> spamtrap@religionnewsblog.com wrote:

> :===Begin Quote===
> [Jeffrey K. Hadden] U.Va. religious studies professor dies at 66
> Item 2140 • Posted: 01/29/2003 • Weblogged by Religion News Blog
> http://www.religionnewsblog.com/archives/00002140.html
> Associated Press, Jan. 27, 2003

> CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. -- University of Virginia professor Jeffrey K.
> Hadden, a nationally known authority on religious trends and the
> Christian Right, died at his home in Charlottesville on Sunday from
> pancreatic cancer. He was 66.

My condolences to the Haddon family.

This is a surprise. Haddon wasn't very old, and if I'm remembering an accurate picture of him, he appeared to be a fit and vital man.

> Hadden, a professor of sociology and religious studies, published
> about 25 books and researched such topics as the family, civil rights,
> race relations, urban studies and religion.

...

> His work promoted religious tolerance and freedom as essential values
> above all else.

Tolerance and freedom are great. Haddon just couldn't quite wrap his mind around the idea that some totalitarian control cults pose grave threats to those values. Some don't tolerate outsiders very well (with some going so far as to formally define and declare enemies, as in the Scientology case) and that they sometimes form into quasi-militaristic organizations which conspire to deny freedom to members and even non-members.

Another gripe I had with Haddon is that, in science, strong personal values, feelings, and social agendas dealing with the very subjects one is professing to study, are quite perilous to scientific integrity.

Personal needs and feelings introduce much subjectivity into the process. They corrupt and undermine the ability to dispassionately observe. And, IMO, this appears to have been exactly the problem with many of Haddon's conclusions.

Haddon's rhetoric and "expert" opinions frequently went off the rails, IMO, because when Haddon was promoting what he thought were good values, he stopped being an objective observer and scientist. I believe at times, he confused his own biased opinions for proven, objective truth.

He represented himself as a scientist rather than what he really was, an activist professor using his status as a scientist to lend credibility to his social and political agendas.

In spite of the fact that Haddon leaned toward an apologist stance in opposition to concepts like brainwashing, mind control, and the pejorative use of the word "cult," he nevertheless tolerated the web publication of the research conclusions of undergrad students in one of his sociology classes a few years back. His students concluded that Scientology, among other NRM groups, was a cult. I'll bet that conclusion really chapped Haddon's ass. ;-)

Michael Reuss
Honorary Kid

Go Back