Theos-Talk Archives (January 2005 Message tt00860)

Hi Daniel & Pedro,
I intend to reply fully to Pedro's post as soon as I can put 
something together.
However to quickly clarify my intent in the statement :
"Tens of thousands making a mistake, doesn't make
it any less of a mistake"

I did not in anyway to mean that reading Leadbeater was a mistake and 
know one should therefore read him, nothing of the sort in fact.

>From the nature of my past postings on this subject, Pedro I am sure 
you'd realize that was not my meaning I put forward this position.
It may have been badly expressed however.
I have always supported the approach of comparison as you would be 
aware.

So let me try to clarify this breifly.
I support everyone's right to read believe and promote any 
philosophical, religious, scientific or political belief they choose.

My point was that the popularity and verboseness of someone's ideas 
and beleifs does not therefore give them any veracity.

Perry


--- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com, "Daniel H. Caldwell" 
<danielhcaldwell@y...> wrote:
> 
> Perry wrote:
> 
> =============================================
> It is true, tens of thousands have read and 
> will probably continue to read his writings. 
> Tens of thousands making a mistake, doesn't make 
> it any less of a mistake.
> =============================================
> 
> 
> Pedro replied:
> 
> ==============================================
> This is one of the most extraordinary statements 
> I have ever seen in any theosophical discussion: 
> TO READ SOMEONE'S BOOKS (LEADBEATER) IS A MISTAKE! 
> How do we arrive at such startling conclusion? 
> Does it not also imply a judgement of the choice, 
> discernment and freedom of those THOUSANDS who 
> decided to read them?
> 
> Why not include Leadbeater's books and articles 
> and pamphlets on an Index and declare them forbidden 
> reading? It was done in the past very successfully 
> with the writings of Clement of Alexandria,
> Origen, Giordano Bruno, etc.
> ================================================
> 
> I will let Perry reply to Pedro's remarks.
> 
> But I would like to say that the second book I ever
> read on Theosophy was C.W. Leadbeater's A TEXTBOOK
> OF THEOSOPHY.
> 
> I am glad that I read this book. It awakened in
> me an interest to know more about Theosophy. I can
> still remember the "excitement" I experienced as
> I read Mr. Leadbeater's book. His book prompted me
> to dig deeper....
> 
> And it seems to me that any serious student of
> Theosophy should read and study at least some of
> his major works.
> 
> Having said that, there are a good number of
> differences between Leadbeater's teachings and
> those of Blavatsky and the Mahatmas (as found
> in the Mahatma Letters). I think one of the
> most glaring examples is the one illustrated
> in detail at:
> 
> http://blavatskyarchives.com/morganafterdeath.htm
> 
> Another example:
> 
> http://blavatskyarchives.com/leadbeatermars.htm
> 
> And another example:
> 
> http://blavatskyarchives.com/moderntheosophy.htm#2
> 
> I would like to see Pedro's thoughts and comments
> on these three examples. As well as Perry's.
> 
> Daniel
> http://hpb.cc