Theos-Talk Archives (March 1995 Message tl00084)

According to Jerry Schueler:
>
> You are essentially correct.  But the early founders
> found that they had to give reasons for why others should
> switch their religion.  HPB in particular, caught a lot
> of heat from Jesuits and others, and found herself in a
> position of defense most of the time.

HPB emerged as a writer with her defenses of Spiritualism,
which was condemned by the mainstream churches and the
scientific establishment.  But in India, she was pretty much on
the attack against Christianity, due to its effort to belittle
and undermine Hinduism, Sikhism, etc.  This I think was
encouraged by her Masters, who saw Indian culture as being in
danger of destruction by the English.

> anti-Christianity.  However, HPB and the Masters all agreed
> that what they called 'esoteric Christianity' was good
> stuff and needed to be brought out into public.

Arthur, you might wish to see HPB's New Testament Commentaries
(PLP, 1988?) for a more sympathetic side of her approach to
Christianity.
  So you

> will come across pieces of their writings that sound very
> harsh and critical, and other pieces that sound supportive
> and acceptive.

This, fortunately, is true of all religious traditions.
Despite her great respect for India, HPB was capable of
vigorous criticism of Hindu conservatism.

  There has been very little criticism of
> Christianity or its churches or teachings since those
> early days.  It is very doubtful that a 'good' Christian
> can read or study HPB's works and not give up on theosophy
> in short order, because of her attacks, which sometimes
> were quite bitter sounding.

Isis Unveiled and some of the periodical pieces are; but isn't
this tendency gone by the time of the SD, Key and Voice?

  As I had already given up on
> Christianity before reading her writings, I found myself
> saying Yeah!  Go get 'em, and agreeing with her on most
> things (some of her arguments are hard to follow today, and
> one wonders why the heck she is trying to attack dead
> horses.  Only, they weren't dead yet when she wrote it!)
> I think the reason why you find Christianity was especially
> singled out for attack was because that is where all the heat
> was coming from.  Theosophy received very little flack from
> the Hindu, Buddhist, or Islam communities.  Christians,
> especially the Jesuits,

Having been told recently that someone is accusing me of being
a tool of the Jesuits, I must comment that I have never heard
of or seen any evidence concerning supposed anti-TS
conspiracies by them.  (That's what they paid me bunches of
money to say.  Yeah, right.)