Theos-Talk Archives (May 2005 Message tt00307)

--- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com, "Anand Gholap" <AnandGholap@A...> 
wrote:
> Nigel,
> You wrote
> "Like many, my Theosophical studies began with an open mind, with
> predominant exposure to Leadbeater, Besant, Hodson, Jinarajadasa and
> their commentators' information. After a number of years as a 
serious
> and committed student I began lecturing for the Adyar Society and
> even constructed and ran an introductory course for newcomers for a
> number of years, based in part on the above authors' teachings. 
After
> considerable work, this course was published and distributed
> throughout Adyar Lodges in Australia, now very, very much to my
> regret."
> That means when you supported those authors you believed you were
> right. Now you don't think so. So truth is for most of the students
> is subjective or relative. You should say " I now think .... is 
right
> but I may be wrong because at other moment I believed opposite views
> were right" More thought on this is perhaps required.
> 
> Anand Gholap

Dear Anand
You have not replied to my answer to your above comment! You have 
simply repeated the above exchange. Did you not notice my response to 
your comment? I am most interested in your comments so my response is 
herein repeated.
Regards
Nigel

>Dear Anand
>Thank you for your reply.

You wrote:
> That means when you supported those authors you believed you were
> right. Now you don't think so. So truth is for most of the students
> is subjective or relative. You should say " I now think .... is
right
> but I may be wrong because at other moment I believed opposite
views
> were right"

You say:
>"you believed you were right".

Never was this the case. How could my mind be remotely correct when
compared with these teachers whose esteem was, and still is, so high
in the Adyar Society.
On the contrary it was my trust that I was studying and conveying the
teachings of honest and honourable people that was my biggest mistake.

You say:
> So truth is for most of the students is subjective or relative.
>You should say " I now think .... is right but I may be wrong
because at other moment I believed opposite views were right".

For me, these are wise words to which we might all aspire although
with respect, you don't often appear to represent them in this forum.
You seem utterly convinced as to the rightness of your belief in the
pronouncements of Leadbeater and Besant, and the worthlessness of
those of H P Blavatsky.
Both Leadbeater and Besant have been proven far and beyond any
reasonable doubt to have lied, and to have manipulated and deceived
their followers on many occasions and in many ways.
At this stage, the same cannot be said of Blavatsky with any degree
of proof.

This certainly does not mean to me that Blavatsky is an infallible
guru, although some of us on this forum are accused of believing
this, which is yet another dishonest attempt to avoid the real issues
and to libel us in spite our continued protestations to the contrary.
Nor does it mean that Leadbeater and Besant were wrong in all that
they said and did.
It is simply that Blavatsky has far greater credibility as a teacher
of Theosophy and occultism as far as most of us can ascertain at this
stage.
However, it seems to me we should still maintain an ever open mind
and heart to new perspectives, an attitude she demonstrably supported.
However, even in this, the same cannot be said for Leadbeater and
Besant who almost demanded obedience from their followers and
unfortunately succeeded and still succeed beyond all measure.

Regards
Nigel


>Nigel wrote:

>Dear Leon and all
>Leon, you wrote in part to Anand Gholap:
> Don't know why I even bother writing this -- since I see no one on
this forum
> are suckers for this kind of nonsense. But, maybe it will alert
some lurking
> newcomer who might take this subject seriously. :-)