Theos-Talk Archives (July 2006 Message tt00137)

Leslie Price at my request wrote the following which was
previously posted on this forum:

"As one who has served twice on the SPR Council, and
who was involved in the arrangements for the publication
of Vernon's paper in JSPR April 1986, I can confirm
that the Society has NO collective view on Theosophical
phenomena....in publishing Vernon's paper, they did NOT at the
same time cancel the 1885 report - in the way that
for example, a scientific publication might withdraw
a discredited paper on human cloning. ALL the published
material - including the little known first and provisional
report of the SPR committee - remains available for study." 
caps added.

Notice:

"....the Society [for Psychical Research] has NO collective view on 
Theosophical phenomena...." Whether pro or con.........

"....in publishing Vernon's paper, they did NOT at the
same time cancel the 1885 report - in the way that
for example, a scientific publication might withdraw
a discredited paper on human cloning."

The views of authors of papers and reports in the SPR proceedings 
and journal are the views of the authors....NOT the views of the 
SPR....

After Vernon Harrison presented his views in the Journal of the SPR, 
another member of the SPR (Michael Coleman) disputed Harrison's 
findings in the same journal and presented his own views.

In the future, some other author may write an article published in 
the SPR journal in which it is contended HPB was a fraud...pure and 
simple.

Will that mean then that the SPR once again backs the claim that HPB 
was a fraud?

I have a friend who believes Harrison's report isn't worth the paper 
it is written on.  He has even written an unpublished rebuttal to 
Harrison's paper.

Personally I think there are a few flaws in Harrison's arguments but 
that his paper is a valuable contribution to the controversy.  

Personally, I believe HPB was not a fraud and actually performed 
genuine paranormal phenomena.

Daniel
http://hpb.cc