Theos-Talk Archives (April 2006 Message tt00805)

This concern over the Esoteric Instructions is simply a distraction.  Trying 
to judge either Crosbie or Caldwell over this matter is pointless.  Again, 
who really knows why Crosbie did what he did?  Perhaps there was a private 
message to ES members or to him alone telling them or him that on the 
authority of the Masters this material could be used at the members 
discretion.  Perhaps many things might have been the case.  Given that we 
can never know everything that went on, all we are left with is the abstract 
question: Do you think, given what we know, that Crosbie was correct in 
sharing the Esoteric Instructions with others?  The answer really tells us 
nothing about Crosbie, only what we think would be right were we in a 
situation such as WE UNDERSTOOD HIM TO BE IN, whether he was actually in 
that situation or not.  What we can say is that members of the ULT have 
treated the material respectfully over the century and do not seem to have 
abused the trust that Crosbie placed in them.  Now the material is pretty 
much in the public domain and perhaps that is as it should be.

The most important element in the ES was not the instructions they received, 
it was the oath and how the members upheld that oath --  how they defended 
one another and how they defended and promoted the Theosophical Society.  If 
indeed Crosbie broke his oath by sharing the Instructions, and that was the 
only time he broke his oath, then I bow down to him with respect.  As 
Caldwell has made no oaths to anyone, so far as I know, what he does with 
the material is his own business.  If ULT members have made oaths where they 
feel obligated to protest against Caldwell's use of the Instructions, then 
that is what they should do.

Really, all this wrangling has been and has always been about HPB and Judge. 
 People are not upset at Crosbie because he may have broken his oath, they 
are upset with him because he stands for something.  He stands up for Judge 
and HPB against those who would repeat the old unproven allegations.  People 
are upset with Besant because she stands for the "so-called" freedom to 
repeat such allegations.  They have become symbols, and people should 
realize what they are symbols for.  Getting caught up in Crosbie's or 
Besant's short-comings is just something that keeps theosophists busy so 
that they don't rediscover the real injustice, the slandering of the 
Society's founders.

Bruce

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