From: ekeller@aerie.CalStateLA.EDU (eddy keller)
Newsgroups: rec.food.veg
Subject: Re: Conclusions about Ted Altar
Date: 11 Nov 92 21:41:32 GMT
Article-I.D.: nic.1992Nov11.134134.3144
Reply-To: ekeller@calstatela.edu
Distribution: world
Organization: ATS - CalState Los Angeles

In article <anne.721508972@menaik>, anne@cs.UAlberta.CA (Anne J.R. Nield) writes:
[ included article from George Clark deleted here for space purposes
  only ]
|> So, George, why are you still here? 
|> Speaking for myself (PLEASE NOTE), I quit reading this newsgroup
|> some time back (I plan to go back into exile after this little
|> experiment) because of the incredible rudeness and narrow-mindedness
|> of posts such as yours.  There are issues related to vegetarianism that
|> people often have questions about -- mostly concerning alternative
|> medicine.  People such as myself who have used alternative methods
|> sucessfully are usually happy to share their experience.  For this
|> we have been royally dumped on, and our experience invalidated, by
|> people such as yourself.  
|> 
|> It IS a fact of life that many people are practising and using
|> alternative medicine -- successfully.  Whether you agree with this
|> or choose to use it is up to you.  Your faith in "established"
|> medicine and the millions of "scientific" papers it spews out
|> every year I'm sure is much appreciated by those responsible.
|> 
|> It is not the only game in town, however, and many people who have
|> been failed by their doctors have had success with OTHER doctors
|> using different treatments -- or with non-medical (not to be
|> equated with "non-scientific" and/or "non-validated") methods.
|> 
|> Remember, that whatever else you may think, doctors often disagree
|> WITH EACH OTHER.  Papers are written attacking the conclusions of
|> OTHER PAPERS.  People ultimately have to decide what is right for
|> themselves.  And often, anecdotal experiences of other people are
|> very helpful -- whether or not it qualifies as "scientific" in your
|> estimation.
|> 
|> Getting wonderful vegetarian recipes is great -- and a step in the
|> process, but ultimately people will run into things that they need
|> more information about -- information that is not always forthcoming
|> from "established" sources.  Naturopaths, chiropractors, and other
|> health practitioners have much to contribute, as do the people who
|> are familiar with their methods.  To write them all off as "quacks"
|> (or, as I recall from one of your posts, "mean as a snake") is
|> hardly productive.
|> 
|> Have a nice day! :):):)
|> 
|> Anne
|> 
|> 

Thanks Anne for the statements.  I have often felt that those
who post assume that rest of us are going to rush right out
and cleanse our colon because we read it here or, conversely,
debunk all alternative forms of medical treatment because 
someone on r.f.v. said so.  Whether medicine or nutrition
there do not appear to be any absolutes and when we close off
one avenue as completely frivolous and undeserving of 
consideration who's to say what we lose in the long run.

I thoroughly enjoy the heated discussions here because what we
are discussing does matter - from health to environment to 
human/animal rights.  What is a bit annoying and infantile, 
however, is the inability to allow someone else an different 
point of view without calling names or demeaning characters.

--eddy
-- 
***************************=================***********************************
eddy keller                                  (ekeller@calstatela.edu)
           California State University, Los Angeles
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Newsgroups: rec.food.veg