Theos-Talk Archives (December 2005 Message tt00319)

Anand,

I would like to consider what you have
written about HPB's writings containing
mistakes in your posting at:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Young-Theosophists/message/2865

Based on what even HPB said, I think she
would agree that her writings may contain 
mistakes.

But without going deeper than that bare
statement a whole host of questions remain
unexplored and unanswered.

Are you suggesting that, for example, Annie
Besant's and/or C.W. Leadbeater's writings
do NOT contain mistakes?

I would think that they are no more infallible
than HPB. In other words, I would think that
their writings also contain mistakes.

And what kind of mistakes are you referring to?

Simple, silly little mistakes or more basic
and serious "doctrinal mistakes"?

That is, mistakes and misunderstandings of particular
Theosophical teachings.....

I have asked you many times before and I believe other
subscribers to this list have also asked you to list
some of the more prominent "mistakes" that you think
HPB committed in her writings.

I don't believe you have ever given any such examples.

You may think a particular example is a real "mistake"
but in fact it may not be. Your own thinking on the subject
may be at fault, not necessarily HPB's.... Certainly that
is one distinct possibility. 

I know Theosophical students who believe
HPB was mistaken about "reincarnation." These students
don't believe in reincarnation therefore they think that
HPB was mistaken about that doctrine when she wrote about
it in her writings.

I also know Theosophical students who believe HPB
was sadly mistaken to take Atlantis and Lemuria as real
physical places. These students believe that the teachings
actually refer to metaphysical and mythical truths...not to
real physical land masses....

So in these two examples and there are more examples that
could be given, who is right and who is wrong???

Did HPB propagate a "mistaken" idea or do the other Theosophists
I mentioned believe in "erroneous" interpretations???

I have more to share but will save for later, hoping that
you will try to share with this group your thoughts on the
above specific issues.

Daniel
http://hpb.cc