The Baha'i Studies Listserv
In reviewing the posts over the last number of weeks, I have a request:
Would the moderators of this listserve please remind us all of the
purpose for this discussion group? I would greatly appreciate that. When
individuals come together in good spirit to learn together, that is a
gift. When we can do this across great geographic distances via this
listserve, that is also a great benefit to us all.
There is such a fine line between argument for the sake of argument and
disagreement in the course of learning. There is also a fine line
between being informed about the work of various scholars and descending
into the realm of scholarly" backbiting.
I read the attachment that maligns the recent scholarly work of
Professor Juan Cole. I regret that I did so. It is not my business why
or why not a fellow scholar receives a position . . . unless it is in a
department over which I have some jurisdiction or involvement. None of
us are perfect; professors make mistakes, some small, some large. If
Professor Cole has produced some work that is weak, then I would rather
recognize the good scholarly work that he has done and is still doing.
If he was a Baha'i, but is no longer, that too is not my business. That
is between him and Baha'u'llah. I would much rather read about the
positive contributions that various Baha'i scholars are making that can
help us to grow in our understandings of the Faith and the world.
Negative attacks about scholars, negative attacks about the Faith, these
do not serve the larger purpose of a unified and engaged search for
knowledge.
To look always at the good and not at the bad. If a
man has ten good qualities and one bad one, to look at the
ten and forget the one; and if a man has ten bad qualities
and one good one, to look at the one and forget the ten.
Never to allow ourselves to speak one unkind word
about another, even though that other be our enemy.
("Abdu'l-Baha cited by Dr. J.E. Esslemont in _Baha'u'llah and the New
Era_, 83)
Does this not apply also to scholars? We certainly must correct errors
in the scholarship, but not the errors in the person.
I will look forward to clarification regarding the purpose of this
listserve so that I can decide whether to continue my involvement
(whether posting or simply reading).
My sincere regards to you all,
Susan
_______________________________________
Susan Berry Brill de Ramirez, Ph.D., M.B.A., M.A., B.A.
Caterpillar Inc. Professor of English
Department of English
Bradley University
1501 W. Bradley Avenue
Peoria, IL 61625 U.S.A.
(309) 677-3888
(309) 677-4560 (fax)
br...@bumail.bradley.edu
http://www.bradley.edu/las/eng/faculty/bios/ramirez.shtml
http://www.bradley.edu/academic/galleryofexcellence/cp-brill.shtml
-----Original Message-----
From: bounce-526362-22...@list.jccc.edu
[mailto:bounce-526362-22...@list.jccc.edu] On Behalf Of Susan Maneck
Sent: Tuesday, September 14, 2010 9:23 AM
To: Baha'i Studies
Subject: Re: Baha'i Review
The Baha'i Studies Listserv
> This is interesting reading.
> http://www.keshertalk.com/archives/2006/07/juancoleyale.php
I have to agree with this writer of this blog that Juan is inclined to
conspiracy theories. As some of you know I initially sided with Juan
when he first broke with the administration, but I began to have
second thoughts as a result of his verbal tirades. When I began to
pull away he sent me private messages saying he believed the Baha'i
Faith had been taken over by a secret cabal going back to Mason Remey
and Horace Holley.
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