I am surprised by the recent attacks from JFW. I don't even understand how they started. Up until two days ago he and I got along fine; we had a most friendly relationship. His letter attacking me came out of nowhere.
JFW writes:
In one day, I've been called dishonest, a fundamentalist and a censor by Robert, and dishonest and a censor by an antisemitic vandal who decided to change my userpage. For some reason I've stuck my arm in the crate with velociraptors, haven't I?
Calling me a "velociraptor" and lumping me together with anti-Semites is a hateful thing to do, especially considering that he and I have worked together in a friendly fashion. Worse, he knows that he and I are on the same side against anti-Semites. To see JFW write this is painful and disappointing.
I have stated my real concern with Robert's "critical historical" quotes in my original post to this list. However, Robert is in fact turning my views inside out. I do *not* want to eliminate or suppress historical interpretations, but I'm annoyed that Robert doens't research the traditional (or Haredi, if you want) take on things.
That is patently false. The only person refusing to do this is JFW himself. I am very happy to include any such views, when I come across them.
The real problem is that while JFW is a member of the ultra-Orthodox Jewish community (i.e. Haredi Judaism), he absolutely refuses to contribute anything on this point from the Haredi perspective. Oddly, he demands that other people write about his own community's point of view, even when other people tell him that we are not familiar enough with their views to do so. Does this make sense to anyone?
The current subject of contention is [[Maimonides]] and his ideas on "true beliefs" versus "necessary beliefs", an important topic both in the philosophy of religion, and in the philosophy of political systems. JFW keeps claiming that there must be Haredi points-of-view on this issue, and that I am deliberately not including them. That's nonsense. JFW can't even tell us where to find Haredi points-of-view on this specific issue, yet he demands that someone outside of his community should include them.
Folks, here is the general rule for Wikipedia: If you want to include a point-of-view, then write it. But never attack others for not writing what you wish you had written yourself.
Not every person is an expert on every issue. Stop attributing a lack of knowledge to deceit and malice. For instance, I fully admit that I have no knowledge of what ultra-Orthodox Jews may think of Maimonides' writings on "true beliefs" versus "necessary beliefs". That is why I can't contribute anything on this specific point.
If JFW has some info on this issue, he is free to include them. But he is not free to repeatedly harass me about including info that I just do not have! (And I do not have the time to get this info either, especially since he has given no specific references! If he gave me a specific book and page number, from an English source, I might be able to find it, but JFW has never done so.)
I cannot stand by idly to see him overwhelm Judaism-related articles with critical-historical material without making serious mention of the traditional interpretations (which are not all too hard to find in English-language literature).
First off, I have contributed a tremendous amount of such material. Apparently, you think that it wasn't enough? Fine! Then add more! If you want to include a point-of-view within an article, then include it. No one is stopping you. You and I fully agree.
But never attack others for not writing your POV for you! I am merely a volunteer contributor to Wikipedia, and I am not anyone's galley slave. Since you are unwilling to do the work yourself, you certainly have no right to attack others.
On [[Talk:Maimonides]] I asked Robert to reproduce a particular quotation from the scholar Ibn Tibbon, something that Robert refused to do despite having photocopies of the article from which the quote could be taken.
This goes too far. JFW is not honest. Anyone here can go to the article and see the quotes I added for themselves...unless someone dishonestly deleted the quote I added.
Summary: JFW absolutely refuses to add information, berates me for not doing his own work for him, and then makes false claims about quotes that I really gave him. That is nothing less than harassment.
Robert (RK)
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