Theos-Talk Archives (December 1996 Message tl00155)

Alan reproduces-->
>kymsmith@micron.net writes (quoting Tom Robertson)
>meaningless such words as sexism, anti-Semitism, racism, and homophobia

Alan writes-->
Tom is clearly crazy. All of these words have meaning, and are used regularly
in context by a large section of those who speak and understand English.

Richard Ihle writes-->
Alan, the exact quote went like this:  "How has not regarding men and women
as identical caused more 'untold suffering, pain, and division' than falsely
accusing others of prejudice, [(] obliterating into meaningless[ness] such
words as sexism, anti-Semitism, racism,and homophobia, [)] has?"

It left off a ~ness~ and clarity might have been improved by a couple of
parentheses; however, I believe that if one slowed down one's reading a
little, Tom's original intent might be better understood.

In any case, I don't think saying "Tom is clearly crazy" is so good.  It is
interesting that in your response to Paul's post, "How Many Theosophist
Friends?" you immediately looked at it from the point of view of your
relationship with the "cultish, power-seeking minority of 'holier-than-thou'
people."  I don't know . . . I might be wrong, but I sort of had the
impression that Paul was pondering the question in more general
person-to-person terms, rather than person-to-those-in-authority terms.  Why
do Theosophists get to the Tom-is-clearly-crazy point so easily?

Don't we want Tom as a friend?

Godspeed,

Richard Ihle