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[–]plantingprogress 44 insightful - 2 fun44 insightful - 1 fun45 insightful - 2 fun -  (6 children)

Exactly the same reason they were all crying about how JKR wrote a manifesto of evil while encouraging their followers not to read it and just take their word for it - because readers would know she had a well written, reasonable point and might (god forbid!) join team GC.

[–]InvisibleWoman 34 insightful - 1 fun34 insightful - 0 fun35 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

Yeah if their belief system is so solid, why should people not read allegedly wrong opposing opinions. Any good educator of any kind will tell you that reading things you disagree with is extremely important for the development of critical thinking skills, especially in areas of politics and sociology. If our ideas are so strong that one single piece of writing can sway people, then wow, maybe they should be bloody reading it.

[–]Complicated-Spirit 19 insightful - 2 fun19 insightful - 1 fun20 insightful - 2 fun -  (1 child)

A Jewish friend of mine (keeping in mind that Judaism is a HIGHLY varied religion) said that in his denomination, you have to read opposing viewpoints and even question your faith at some time, because to simply believe blindly is no faith at all, even if - especially if - it’s a passionate faith, because it’s based on pride rather than conviction. I’m not Jewish myself, but I thought it was an outstandingly good point.

[–]Delia 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Believe it or not the Catholic faith also taught me that at school, which is why I do not expect everyone to agree with me.

[–]Complicated-Spirit 14 insightful - 3 fun14 insightful - 2 fun15 insightful - 3 fun -  (1 child)

I’ve come across it number times. Third Way Trans mentioned it before as well IIRC. There’s this sort of “protective gatekeeping” groupthink, especially from older TIPs towards younger, newer ones - “If it makes you question your trans identity, DON’T read it. It’s wrong. Trust us.” Even if it’s something like, “If the antidepressant/anti-anxiety drug you’ve been prescribed and/or therapy is relieving your dysphoria and you no longer feel like you may be trans, then stop taking them/stop seeing that therapist. They’re undermining your real identity.” It all comes back to “Only listen to us. We will report back to you what other people are saying. You don’t need to find out for yourself.”

[–]PostmodernJukebox 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

i HATE it when people tell others to stop taking antidepressants. i literally feel like my actual self and can think clearly when i'm on my ssri's, btu apparently they only ever make you want to kys and ruin your boners so you shouldn't ever take them????? it's so covertly abusive like how cult leaders tell their followers to go off their drugs and stop listening to their doctors.

[–]PostmodernJukebox 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

every time i read GC my mind goes to "good charlotte" lol