Talk:Paleo-Paganism
This entry makes no sense. The concept is redundant, it sounds like original research, it is biased, and it lacks academic consensus. --jofframes 18:02, 4 March 2007 (UTC)
- The concept is one of a series of religious categories, along with Meso-Paganism and Neo-Paganism, it's not original research, as you would have seen if you had bothered to look at the external link, it's biased only in the sense that the author cited at that link holds differing opinions from you, and he (Isaac Bonewits) has unique academic qualifications in this subject area. -- Davidkevin 18:36, 4 March 2007 (UTC)
- Yes, the problem is that Bonewits's qualifications are certainly "unique" (probably like yours). --jofframes 22:46, 4 March 2007 (UTC)
- Now, now, play nicely. WP:NPA and all that.
- Bonewits created his degree program (including course work in anthropology, religious studies, computer science, and much more) in consultation with his academic advisor and is the only person to hold a valid academic degree in Magic, issued by the University of California.
- And not attacking but merely observing, I've never before encountered someone who said he was a Unitarian Universalist who appeared to be so religiously close-minded as you appear to be. It is rather odd in my experience. -- Davidkevin 19:15, 5 March 2007 (UTC)
- First, you started the attack by questioning my ability to write in English when it was obviously a typing mistake (now fixed). And second, do not confuse tolerance with scholarly laxity. Tolerance does not mean that one should swallow every unsupported statement and faulty research produced by an author or editor, Neopagan or not.
- As for Bonewits' unique academic qualifications, it is noteworthy that he is the only one who holds a degree in a group-study program that he himself created and that has since then been dropped from the UoC list of programs, as explained here.
- That wasn't an attack, but a jest (now removed), and I apologize for causing the intensity of offense you're feeling, which was never my intent.
- As for scholarship, I make no claims for myself except to be a reader and student, but I'm sure nonetheless that Mr. Bonewits' can match yours citation for citation.
- Speaking of citations, the one you are using in your attempt to demean him is less than precise about the breadth and depth of his multi-disciplinary degree program, which was quite a bit greater in both than required in a conventional degree. I'd conjecture that Mr. Bonewits' Bachelor's degree required study and research equivalent to a combined Bachelor's/Master's program -- and that he is the only one to have acquired that particular degree is no shame to him.
- From that citation:
- "During his time at University, Berkeley’s individual group-study program allowed Bonewits to create his own degree course. He graduated in 1970 becoming the first, and to the present day, the last person ever to graduate from a Western University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Magic and Thaumaturgy. Publicity about his degree so embarrassed the University administrators, that Magic, Witchcraft and Sorcery was banned from the individual group-studies program."
- In other words, religious bigotry was the reason nobody else can earn a similar degree, which is certainly no fault of his.
- Finally, yes I saw your rather childish swipe at me. You do realize that you're playing into the stereotype of the Stuffy European Academician Who Cannot Bear Contradiction Or Competing Theories?
- You don't know me at all. I have no objection whatsoever to appropriate and improving edits -- yours were nothing of the sort. Had you actually contributed light rather than heat, I would have been "pleased as punch" as we Americans occasionally say. I am, for example, perfectly content with the re-directs done by Dbachmann to the Paganism article. -- Davidkevin 19:01, 6 March 2007 (UTC)
I agree with user Dbachmann in redirecting this article to the Paganism article. This closes the issue for me. --jofframes 08:11, 7 March 2007 (UTC)