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orion Differing perspectives on Essenes
At 13:47 12/09/97 -0400, Stephen Goranson wrote:
>knowledge, I had never been accused (unfairly, in this case) of anti-Jewish
>intentions. (Anyone who knows me may correct me.) It is hard to know how to
>respond to such an accusation, which came in posts from Copenhagen (1 to 4
>list members, depending on interpretation) and (perhaps; it was not clear)
>from a member who signs as "Paqid 16, Qehilat Ha-Netzarim (Nazarene Jews),"
>whatever that modern self-designation means.
To allow such an insinuation to go unanswered would implicitly confirm
Goranson's innuendo, directed at me specifically and explicitly, and so must
be corrected in the public record. My post stands as I wrote it, not as he
includes it among his many other distortions and misrepresentations to
transform everyone who disagrees with him into straw men and grind whatever
axe it is that he grinds. His insinuation that I referred to "anti-Jewish
intentions" is not only an illogical reading of my post, it is a wrong
reading, and yet another in a growing string of illogical and unfounded
distortions and misrepresentations of those who don't agree with him. It is
impossible to treat differing positions intelligently as long as one holds
distorted impressions and attacks caricatures (straw men) of those differing
positions.
"Anti-Jewish intentions" is only one of many biases. Pro-Christian and
pro-rabbinicism are two other axes that spring to mind, not to mention
defending career defining pronouncements. My post was directed at the
problem of grinding "a" pre-inclined axe -- *any* axe -- combined with
misrepresentation, slander and no respect for logic and scientific method --
whether presuming the DSS represents a monastic proto-Christian sect, a
Hellenistic proto-Christian sect, an Essene proto-Christian sect, or some
other proto-Christian sect. Any perspectives that don't offer some
proto-Christian sect get distorted and misrepresented into straw men. Some
choice. Some objectivity. Some logic. Some science.
Misrepresenting what I wrote in order to discredit me, for the umpteenth
time, reinforces the point of my original post regarding why many other
scientists can be expected to shun this list -- including this Mensan
scientist. I've had it and I'm unsubscribing as soon as this message posts.
Ori"n's web site will enable me to keep up with new developments in DSS
scholarship (I'm especially grateful for the Ori"n web site), my main
desire, without having to defend myself against the illogical distortions,
misrepresentations and blatant slander which has been directed at me. If
you get this problem solved and a more scientific orientation in this list,
then I hope someone will let me know as I'd then be interested in
resubscribing.
My best wishes to so many who have made positive contributions to the list,
so many who have helped (and are helping) me obtain DSS information, and so
many who have contributed to increasing my knowledge and understanding in
the DSS. It's essential to me because I want to ensure that the Netzarim
conform to the latest logical and scientific findings of DSS-era Judaism.
That's not what presently emerges from this list.
Yirmiyahu Ben-David
Paqid 16, Qehillat Ha-Netzarim (Nazarene Jews)
www.netzarim.co.il
Ra'anana, Israel