Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.3 4.3bsd-beta 6/6/85; site hpda.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!decwrl!pyramid!pesnta!hplabs!hpda!on From: on@hpda.UUCP (Owen Rowley) Newsgroups: net.motss Subject: Re: Book recommendation Message-ID: <1260@hpda.UUCP> Date: Sun, 29-Dec-85 18:10:54 EST Article-I.D.: hpda.1260 Posted: Sun Dec 29 18:10:54 1985 Date-Received: Tue, 31-Dec-85 00:57:25 EST References: <284@ptsfb.UUCP> <1652@bbncca.ARPA> Reply-To: on@hpda.UUCP (Owen Rowley) Organization: Hewlett-Packard Co., Cupertino, CA Lines: 74 In article <1652@bbncca.ARPA> rrizzo@bbncca.ARPA (Ron Rizzo) writes: >I agree with Rob: on prehistory, witchcraft and the middle ages Evans >is just as reckless. I've read a portion of the book excerpted in a >magazine: Evans has taken some very interesting ideas and facts with >possible connections and made a miserable hash out of them. He's >been severely criticized in the press for his opinions about the >history of witchcraft, for example. The book is a mess, which is a >shame considering what it could have been. > > > Regards, > Ron Rizzo I really don't want to spend ALL of my time defending this book or my reccomendation of it... and I thought three times before making this reply .....but I just cannot let my thoughts on Ron's comments go by unsaid. Ron, you say that you have read a portion of the book excerpted in a magazine and from this you say that the "book" is a mess, considering what it could have been. I am a bit confused ... have you read the"BOOK" or haven't you? You also say that in regards prehistory, witchcraft, and the middle ages Evans is reckless, and that he's been severely criticised in the press for his opinions about the history of witchcraft. What press? , Gay press?, Pagan press? christian press?.. How knowledgable are you about the History of Witchcraft?. And if you think that you are knowledgable about the middle Ages, how many proffesors do you know that can teach about Witchcraft and the middle ages without being prejudiced by the pervasive Xtianity of the period. Would you put your faith in Third Reich historians as regards the history of Jews during the second world War? Why should generation after generation beleive anything about witchcraft that came out of the secular history of the Medievil church. I may not have a Phd in history but I did hold the position of curator and "Resident expert" for The Museums of Witchcraft and Magic that operated in SF and Gatlinburg Tenn. I am a member of a Family tradition of Witchcraft and know thousands of other witches from many different traditions. I am thoroughly familiar with the available literature on the subject of Witchcraft and British Folklore possessing a library of these works that I can modestly call extensive. I am not prepared to say that I agree with every word of Evans book but I stand behind my reccomendation that it provides an interesting view of the history of Homosexuality and other persecuted minoritys. You are entitled to your opinion and you are welcome to comment on anything that is presented in this response , please don't mistake my comments for anything other than frustration at what i see as religious intolerance. Granted that any recommedation for ANYTHING can expect that someone somewhere will think and present the opposite viewpoint.. Thats not my contention. It just seems to me that in our pervasivly heterosexual, Xtian society if you want to present a point that does not fit in with the accepted "norm" then its an uphill battle all the way just to be heard. It also seems to me that gay people have been the target of unfair and unreasonable persecution and that gay people might be more receptive to ideas outside those accepted by the society that refuses to accept gay people itself! Just to be fair . about he book recomendation.. I could critisize it myself, saying that I think its pretty dry reading and often a little too condensed to be cohesive in its presentation of the material.. Judy Grahns "Another Mother tongue" presents the same material in a much more readable style. (Now that its in Paperback it has reached "Best seller" status in the Gay Bookstores of SF by the way) So who care anyway right!... I guess I do or I wouldn't put so much energy into it.. You know this new electronic medium we use here has a tendency to make things sound harsher than they might be.. I mean no disrespect for either of you (Rob or Ron) on a personal level, please don't interpret my words as such! LUX .. on Owen Rowley hplabs!hpda!on "Everybody understands Mickey Mouse. Few understand Herman Hesse. Only a handfull understand Einstein. And Nobody understood Emperor Norton. Hail Eris!!!!!!!!!!