tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52912413020249030.post3911600646608708399..comments2024-03-12T11:58:24.510+13:00Comments on Otagosh: A lot less than meets the eyeGavin Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17965552923012880262noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52912413020249030.post-50438863739614503222013-08-11T04:54:27.558+12:002013-08-11T04:54:27.558+12:00The WCG certainly was incapable of solving its own...The WCG certainly was incapable of solving its own problems and the splinters are even worse -- you'd think they'd all fall silent and slink away quietly....Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52912413020249030.post-8471745986568897482013-08-10T01:35:40.336+12:002013-08-10T01:35:40.336+12:00Based on your link I read a number of the "Vi...Based on your link I read a number of the "Vision" articles and am somewhat amazed at the formula. They all seem to start out with informative, interesting content in description of some current issue or news topic or scientific topic or whatever, with current authors or authorities cited or interviewed. Interesting issues or questions are raised, set up for debate. Then invariably one reads to find their (the authors') solution or analysis or resolution or analysis and finds: (a) some almost-meaningless cliche (like, the solution to human conflict is that humans need to learn to serve one another better--that at the end of a discussion on which form of human government is best, which is also the conclusion to a discussion of whether issues raised by feminism have merit), followed by (b) the obligatory reference to things will be solved in the coming Kingdom of God on earth. In other words, a buildup to really nothing, despite the buildup starting out interesting and informative. Every time I would think "this is actually interesting--what is their actual recommendation or thinking on this issue?"--it would fall into the same formulaic "no human solutions in this age except individually, only the coming World Tomorrow will be the solution", which isn't very helpful or informative. It falls into the same old WCG script that "humans are incapable of solving their own problems" which was such a basic mantra to a church consisting of powerless people who thought tithing to support spreading this message of learned helplessness was an appropriate and productive response to social problems. I fully relate to your comment Gavin; I think you pegged it spot-on. These "Vision" articles are like seeing a menu at a fine restaurant and looking forward to a good meal and then being served cotton candy--there's nothing there in the end except "God will come and make everything all better and happy" and humans can forget about systemic or organized solutions until then. A very different script from the Jewish idea that humans should "pray, and then get to work" (and solve some of these things, here and now, in this world), or the thinking of the abolitionists against slavery of an earlier era or their modern counterparts today. Greg D Scrollerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07423946480322218881noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52912413020249030.post-35038949662438218562013-08-09T15:53:59.531+12:002013-08-09T15:53:59.531+12:00It would be unkind to focus on a particular exampl...It would be unkind to focus on a particular example I suppose, so instead I'll just change the subject and ask if you've seen the current issue of David Hulme's Vision magazine.Gavin Rhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17965552923012880262noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52912413020249030.post-58023705761578830712013-08-08T08:54:48.377+12:002013-08-08T08:54:48.377+12:00Otagosh: Was there anything in particular that go...Otagosh: Was there anything in particular that got you spun up?<br /><br />-- NeoAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08487906691943831671noreply@blogger.com