Theos-Talk Archives (October 1995 Message tl00583)

Paul Johnson Writes:

PJ
This raises
the question of the value of esotericism. With Theosophy,
there is a tremendous allure derived from the claim that the
teachings are preserved in remote, inaccessible places by
remote, inaccessible people. "Where it comes from" is
tremendously important, and was even more so a hundred years
ago. Whereas with Cayce, what is most important is the
applicability of the teachings, and the source matters little.

JHE
 I think the importance of the source of the teachings only
became an issue with CWL and AB's introduction of the revelation
element to theosophy. Before the revelation element, the idea of
there being an ancient secret doctrine was just another teaching
to be examined just like all of the others.

PJ
HPB, due to historical
circumstances, gave an anti-Christian spin to her writings.
Perhaps what is really going on with Cayce, Bailey etc. is the
subversion of Christianity by esotericism rather than vice
versa. That could only happen through a more pro-Christian
kind of esotericism than source Theosophy.

JHE
 I think this interpretation has more to do with a prevailing
belief regarding HPB's writings than what she actually wrote. In
fact, HPB seems to have been rather sympathetic to Christianity--
it was Churchianity that she was critical of.

Jerry HE

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