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Date: 30 Oct 2000 00:00:00 GMT
Subject: Re: Concern for the NG
Message-ID: <20001029224117.06129.00001772@ng-cj1.aol.com>
References: <39FC8A89.5D5@luckymojo.com>
Organization: AOL http://www.aol.com
Newsgroups: alt.religion.orisha
X-Admin: news@aol.com
Your concerns appear to me unwarranted. This is hardly a high-volume group. A
heavy day might bring 10 posts at the most. Those that are annoying are easily
dealt with by simply skipping to the next message. No response needed, not even
so much as a "plonk". The group is hardly over-run with "hate-junkies". I also
notice that your list of kill-file-ees comprises apparently the grand total of
three distinct posters. I notice that there is not a single "propagandist" on
the list. Perhaps your friend Eoghan can let us know who these persons unknown
are that so disturb him.
Regarding ad hominem scrutiny, these are clearly made warranted when posters
choose to cite their priestly titles and academic qualifications, the better to
buttress the arguments, or more usually pronouncements, that they make. It is
exactly the equivalent of what goes on in a court of law. If you bring in a
so-called "expert" witness in to testify, then the expertise of that witness
becomes a legitimate matter of comment and inquiry by opposing counsel. In a
public newsgroup such as this, one can do that in a parliamentary fashion, as I
choose to do, or one can do it in a heckling manner. The latter too is
acceptable in my opinion, for the same reason that you should not in a forum
where free speech is valued, such as on a political platform, prevent hecklers
from puncturing the pomposity and false pretenses of those who set themselves
up as authorities or as would-be kings. So we have two sides of one coin. If we
have somebody claiming priestly titles and listing his lineage, on one side of
the coin, you have also, on the other side of the coin, to permit voices,
perhaps even heckling voices, taking issue with the nature and value of the
titles claimed. The heckled party called the heckling on himself, and cannot
seek refuge in a law banning ad hominem heckling. If you don't want ad hominem
attack, don't set yourself up as some authority.
Now, if certain people of tender heart and thin skin want to be protected from
sometimes stinging public comment, then by all means let them set up their
sanitized little group somewhere, with a moderator firmly in control of the
gate, and a faux emperor certain not to have his pet falsehoods challenged. By
all means, go right ahead. I certainly will have no part of it. I would also in
that case resist very strongly any attempt by you and Eoghan (let's face it,
you have your own little gang going, and you have each other's back - that's
your right) to create such a group with either the words "religion" or "orisha"
included. Call it alt.magic.cat or alt.magic.eoghan or alt.magic.hoodoo or
alt.anthropology.magic.african or whatever. But please don't degrade
traditional African religion by setting something up by that name and
installing a sorcerer and freemason-cum-hoodoo-hobbyist as resident moderators
and experts talking about orisha and religion.
Face it, the only reason why this particular proposal is made at this
particular juncture is because Emperor Eoghan has been shown to have no
clothes, and he is looking for cover. Good friend that you are, you come to his
aid. Very admirable. But in a true sense, you can't help him. Beguiled as he is
by Eshu, the master trickster, what he needs is not cover to shield him from
the truth about himself, but yet more exposure. It's painful, but that is the
way to growth.
Peace,
Grisso
"You own the property. Others enjoy the landscape." --One-Minute Wisdom
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