Theos-Talk Archives (December 2004 Message tt00008)

Thanks Daniel and Katinka
This is a good article....

It's interesting how this concept of a "successor" is an issue of
great debate in the various Theosophical Societies.
A similar problem is in the various Radhasoami groups who all argue
over "successor –ship".
While in the Radhasoami's I can understand why there is an issue over
this due to their belief in need for a "perfect Master" to guide the
initiates.

In Theosophy however there is no such concept as each student must
walk his or her own path.
Is this need for "successors" based in the need for a rescuer or
perhaps a hangover from the old hierarchical mindset and "divine Kings
and Queens" being crowned with power from on high or perhaps HPB's
highly "magnetised" Divine Ring of power.

Maybe both Judge and Besant where still of this ilk.
De Purucker's writings also express this authoritarian / hierarchical
type of mindset
of course it goes without saying CWL was a complete shocker when it
came to pronouncements and his belief in superiority of the ruling
classes.

It's interesting that the society was set up on a democratic system
rather than an autocracy
or some kind of theosophical monarchy with "successors".
It's a shame that the society fell into the trap of guru following and
this nonsense idea of successor-ship and divine oracles, rather than
implementing the principles of democracy on which the society was
established.

Perry


--- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com, "Daniel H. Caldwell"
<danielhcaldwell@y...> wrote:
> 
> Recently the following book was published:
> 
> The Judge Case: A Conspiracy Which
> Ruined the Theosophical Cause
> by Ernest E. Pelletier
> 
> Ordering information can be found at:
> 
> http://www.theosophycanada.com/ets_judge_case.pdf
> 
> Katinka Hesselink, editor of Lucifer7, has
> now written and published an informative review of
> this book in the latest December 2004
> issue of Lucifer7. See:
> 
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lucifer7/message/17
> 
> I have reprinted the review in an easier format
> to print at:
> 
> http://blavatskyarchives.com/judgecasereviewbykatinka.htm
> 
> Katinka also compiled a more complete table of contents
> for the book under review. I have also created a pdf version
> of this more complete table that will be easier to read
> and print out at:
> 
> http://blavatskyarchives.com/wqjcasetableofcontents.pdf
> 
> I am hoping that Ernest Pelletier will respond to Katinka's
> review on this Theos-Talk forum which is open to the public
> and is also indexed by Google.
> 
> Later I plan to add a few comments of my own on "The Judge
> Case" book and also on Katinka's review.
> 
> Daniel H. Caldwell
> BLAVATSKY STUDY CENTER
> http://hpb.cc