Theos-Talk Archives (August 1995 Message tl00255)

Brenda: "With Leadbeater's books being in our library and his close
acquaintance with many members of The Theosophical Society, including
Presidents, the facts don't agree with what you are claiming."

Rich: I understand that you are a fan of Leadbetter's, and my strong
opinions should not be construed as a condemnation of those who don't share
them. Don't we all have a right to think and believe as we choose? I merely
write REASONS for my opinions, and others do the same.

Your reasons above, that your library owns his books, and Leadbetter had
friendships with various Theosophists, leaves me more confused than ever.

Is the fact that one is President of one wing of the Theosophical Movement an
indication that they are spiritual or holy? It seems to me that "President"
or any other office is an elected position, purely exoteric and political,
not one held because of spiritual development. The holder of that office may
or may not be an advanced being.

The fact that Leadbetter may have hob-nobbed with the very highest officials
in the T.S. leaves me, and many others, utterly unimpressed. And whether the
man wrote 5, 50, or 500 books, it would be the quality of books he wrote that
would be the issue, not who owns them.

I assume many libraries own Leadbetter's books. What is this supposed to
show? Many libraries own books on Mormonism too, and I am equally
unimpressed.

If Leadbetter inspires people to enter the Path, that is GREAT!! And I mean
that with every ounce of enthusiasm. This is the point.

But where Mr. Leadbetter differs from the Masters, HPB, William Q. Judge, and
others who laid down the lines of Theosophy, I question Leadbetter's
leadership abilities. What is he leading one to? The path of psychism? Or
the path of spirituality? We all have some of both in us, but the great
Teachers don't. They stand for the path of spirituality unequivocally, and
we do our best to follow.

If one is choosing Leadbetter as a guide over and above the Masters and HPB,
I question the judgment, and I worry that Theosophy will never be the same.

If one takes a long, hard look at Leadbetter's teachings, there are myriads
of areas where he contradicts the original teachings, and there I get most
nervous of all.

People are certainly free to choose their guru, and I am merely asking, "Is
Leadbetter a trustworthy guru? What are his qualifications? Is friendship
with top officers an important qualification? Is the writing of many books
an important qualification?"

Rich