Theos-Talk Archives (August 2004 Message tt00535)

Chris,

Thanks very much for your most recent email.

I would like to add a few remarks to what you 
have written.

You write:

=============================================
A concrete example is the pamphlet 'To those who 
mourn', quoted earlier by Erica and pointed out 
by Katinka (I believe) to be essentially
spiritualistic. HPB was actively and explicitly 
working to correct the teachings of spiritualism. 
CWL, in the effort to soothe those touched
by grief, used spiritualist ideas. Of course 
his ideas will be more popular. Most people, 
particularly those who have just experienced
loss, would much rather hear CWL's explanation 
than HPB's. That isn't an intuition of validity, 
but simple human nature.
================================================

Readers who want to see detailed examples of what
you are writing about should consult:

Life After Death in Kamaloka (the Astral World)
H.P. Blavatsky versus C.W. Leadbeater
http://blavatskyarchives.com/morganafterdeath.htm

Chris, you also comment:

===================================================

CWL's books can always be reprinted by other companies,
and as I said before I think they should always 
remain in theosophical libraries. However, I don't 
believe TPH should reprint his work for all the reasons 
previously discussed. I will remain open to new
arguments.

====================================================

Chris, I must admit that I was a wee bit "shocked"
by your statement that in your opinion TPH should
NOT reprint Leadbeater's books!

Although I agree with the statement that "many of 
his works seriously diverge from the truths of the 
wisdom tradition as understood by HPB," I would
be hesitant to recommend that TPH should not reprint
his works.

First of all, Mr. Leadbeater was a very influential
figure and writer in the TS Adyar. And many of his
books contain much food for thought. I think the
following works by him are classics of Theosophy:

1) Man Visible and Invisible
2) The Chakras
3) The Masters and the Path
4) How Theosophy Came to Me
5) The Inner Life, 2 volumes

and in collaboration with Mrs. Besant:

6) Man, Whence How and Whither
7) Thought Forms
8) Occult Chemistry

I would hope TPH would reprint these and keep
them in print.

But I would suggest that TPH also publish
a volume by some author or by several contributors
exploring the differences and contradictions and
grappling with WHY there are these conflicting
views between Blavatsky and Leadbeater.
Who is right and who is wrong? Or maybe both
of them are wrong...or right? Etc. etc. Serious discussion
of these subjects could certainly lead to a better
understanding of the central issues involved if not
to a resolution of the problems raised.

The second book I ever read on Theosophy was by
Mr. Leadbeater. Therefore I'm glad he wrote it.
Although since then I have had serious doubts
about many of his teachings, reading that first
book from his pen and several others as well never
"damaged" me! In fact, I remember the "exhilaration"
I felt at the time when reading these books on
Theosophy. It opened doors for me.

In the last year I even felt the need to publish
a webpage devoted to Mr. Leadbeater. See:

http://blavatskyarchives.com/leadbeaterbib.htm

Daniel
http://hpb.cc


--- In Young-Theosophists@yahoogroups.com, Christopher Richardson 
<ursusmaritimus@e...> wrote:
> Anand,
> 
> First, let me say again that I am sympathetic to your impassioned 
> defense here. I know you are putting a great deal of your energy 
into 
> furthering theosophical work and that you genuinely believe in the 
> efficacy of AB and CWL's work. When I argue here, I do it in the 
> spirit of brotherhood, which is sometimes hard to convey in email.
> 
> That having been said, I still maintain that sales and interest 
does 
> not equal validity. When a book appeals to many that means there 
is 
> something attractive about it, but truth isn't always attractive, 
> particularly to a general audience. AB and CWL did an excellent 
job of 
> popularizing many of the foundational ideas of HPB and the Wisdom 
> Tradition. In the job of popularizing there is always distortion. 
> Beyond the critiques of ignoring CWL's personal history is the 
> well-founded critique that many of his works seriously diverge from 
the 
> truths of the wisdom tradition as understood by HPB and, 
apparently, 
> several people on this list.
> 
> A concrete example is the pamphlet 'To those who mourn', quoted 
earlier 
> by Erica and pointed out by Katinka (I believe) to be essentially 
> spiritualistic. HPB was actively and explicitly working to correct 
the 
> teachings of spiritualism. CWL, in the effort to soothe those 
touched 
> by grief, used spiritualist ideas. Of course his ideas will be 
more 
> popular. Most people, particularly those who have just experienced 
> loss, would much rather hear CWL's explanation than HPB's. That 
isn't 
> an intuition of validity, but simple human nature.
> 
> You are absolutely right that I don't have the authority to stop 
people 
> from buying and reading CWL's book. I also never claimed such a 
right. 
> I do, however, have a right and more importantly a 
responsibility, to 
> be critically engaged with the decisions of the T.S. and T.P.H. I 
have 
> a responsibility to actively participate in discussion around what 
> should and shouldn't be published and why, which is part of what we 
are 
> doing here. CWL's books can always be reprinted by other 
companies, 
> and as I said before I think they should always remain in 
theosophical 
> libraries. However, I don't believe TPH should reprint his work 
for 
> all the reasons previously discussed. I will remain open to new 
> arguments.
> 
> Finally, I do want to note that this has never been about what any 
of 
> us simply agree with or not, but rather the strength and 
consistency of 
> ideas, the consequences of supporting certain authors, and the 
> integrity of the theosophical society.
> 
> Peace,
> 
> Chris
> 
> On Thursday, August 26, 2004, at 03:38 AM, Anand Gholap wrote:
> 
> > Chris,
> > Intuition of thousands of people around the world perceived that 
what
> > AB and CWL said is right so they read those books and buy those
> > books. If AB and CWL were not there, then TS would have been 
limited
> > to corner in California. If people want to buy and read AB and 
CWL's
> > books, you don't
> > have any authority to stop that, just because you don't agree.
> > Regards.
> > Anand Gholap
> >
> >
> >
> Christopher A. Richardson
> ursusmaritimus@e...