Theos-Talk Archives (April 2009 Message tt00372)

Dear Daniel,

When McDavid states: 

"We don't have to blindly accept what she [HPB] says or take her views as the last word, but at least we should become familiar with those views firsthand. Then we can reject or accept intelligently."

What thing to be rejected or accepted do you think he is referring to?  

Initially I read it as referring to post-HPB teachings, which are to be rejected or accepted on the basis of familiarity with HPB's teachings, but there is a slight possibility that he refers to accepting or rejecting elements of HPB's own teachings on the ground of having familiarized oneself with them. 

The whole paragraph reads such that the first reading was the correct one, but just want to be sure. 

Govert




  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: danielhcaldwell 
  To: theos-talk@yahoogroups.com 
  Sent: Saturday, March 21, 2009 10:31 AM
  Subject: Theos-World To Govert: Part 4: HPB Infallible, sacred source???


  William Doss McDavid in his book "An Introduction to Esoteric Principles: A Study Course" writes:

  "Should we take H.P.B. as an infallible authority? . . . Absolutely not. . . . But there is another side to the question. We have to remember that the modern Theosophical movement owes its very existence to H.P.B. and the Masters, whose faithful agent she claimed to be. It would be extremely unwise to reject the teachings given through her without understanding what those teachings really were in the first place. And how can we acquire this understanding if we do not study her writings? We don't have to blindly accept what she says or take her views as the last word, but at least we should become familiar with those views firsthand. Then we can reject or accept intelligently. When the works of other and later writers who claim to be continuing the work begun by H.P.B. present viewpoints and 'revelations' which are at direct variance with the original lines of teaching, we may feel justified in questioning the source of the newer pronouncements. A familiarity with the original writings, therefore, provides a criterion for intelligent judgment." p. 37

  Daniel
  http://hpb.cc



  

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