Posted by Doubtful on October 07, 2008 at 05:52:07
In Reply to: Re: What Mo letter abour revolutionary suicide? posted by Edward on October 07, 2008 at 02:04:46:
Your credibility as a researcher is sinking lower and lower in my eyes. I had expected more of you.
So you posted a bunch of links. And what do they say to support your idea that RS was used or taught in the COG? Nothing. And the only quote you quoted doesn't even exist on the page referenced. Why? Either A) becuase it was never there, or B) because wikipedia is changeable, and by anyone, informed or uninformed. For the latter reason, it is regarded as wholly unreliable in Academia, and it is not even allowed to be quoted or referenced to in any serious research. Wikipedia has been used for circular referencing: a "researcher" plants an opinion, and then references and quotes the planted opinion.
Now to your erroneous non-existent "quote":
"suicide was interpreted by Berg as a major source of the growing repression towards all religious minorities."
The usage of "source" is flawed, and therefore the statement wide open to misinterpretation. It should have better read:
"The Jonestown suicides were interpreted by Berg as being CAUSED by growing repression of religious minorities."
Whatever expert wrote that RS was "not only used by social and government bodies but also by other religious movements like the Children of God" should be pointed over here so we can set them right. It's simply not true. RS was never used in the COG.
You said you prefer facts over opinions?
Where are your facts and evidence of RS in the COG?
Where are your hard sources and "experts?"
Here are some facts, not conjecture:
To state the group is/was abusive and dehumanizing is provable and was done so in court.
To state that the COG incites suicidal ideation would be quite debatable, and was rejected in court.
To go as far as to state that RS was idealized or taught would be incorrect--there is no evidence of this.
As an eye-witness in the inner circles I'm telling you how it really was. As a severe critic of the cult and one who watches them closely, and as one who cares about those who remain in it, I would be the first to shout it from the rooftops if there ever was such a thing. But there wasn't. You say you wish to research similarities between the PT and COG? You will find similarities, but as a researcher, should also acknowledge where the similarities end and the differences begin. And you should be true to those findings, wherever they bring you. You should not go about your research with your conclusion already in mind so that you ignore your findings to the contrary, which is what seems to be happening here.