Fencingchamp

I read your comments about religious vilification. I invite you to join the Wikipedia:WikiProject Countering systemic bias in religion --ZappaZ 00:34, 14 September 2005 (UTC)

Thanks Zappaz, I'll definitely have a look! Checking my notes, I find this unpublished passage which may interest you:

People of good will can work together over time to build an article which includes different points of view, including legitimate criticism. However, if someone wants to include what looks like a novel narrative or historical interpretation, they should be prepared to cite sources which meet ethical standards of investigation.

Despite the existence of such standards, there may be a tendency to relax, ignore, or misapply them when dealing with the subject of religion. I don't know if this is systemic bias, or just excessive populism. There are many people of good will who have nonetheless absorbed prejudicial attitudes toward minority religions from the media, and who may unconsciously act out those prejudices. This is why I suggest that where possible, editors should defer to sources with relevant expertise - such as religious scholars - who are less likely to be subject to popular prejudices, and more likely to be able to distinguish vilification material from legitimate criticism.

Wikipedians are good people who may naturally tend toward the secular, the individual, the rational, the intellectual, and the cynical. This can lead to unintentional bias when considering groups which are religious, communitarian, mystical, heart-centered, and idealistic. This is why I've stressed the theme of religious tolerance. While it's true that actively promoting religious tolerance is not a stated goal of Wikipedia, I doubt that many people want to promote its opposite: bigotry. --Fencingchamp 16:15, 7 October 2005 (UTC)

Your changes to YOGA are pretty good

A very good effort on the Yoga page

Thank you, Nemonoman! I spent a lot of time trying to incorporate most of the existing material, while clarifying and unifying core principles, adding a bit more detail, and getting the article to "hit" so that the first time reader knows up front why people practice yoga.

I wanted very much to honor two slightly different views: one very traditionalist and rooted in India, the other a bit more modern and accepting of Western variations. It's difficult to please everyone, but I tried to respect both views while also distinguishing more clearly between them.

I know a lot of people care about the Yoga article and keep watch over it. I'm encouraged that so far no one has slashed and burned what I've done. --Fencingchamp 16:19, 7 October 2005 (UTC)

I, too, admire your work on it. Sorry if I annoyed you, I understand the desire to write on one tradition, I hope that you can understand my intention to try to cover the breadth of yoga practice. I think separating the articles the way you did might be the best way to do it. Trollderella 19:02, 10 November 2005 (UTC)

Thanks, Trollderella. I do understand, and I hope having Yoga as exercise with incoming links from Yoga is a solution most people can live with. I've noticed that some people think the Yoga article is too Hindu religious, while others think it's too Western. Maybe that means it's reached a delicate balance - not perfect, but a workable compromise. Some of the later sections can still use work. Best wishes. --Fencingchamp 19:28, 10 November 2005 (UTC)

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