Re: TPH & Recent Libels Against HPB
Mar 04, 2006 01:51 PM
by Robert Bruce MacDonald
Message: 23 Date: Sat, 4 Mar 2006 15:01:21 EST
From: leonmaurer@aol.com
Subject: Re: TPH & Recent Libels Against HPB
Theosophists and others,
The following letter has one basic failure of understanding that belies
every statement it makes or conclusion it implies. And that understanding
is that; A true "Historian" can only report *everything* that is pertinent
to the *truth* of *exactly* what happened, including what anyone said or
wrote, at any particular time in history -- without making any personal
judgments or opinions about any of it.
It seems to me that this is exactly what Daniel refuses to do, make a
personal judgment. If he believes the Coulombs and Solovyoffs of this
world, he should have the courage to say so and argue why they should be
taken seriously. If he believes, as others have argued, that much of what
they say is fabricated (hence lies), he should have the courage to come out
strong in support of HPB. What Daniel does instead (intentionally or not)
is insidious. He repeats the lies without any argument at all (he simply
states that some of the points of view are from enemies, as if enemies and
liars are the same thing). Some would argue that this lack of taking a
stance is cowardice at best, and diabolical at its worst.
This is something that the author has to Learn -- so that he can understand
why his own personal opinions, implied, insinuated or otherwise, have no
validity whatsoever, and are nothing more than unfounded gossip when they
pertain to the motives or actions of anyone else.
These are not opinions, Carlos is arguing that there is a difference between
liars and enemies and liars do not deserve the same treatment as enemies.
Enemies are to be respected because they believe they are dealing with the
truth. Liars know they are not. When looking at a body of evidence
presented by one party (for instance the Coulombs), when some of that
evidence is shown to be fabricated, then it shows that that party has
deliberately misled (like the Coulombs), and nothing they say can be
trusted. If you as a historian want to repeat some aspect of these proven
liars testimony, then the onus of proof is on you. Prove that this aspect
of their testimony is valid, otherwise your behavior is immoral as it does
nothing but sully the reputation of an innocent person by repitition of
garbage.
His taking on the role of prosecutor, judge and jury is far more insidious
and untheosophical than the purported actions of someone he repeatedly
implies, besides remaining silent in the face of such unproved accusations
(as HPB did with her attackers) has committed some kind of fraud by
reporting the truth of what happened to HPB, and publishing all the so
called evidential comments and writings of those that attacked as well as
defended her -- without his own personal comment or opinions... And letting
the readers judge for themselves what is true or false, and who is right or
wrong, innocent or guilty.
Deal with the argument, Leon. The arguments of enemies are to be treated
with respect, the words of liars need not be accorded any respect. If you
believe the Coulombs, etc. to be other than liars, argue for them. To
attack Carlos for trying to stand up for someone he has a great deal of
respect for is ludicrous. Once people are shown to be liars, their words
are "evidence" only in proceedings against them (libel, contempt of court,
etc.).
As further advice to students of theosophy, the judgment of HPB's teachings
are dependent only on the teachings themselves, and not on her personal
life or actions, regardless of whether one approves of them or not.
Certainly the above is true, but this does not make it open season on her
reputation. When is it permissable to start sullying your name? Now? One
minute after your death? A year? Hopefully as theosophists we will all
stand by you even after your death and not let lies diminish your memory in
the eyes of the world.
Henceforth, I intend to trash such personalized, propaganda-like letters
before wasting my time reading them. What anyone else does about them, is
strictly their own business.
Your prerogative,
Bruce
LHM
In a message dated 3/4/06 11:08:53 AM, carlosaveline@hotmail.com writes:
Dear Friends,
In the year 2000, the Theosophical Publishing House/Quest Books published
the unfortunate volume "The Esoteric World of Madame Blavatsky", by Daniel
Caldwell.
This 451 pp. book is a collection of testimonies, false and true, about
the
life of H. P. Blavatsky. With this book, Daniel Caldwell inaugurated a
new
"editorial policy" adopted by the Adyar Theosophical Society in America
,
which consists of publishing lies and libels invented by the old enemies of
H. P. Blavatsky and of the theosophical movement as if they were authentic
documents.
The new editorial "policy" also includes publishing these false accusations
scattered amidst authentic documents, which makes it harder for the
unexperienced student to identify the falsehoods whose effect - if
unresisted - would be killing HPB´s memory and destroying its spiritual
vibration at the moral, ethical and occult levels, which are inevitably
interconnected.
Thus HPB´s image could be apparently put at the same level as some other
"theosophical" leaders, perhaps. In the disgusting volume "The Esoteric
World of Madame Blavatsky" - while believing the editor has selected
truthful documents - the reader will bump into many of the lies written
against HPB. There he will see two texts by Emma Coulomb (pp. 35-36 and
pp.
210-215) with no word from the "editor" Daniel Cadlwell admitting he is
publishing documents which have no trace of truth in them whatsoever.
Caldwell´s book also contains two texts by Mr. Solovyov with attacks
against
HPB; one false testimony by Mr. Richard Hodgson, several false accusations
against HPB made by Moncure D. Conway and many other unjust attacks aimed
at
her who is not here to defend herself. The disgusting material includes
utter disrespect for two Sacred Teachers and Their names, in one of the
libels signed by Emma Coulomb.
Its reproduction by a Publishing House which calls itself "Theosophical"
is something which surpasses and goes relatively far beyond the limits of
absurdity. HPB wrote long enough in The Key to Theosophy about the abuse
of sacred names, even when the cause of such a desecration is not a
collection of deliberate lies against the theosophical philosophy.
As to this kind of action, there are two levels of karma: the karma of
actively publishing lies against the Masters and HPB, and the karma of
anyone who knows about this and does nothing. This will not be the karma
of earnest students. In the Preliminary Memorandum of the Esoteric Section
of Theosophical Society, issued in 1888, Mrs. Blavatsky made an inspiring
quotation from the Book of Discipline in the schools of Dzyan and from a
letter of a Master: "He who wipeth not away the filth with which the
parent´s body have been defiled by an enemy, neither loves the parent nor
honours himself. He who defendeth not the persecuted and the helpless
(...)
has been born too soon in human shape." I can only humbly aggree with
these wise words.
It is true that the editor of "The Esoteric World of Madame Blavatsky"
wrote at the preface of the book:
"These reminiscenses by her relatives, acquaintances, friends,
co-workers,
and enemies give a vivid portrayal of Madame Blavatsky´s personality and
allow the reader to enter into the historical milieu of her time."
But he forgot the profound difference between an enemy and a liar.
An enemy, says the dictionary, is an adversary or an opponent - often an
honest person. A liar is a person who tells lies - or who knowingly helps
propagating them. Enemies may say unpleasant truths and we should be able
to
learn from them. The problem is not with enemies, then, but with false
testimonies. The editor of "The Esoteric World of Madame Blavatsky"
wrongly called "reminiscenses" the old, well-known falsehoods and proved
lies. He and TPH-Wheaton considered them beautiful enough to go to the
public.
O o o O o o O o o O
Best regards, Carlos.
O o o O o o O o o O
NOTE:
The paragraphs above are part of my text "The Embellishment of Truth",
published in "FOHAT", the magazine of the Edmonton Theosophical Society,
Canada, in the Summer 2005 issue.
O o o O o o O o o O
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