From: max@admin.mport.COM (Max)
Newsgroups: sci.anthropology
Subject: Re: Cultural Appropriation and the New Age
Date: 6 Jan 93 17:45:24 GMT
Organization: Microport Inc., Scotts Valley, CA 95066 US of A

goff@intruder.navo.navy.mil (Victoria Goff) writes:


>I will be departing from this newsgroup because the jeering section has
>arrived to have fun poking fun at something they know nothing of. Believe
>it or not, the study of man, history and future, really is an interest
>of mine because I want to know more, I want to understand. The Usenet
>is not the open forum it claims itself to be nor are the participants
>really as concerned about the rights of free speech as they that would
>like to convince themselves. 

hi victoria, 

you have had some poor interactions with the net here. before you go back
to the confines of your clique, let me show you what ive seen here. 

while you may not have intended to do so, you may have insulted the people
you claim have been so unreasonable to you. your ability to recognise when
you are insulting someone may be limited because you are a true believer in
your perspective. take a look at the bits of your posting that i have
pulled out of context. 

goff@intruder.navo.navy.mil (Victoria Goff) writes:

>I suppose I will add my very unpopular opinion to the subject and I'm
>sure I'll get some heat. I know the Lord Jesus Christ and so there is
>no way this Newage religion has any truth to it. I must admit, it does
>seem to neatly explain everything almost as if it were masterminded...
>hummmm...

>-Victoria Day Goff         

the concept of new age being masterminded really had me confused at first.
not being xtian, my ability to catch such references is limited. i find it
amusing to report that the reference is to a belief that any non xtian
religion or philosophy is viewed as detracting followers from a single
truth. similarly, it would
produce an adversarial relationship with other philosophies, as they are
looked at as the "not truth", and therefore further the purposes of the
"not god"...

<church-lady-mode ON>

"could it be... satan?!?"

<church-lady-mode OFF>

sorry for the humor, but some people find it insulting to have their
beliefs labeled as satanic. 

>My personal experience with Newagers is that they
>make fun of Christians, calling then close-minded and they imply that
>they are not as educated (probably not as evolved). 

to steadfastly claim that all others are wrong and that
only you are right is a little ... closed minded?

>New agers do not agree on all the details but they seem to share the
>view that there is a "oneness" of a spirit and that all religions
>in some way try to describe it. Therefore, all religions are right
>in that they describe this spirit from a different perspective.
[..]
>What I think you most want to know, considering where you posted this
>article, is what effect this up and coming religion will have on the
>dominating culture and I will tell you what I think. Christian persecution,
>accelerated moral decay as the society is less and less tolerant of anything
>related to Christianity.

at first this looks like a non-sequitor, as new age integration would also
apply to xtians, and would not be "less and less tolerant", but if all
other perspectives are not "truth" then even an integration such as new age
is viewed as satan, because it isnt xtian. 

it must be comforting to believe that
one has found the truth, and can now stop looking, and redirect 
ones energy to calling all others wrong.

<maria writes>
>|> Hmmmmm...culture impacting religious beliefs?  AMAZING!)
>
>You sure you're a Christian? You don't sound like you know Christ.
>Besides, all the real Christians I know hate religion as much as
>Christ does.

can you see that here you are claiming that maria isnt a xtian because she
dosent share your specific take on the reading? can you see that maria (and
all others that dont agree with you point-by-point) may take offence to your
claim that their xtian belief is not xtian enough?

<maria again>
>|> Well, that's my $.02.  (And, yes, I've *studied* the Bible, and
>
>Ah, you might have *studied* the bible, but do you *live* it?

yes victooria, only _you_ are right. the rest of us are just lost.

BUT, if you have any real interest in anthro, stick around. if you play
nice, others will be nicer to you.

-max
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