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| Some people think the guy in the middle is Ned Kelly, but he was no saint. |
However, all this didn’t surprise me because it had already been happening on the Forum that I had joined previously, the one that said you would get a fair go if you had a level head. Evidently I was determined not to have a level head, because I certainly didn’t get a fair go and in the end they kicked me off the site altogether. Hence I started my own one (and as I have mentioned, the people who hated me on the first Forum followed me to the second one, eventually had it removed, and removed again when I tried a third time, and as we have seen already, are trying to remove THIS one as well…)
Ive been wondering lately why it is that these people hate me so much for having a different opinion about Ned Kelly from theirs? With all the horrible news about religious hatred and slaughter in the Middle East of late, I started thinking that the “Kelly” people are exhibiting a similar sort of intolerance of the right of another person to have a different point of view, and are behaving like religious fundamentalists, consumed with a fanatical desire to silence every voice on the topic but their own. In fact, this is EXACTLY what religious fundamentalism is, as I discovered when reading about what exactly defined fundamentalism : consider this Wikipedia definition :
Fundamentalism is the demand for a strict adherence to orthodox theological doctrines, usually understood as a reaction to Modernist theology. The term was originally coined by its supporters to describe five specific classic theological beliefs of Christianity, and that developed into a Christian fundamentalist movement within the Protestant community of the United States in the early part of the 20th century.
The term usually has a religious connotation indicating unwavering attachment to a set of irreducible beliefs, but fundamentalism has come to be applied to a broad tendency among certain groups, mainly, although not exclusively, in religion. This tendency is most often characterized by a markedly strict literalism as applied to certain specific scriptures, dogmas, or ideologies, and a strong sense of the importance of maintaining ingroup and outgroup distinctions, which can lead to an emphasis on purity and the desire to return to a previous ideal from which it is believed that members have begun to stray. Rejection of diversity of opinion as applied to these established "fundamentals" and their accepted interpretation within the group is often the result of this tendency.
Theres probably a PhD thesis in this for someone interested in the Sociology of Australian cultural beliefs, so if someones interested, here are a few free hints for you, with my comments on why those criteria, if applied to the hard core Kelly people, define them as Religious Fundamentalists:
The essential features defined above are
1. Strict adherence to orthodox theological doctrines
It shouldn’t be hard to define what the orthodox doctrines are of the Kelly Religion, but they are quite nicely summarized in the Blurb for Brad Webbs Pictorial History – see my earlier post : “The Kelly Propaganda Machine exposed”
2. They are a reaction to modernist theology
The Modernist theology that they are reacting to is based around the notion that proper assessment of the character and story of Ned Kelly demands that he should not be promoted as an icon and model of Australian values. Kelly Fundamentalist reaction to this modernist approach is nowhere better seen than in their hatred of Ian MacFarlanes new book “The Kelly Gang Unmasked” (see my earlier post of the same name)
3.Unwavering attachment to a set of irreducible beliefs
Demonstration of this unwavering attachment is evident in many of the Forums that have come and gone on the Internet, where the slightest deviation from the received doctrines is relentlessly attacked and ridiculed, as is anyone supporting it.
The Jerilderie Letter would probably count as one of the Kelly Religion Scriptures, along with other writings purported to be from Ned Kelly.
Certain ambiguous phrases in the JL have interpretations attached to them to enable them to support major doctrines of their religion, notably that Kelly was interested in assisting the Poor generally and planning to establish a Republic of NE Victoria. Kellys accounts of events are always taken as literally true and unchallengable.
This is nowhere more clearly demonstrated than on the Ned Kelly Forum, which regularly purges its members looking for Trolls and Traitors and moles, and readily expels any member who refuses to toe the party line ( see my earlier Post “Site Guide Part One The NKF)
6.Emphasis on purity and the desire to return to a previous ideal from which it is believed that members have begun to stray
Actually, given their Idols violent and anti-establishment lifestyle, the emphasis is not so much on purity but on defiance and rather than codes of behavior, a laisez-fair and anything goes kind of ethic is promoted. This is possibly a key to the success of the appeal of this religion to young men, a specific rejection of purity, and promotion of the “outlaw” mentality.
7.Rejection of diversity of opinion….
My own experience in the Kelly World is perfect testimony to this (read my earlier post “Stepping into the Kelly World”
8. …..Leading to an accepted interpretation within the group
The inevitable fossilizing effects on Doctrine of disallowing alternative points of view – a fixed inflexible and brittle set of opinions that are defended against all odds, if necessary against logic and the facts, no matter how compelling they may be.
I realise there are many people who are interested and fascinated by the Kelly story who are moderate, learned, tolerant and open minded, but no doubt in my mind, theres a hard-core of extremists among us who are intolerant of every opinion but their own. Like Fundamentalists in all religions, they are blinded to the reality of their behaviour which is that they do more damage to their cause than good, and drive most reasonable people in the opposite direction. Its a shame they're like that, because ultimately we're all fascinated by the same chapter of pioneering Australian history, and could probably learn more by co-operative dialogue than by intolerant bullying, suppression and censoring of free discussion.
I am not interested in destroying their right to believe whatever they want to, or to free speech - I just which they weren't interested in destroying mine - but that is the way of fundamentalism. Its bitter fruits are in the daily newspapers for all to see. Will things ever change? Probably not.
3 comments:
WOULD THE PERSON WHO CLAIMS TO BLOGGER THAT THERE IS A VIOLATION OF THEIR COPYRIGHT IN THIS POST KINDLY EXPLAIN IN A COMMENT WHAT EXACTLY IT IS, AND I WILL DEAL WITH IT. I HAVE NO INTEREST IN VIOLATING ANYONES COPYRIGHT BUT I AM NOT GOING TO SUBMIT TO HARSSMENT BY ANONYMOUS WHINGERS WHO DONT LIKE WHAT I WRITE.
Not sure I agree with your every posting but you are changing the status quo.
Sooner or later these Religious Fundamentalists will understand your first picture being 'The first Supper'
Then the second picture. Wouldn't we all just love one of those Kelly death mask tats not! if that was his left arm wonder what his right looks like? but thought this quote may also speak. -
" Sometimes the nicest people you meet are covered in tattoos & sometimes the most judgmental people you meet go to church on Sundays."
https://www.facebook.com/CountryThang/photos/a.619699708047701.1073741828.601527996531539/817882644896072/?type=1&theater
Anonymous14 August 2014 02:24 spot on
This Post had been taken down by Blogger after a complaint by someone. It would have been simpler for that person to add a comment here saying what the problem was, but no doubt to have done so would have revealed their complaint was not bona-fide, they did not have a copywriter issue but were alleging one in the hope that Blogger would do their dirty work of censorship for them behind an anonymous gutless whining complaint. This is typical of these Kelly Fanatics. They should do what Jaquie Lambert recommended and grow a set.
I have modified the Post by removing an Image of a Deaths Head/Kelly Armour tattoo.