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How do the guidelines presented in this series of installments reflect the personal affiliation of the owner and moderator of The Other Shul?
They don't.
The owner and the moderator of The Other Shul do not hide their own Orthodox Jewish affiliation. However, membership in the group is not restricted to Orthodox Jewry.
From time to time some subscribers argue about the orientation. Their complaints follow some or all of the following patterns:
People from a particular persuasion dominate the discussion.
Others do not have acceptable or plausible responses.
It is unfair, discriminatory, or not even-handed for only one side to present an effective point of view.
The Other Shul rejects this argument. The Other Shul believes that those who present a strong and effective point of view should be rewarded, rather than punished.
We feel that a point of view that is presented strongly may be correct - even though it may denigrate other points of view. There is no justification for even-handedness when a side has successfully represented Truth in a persuasive manner.
Some people argue that Jews of certain affiliations overwhelm others on the group.
Again, this may result from various possibilities:
These circumstances are not a function of the group. The group should not feel obligated to balance these concepts.
Nonetheless, if you may feel that your method or level of observance is not reflected substantially or numerically in the group, then do something about it. Don't whine. Don't complain. Invite people of your own persuasion to join.
Invite as many as you like to join The Other Shul. Stuff the ballot boxes. We welcome your contacts, irrelevant of their ideologies or persuasions.
You and your discussion partners should be sure to justify or verify your points of view with acceptable or traditional sources.
It is especially important to be careful about those references on The Other Shul. Many recently-published documents negate or deny traditional Judaism. A quotation from or a reference to those documents is not acceptable on The Other Shul.
Are you required to read this article for a course? Do NOT print out the article. It is copyrighted.
© David Grossman. World rights reserved. This article may not be printed, forwarded, reproduced, or copied in any way or in any medium without written permission from the author.
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