Theos-Talk Archives (September 1995 Message tl00745)

Paul wrote:

> But there is also, above the specific schools, the idea of The
> School. Here is where I think Rich and I part company on the
> issue of literalism. It is historically false to assert that
> the various "schools" frequented by HPB are "branches" of "One
> School" that exists as an organization on planet earth run by
> embodied human beings. The "One School" is an abstraction, not
> an entity on this plane.
How in the world can ANYONE who is not a top initiate in one of those Schools
know this? If there are in fact, as Paul says, many such esoteric schools,
how are we to know that at the top level they are not all aware of each other
and co-operating?

Putting the Masters and the Brotherhood in the Platonic realm is quaint and
safe, but yet another unprovable assertion from Paul.

Likewise, HPB's assertion that there IS a single esoteric network is
unprovable, but SHE DOES ASSERT IT, and that is SOURCE THEOSOPHY. We are
free to agree or disagree, but Paul cannot convince me that Theosophy does
not teach Masters and this Brotherhood as a FACT in nature.

I don't see the reason we should attack this "myth" as Paul calls it of the
esoteric brotherhood. What damage is done? Until any one of us can know for
sure, it seems like a useful devotional belief, and not dangerous to the
world at large. So Paul, why do you really care if people like me and Art
are "living the myth"? What's it to you?

Rich