Theos-Talk Archives (January 1997 Message tl00198)

Two people have accused me of making ad hominem attacks on
Daniel Caldwell, as a result of my stating that a rigid belief
system motivated his attacks on my work.  The argument is that
I should respond in substantive detail to his attacks on my
work.  In fact I have done so at great length, and said so in
the post in question.  That it has not appeared on Dr. Lane's
website weeks after my sending it is due to technical delays,
not reluctance on my part.  What I said, and readers of the
reply will be able to confirm, is that analysis of Mr.
Caldwell's arguments shows a rigid belief system to underly
them.  That is enough said on the matter.  When the response
is available the evidence on this score will be seen to be
quite abundant.

JHE makes public reference to a private matter which I suspect the
persons named in his post would wish to remain so.  Since this
is the second time he has brought it up on one of these lists,
I feel obliged to explain what is going on.  In short,
two friends unacquainted with each other both told me that JHE
was saying behind my back "People shouldn't read The Masters Revealed"
(or, to specific people, "You shouldn't read it") at the
same time that to my face he was acting neutral and interested
in friendly relations.  When I confronted JHE about this he
vociferously denied it.  I told one of the people immediately
that I had quoted him to Jerry, and he was not happy with this.  He
admitted then (which he had not implied before) that he
couldn't remember whether he had actually heard JHE say this or
whether it had been reported to him.  Jerry confronted this
friend about the story, denying it and asking whether or not he
had really said it.  (Rather, implying that I had imagined it
or made it up, and seeking confirmation of this.)  In his answer to
JHE he was evasive enough that (in his own words to me at the
time) "Jerry could read into it what he wanted to."  But he certainly
didn't deny to Jerry what he'd told me, simply said the details of the
conversation eluded him.  As for John Coker and Brett Forray,
named in JHE's post: John told me in great detail about his
efforts to get Brett to read my book, and that Brett kept
saying "Jerry says don't read it" or "Jerry says no one should
read it" or some such thing.  After my confrontation with JHE
on the matter, I apologized to John for quoting him to that
effect, to which he replied "I don't care, I'll tell him to his
face."  If John is now denying the whole story, I'm astonished--
and will check to see what is going on.

Q. What do JHE, Daniel Caldwell, and John Algeo have in common?
A. They are all people whose friendship I tried hard to secure or
maintain, who are thanked for small favors in the acknowledgments of
my last book, received free copies of both of them, and have
become implacable enemies for reasons that I think have more to
do with their belief systems than with me. 

There is something incredibly frustrating about people who give
abundant evidence of enmity, but when confronted about it say
"You're paranoid" and then use the alleged paranoia to *further*
attack you.