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This is a thread for honest conversation about this topic...

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Jan 6, 2023·edited Jan 6, 2023

When you ask Orthodox inquirers in Northern European countries that have long abandoned their moral and spiritual anchors and have as a culture become Agnostic and Atheist the priest inquirers what brought you to Orthodoxy. The say Jordan Peterson. For that alone he is like one crying in the wilderness. What ever happened to the idea of virtue. He seems to connect with those that have no compass because he shows that you need a compass to live and prosper as a human. Its like a natural philosophy with religious underpinnings of understanding. I for one think that Canada has absolutely lost their way and they seem to want to walk down the aisle of suppressing free thought and speech with oppressive tactics of the State. He is in trouble because he does what Bishops do and should do and call the transition of gender dysphoria with surgery and drugs a sin against humanity. St Basel would have not held back nor should priest and Bishops as well. The woke tribe however would march against us and try to destroy our churches so they are attacking his credentials and his church of Academia and so that what we are left with a suppression of Academic freedom. There is no hegemony of leftist as a whole but they seem to attack virtue with a vengeance.

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This strikes me too as likely political. Dr. Peterson's opinions seem to be well thought-through and honest, though they certainly clash with the politically correct "orthodoxy" (if you'll pardon the expression) of some elements of society. As a Canadian, like Peterson, I'm aware that anything I say in support of his right to freedom of expression could be taken out of context to support right wing political positions in the USA, positions which are, in large part, highly counterproductive to society as a whole. In any case, Dr. Peterson deserves to be heard on his own merits.

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I like Dr. Peterson. He is one of the bread crumbs that led me to Orthodoxy.

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I worry about his over intellectualizing of Christianity, his interpretations of the crucifixion and other other Christian narratives are skewed through his practice.

I hope that people realize he’s not a professing Christian nor is he Orthodox. I think his takes can be interesting but they don’t necessarily speak for the faith.

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It's hard not to be cynical and assume this is just about his politics and his lightning rod persona.

Canadians seem to equate politeness with kindness/empathy and Americans seem to equate rudeness with honesty. These conflations are both used to confuse people and advance various agendas.

Does he really need his clinical license anymore, anyway?

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He voluntarily already closed his clinical practice as he recognized that anyone who was discovered to be a patient of his would likely suffer from (at the very least) anything from doxxing to outright persecution. But maintaining his license is of deeply symbolic significance, as it both conveys a current badge of some authority, and a sign that he legitimately put in the hard work and was a valid practitioner for years.

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Outright persecution one will suffer for attending his clinic? That is a bold statement to make without providing some reference.

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Peterson himself has said patients feared being “outed” as such, citing concerns ranging from social ostracism to losing their jobs or professional credentials.

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Far from outright persecution!

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I wondered the same thing about still needing his license. I don’t believe he’s actually treating patients anymore. But I imagine there’s still an...authority(?) attached to being licensed? Like the difference between someone who has opinions about legal matters vs. an actual licensed attorney. Plus, I’m almost certain for him it will come down to the principle of the matter. It’ll be about more than just him retaining his license.

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Agreed – he probably doesn't *need* his license but I see it as the equivalent of a retired priest being defrocked... it's a sucker punch.

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If it's anything like other various totalitarian "re-education" programs, he should avoid it and retain legal counsel.

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I 100% agree – and I think it's exactly what it is. He's not submitting to retraining.

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Do you think, in Canada, there are totalitarian re education programs? Well if there were , would you think that the Canadian totalitarian authorities would allow Peterson to challenge the Ontario College of Psychologists in Court? Of course not. PS CANADA Is a democracy and Justin Trudeau is not the son of Fidel Castro.

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Dennis, do you live in Canada? There are "thought reeducation" classes that have been forced on pastors since the early 2000s. This is common knowledge for anyone who follows Canadian politics.

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Yes, I am Canadian. Strangely, this "common knowledge" does not appear when the search term "Canadian pastors forced to take thought reeducation programs" is used. Not one hit. Therefore, I must assume this "common knowledge" has been attained from very unreliable sources that purposely spread ridiculous mis and disinformation about the current affairs in Canadian politics. The existence of these sources is very common knowledge for those who seriously follow Canadian politics.

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The internet is right now embroiled in discussion about viewpoints being purged. Check out the Human Rights Tribunal judgments. And check out the conditions put to pastor Artur Pawlowski just recently.

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Whether or not he needs his license, for the government to take it away for speaking an unapproved opinion is an overreach of authority that needs to be opposed by all who prize freedom.

Further it is shocking to me that his need for his license was even raised as a valid consideration. Whatever happened to the idea that "I strongly disagree with your opinion but will fight to the death for your right to express it?"

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The Government is not involved. It is the Ontario College of Psychologists who has taken action to "discipline" Dr. Peterson. This case is not about the Evil State suppressing the rights of the rugged Individualist. On the contrary, it is the case of a professional association examining the actions of one of its members in respect to violation of its code ethics that govern the conduct of licensed psychologists in the Province of Ontario. And it should please you to learn that Dr. Peterson has exercised his right to take the College to Court.

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And WHO exactly would have the nerve to give Jordan Peterson "social media retraining?" I can't help but laugh imagining some grad student or adjunct professor getting stuck with that job, because s/he'd get in a philosophical debate with Peterson and end up not knowing where s/he was. Does the Ontario College of Psychologists realize they're playing right into Dr. Peterson's hands with this action? To the layman, it looks like either sour grapes because Peterson's so popular OR like a disturbing dystopian attempt to cancel free thought...which it IS.

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No, the Ontario College of Psychologists is not attempting to cancel free thought. Instead it is questioning what it deems to be unprofessional and insensitive comments made by Dr. Peterson on Twitter.

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Your claim that " the internet is right now embroiled in discussion about viewpoints being purged" is unspecific and over generalized. The number of people involved is very limited to those who claim or pretend to know of something that turns out to be false, and or imaginary.

You advise me to "check out the conditions put to Pastor Artur Pawlowski just recently". I hate to sound like Jordan Peterson....excuse me Dr. Jordan Peterson...but what exactly do you mean by "just", what exactly do you mean by "recently", and what exactly do you mean by "just recently"? Sorry, within the past year, a lot has happened in the Pastor's life because he deliberately embarked on a unholy crusade full of lies against community health measurements in the Province of Alberta. So, he had to face legal consequences, but none of it involved "thought reduction" classes (I wish you would define this term), and the claim that he was in solitary confinement for 51 days can only be found in the sheer nonsense published by "alternative facts" media.

Now, could you please focus on the topic of Dr. Jordan Peterson, you know, that pop psychologist who now dabbles in pro Putin punditry.

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I think that should pray for his salvation. I wonder... I don't think I should have more opinions than prayers...

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In Canada, Christian pastors have been jailed and sent to "thought reeducation" classes as condition of parole, for preaching the Biblical case against gay marriage. During covid, church services were interrupted by RCMP who literally dragged pastors out and jailed them for not properly following the weekly changing regulations. They imprison pastors for feeding the homeless. One of Trudeau's first acts was to eliminate the Office of Religious Freedom. This is part of the background here. Peterson is logical, encouraging personal responsibility and freedom from enslavement to the passions, and increasingly engaging with the Biblical text itself. Although he is not a Christian, I think he is close enough that the government wants to destroy him.

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