Theos-Talk Archives (February 2005 Message tt00666)

Thank you Dallas and Sufilight for finally addressing the important 
question of communicating Theosophy. You are both right. Accuracy is 
important. So is meaningful discussion. 

To post citations to Theosophical texts germane to every topic that 
comes up may be useful to those who have not already read the material, 
or don't know how to look up the material for themselves. However this, 
it itself, is not scholarship. While scholarship implies one's ability 
to research a subject--to use indexes, bibliographies etc., it also 
implies skills in interpreting and discussing this material. 

During the 1960s and 70s, I belonged to a Theosophical Study group led 
by one of Boris de Zirkoff's students. Almost every time I opened my 
mouth to comment upon something HPB or some other Theosophist or Mahatma 
wrote, my teacher would stop me and demand that I tell her exactly which 
book and where in that book one would find the quote which I was 
referring. I learned to play the game, and like a little parrot, learned 
to quote passages from, say, the Secret Doctrine, then tell you upon 
what page and paragraph one would find that quote. Though I learned to 
play the game, I also deeply resented its implications. True 
scholarship is not learning to be a mindless parrot. It is leaning to 
more deeply understand and to effectively communicate your subject. 

I agree with Dallas, that it is important to be able to accurately cite 
and quote our sources. I would also add that true learning comes when 
we gain insight into what we read. That is done through meditation 
*and* discussion. Discussion is an important learning tool, and ought 
not to be denigrated. 

I also agree with sufilight that discussion needs to be meaningful and, 
hopefully, inspiring. I would also add that for the discussion about a 
quote to be meaningful, we need to have an accurate knowledge of what 
was actually written.

Jerry


> M. Sufilight wrote:
>
>Hallo Dallas and all,
>
>My views are:
>
>Dallas wrote:
>"> I note with deep regret that some have offered their opinions concerning 
>the
> 
>
>>usefulness and validity of HPB's writings, and to bolster this, the
>>Mahatmas' opinions are vaguely quoted. Let's have some precision and some
>>degree of scholarship and organization, shall we ? "
>> 
>>
>
>
>My answer:
>I note also with regret, that Dallas a long time student of theosophy
>has the appearnt aim of degrading our level of knowledge
>down to a scholary one.
>Let us have a more inspiring stance than a scholary one.
>I beg you Dallas.
> 
>






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