Theos-Talk Archives (August 1995 Message tl00301)

>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.
>

Rich:

My initial introduction to Theosophy came through Leadbeater's (note the
spelling of his name) books. I later read Purucker and through him came to
embrace the original theosophical Teachings. While I read Leadbeater, I
did not realize that his ideas differed from HPB's, I just thought that
books like "The Secret Doctine" were hard to read.

The historic discussion of what he may or may not have done is not useful
to our modern-day presentation of Theosophy. We don't need to either
encourage parents to send their children to him to be cared for, not to
warn them against sending their children to him. He's been dead for 50 or
60 years, and it don't matter one way or the other.

What matters is that the original source Teachings are taught and
understood in our theosophical groups, even if we personally may choose
to disagree with bits and pieces of them. When later writers disagree
with HPB and "The Mahatma Letters," we should note and consider those
differences, rather than cover them up or deny that they exist.

I would say that we let each of us believe that variant or offshoot of
Theosophy that each chooses, but all be careful to clarify to the world
when we speak our own ideas, as opposed to when we present the original,
pure Teachings.