems surrounding what Johnson has written about 
Blavatsky's Masters and what some of Johnson's critics have written 
in rebuttal. 

Although I disagree with a number of statements made by Jerome in his 
letter to the editor of FOHAT, I certainly think Jerome gives good 
advice when he writes:

"In the case of K. Paul Johnson when we are asked our opinion of his 
book, THE MASTERS REVEALED, we mail the enquirer a copy of Daniel 
Caldwell's K. PAUL JOHNSON'S HOUSE OF CARDS, along with David 
Pratt's "The Theosophical Mahatmas, a Critique of Paul Johnson's New 
Myth" with the suggestion: 'Here, read this and compare. You are 
the jury." As theosophists we are philanthropic investigators and 
must by our own efforts discover which party purveys diamonds and 
which cut-glass."

When Bart observes that Johnson's "TMR makes people think. This is 
annoying to people who don't want to think, and anathema to people 
who don't want others to think," I would add that I wrote my critique 
on Johnson's thesis about the Masters M. and K.H. as a result of 
trying to grapple with and think through the issues raised in 
Johnson's TMR. I had found that far too many readers, reviewers and 
scholars had accepted at face value many of Johnson's assertions 
without knowing enough about the subject and/or without thinking 
through some of statements set forth in TMR. 

A good example of "trying to think through the issues" can be found 
in what I wrote in the following essay:

http://www.blavatskyarchives.com/johnsonparanormal3.htm

So I agree with both Jerome and Bart and urge interested readers to:

Read. . . compare. . . think thru the issues. . . . 

Daniel H. Caldwell
BLAVATSKY STUDY CENTER/BLAVATSKY ARCHIVES
http://blavatskyarchives.com