Posted by fschmidt on
URL: https://coalpha.arkian.net/A-Life-Apart-Hasidism-in-America-movie-tp5112165p5472672.html

I agree with most of what you wrote, so I only have a few minor points.

I think it is mistake to describe CoAlpha as secular.  We should be supportive of religion.  There is a spectrum in degree of religion, with atheists being at one extreme and Hasidic Jews and Jehovahs Witnesses being at the other extreme.  Most people fall in between.  CoAlpha must be able to appeal to these people.  The situation we have today is that science and liberalism are linked in a kind of package.  So groups that accept some science also accept some liberalism.  The extreme groups like Hasidic Jews that are free from liberalism are also free from science.  CoAlpha needs to break this link and show that science does not necessarily support liberalism and feminism.  This will allow moderately religious people who also accept some science to free themselves from liberalism.  Noahidism is a way to express support for religion without compromising atheists.  I believe that religion will grow in the future as society falls apart, so it is critical that we get some moderately religious members who can help us figure out how to appeal to this group.

Hasidic Jews don't all live in the same community in New York.  They are all over.  You can look for them in your area.  I assume the same is true of Jehovahs Witnesses.  That said, there is no doubt that it is preferable for members of a group to live near each other, and I hope that happens with CoAlphas.  We have no choice but to be virtual to start with, but if we grow, we should start thinking about how we can live near each other.

I talked to my 11 year old daughter yesterday and asked her what she most wants that she doesn't have on the internet, and her answer was video conferencing.  I think this can be done with skype but she just doesn't know how.  I will look into it.