At Crossroads -- Cf's Vision Discussion Thread - Please Vote in Poll Thread

[dignitized]

I believe that #2 is disobedient to G-d, and minimalizes what Christ has called us to do.

I agree.

 

[bithiah2]

if it is a Christian site, then keep it that way.
it does not mean that others cannot read, but once you allow people who don't know God to come in and argue, it will destroy the forum.
there are plenty of places that people who just want to fight can go, to do just that.
bithiah2

 

[TheMatmanReturns]

Uhhhh I don’t know about your Church, but mine and many others don’t allow non-Christians into ministry positions. Allowing anyone to become mods, admins etc… is just the same as allowing deacons, elders and pastors to be atheists, witches and satanists. This is something we just don’t vote on at Church and especially open voting where the atheists, witches and satanists can influence the vote. What’s wrong with prayer, fasting and supplication to the LORD? He seems to give the right answers to those He puts to lead and that continue to hearken to his directions. I always though of CF as a ministry situation, where Christians can come to minister to one another and evangelize in the open forums as well, but who will be ministering to whom if it goes fully lukewarm? Just because many forums do not allow for non-Christians to participate in (though many do by simply saying that they are when they know they are not) how does it make CF any lass of an outreach? How is this restrictive while the other is deemed safe social?

I can see by the heavy spin on the poll OP definition which way the preferred direction is desired. Erwin, why don’t you just start a second forum site, man? Like www dot ThisIsNotCF. com.net.org.biz

Read the rest of my paragraph. I am not saying that non-Christians should be given ministry positions. On the contrary! My suggestions would prevent this.

Right now, we should elect moderators who have demonstrated their Christian faith. Then, these elected moderators should discern--insomuch as it is possible--who are and who are not members of said congregation. Only the members will have carte blanche to minister.

 

[ladybugforJesus]

I don't care for either option, however, I have a suggestion.

I don't know if anyone else has said this or not, but I completely like the idea of opening it up to everyone. But I think that ALL various denominations should have a "private" section where they can go to talk or fellowship with those of the same beliefs.

I absolutely LOVE talking to people who don't believe as I do, but sometimes I need a break from the constant "battle" (for lack of a better word), and that is when I would turn to the Christians Only section. But why should we be the only ones who get a private section? Instead of taking that away, why not give them all one? They don't have to be huge sections, just enough where everyone can be in comfort and not have to defend 24/7.

 

[MrStaggerLee]

Wow. I can't believe I read the whole thing. Both threads, every post. I am such a glutton for punishment.

This is my first post in months, incidentally, and will probably be my last for a good long while. I may never bother posting here again. This place is poison. But not for the reason you think. Whichever 'side' you're on in this debate, you're wrong about why this site is toxic -- or at least, no one's said it yet, though Beastt came closest:

All the good and Godly things that happen here can and do happen at any large internet forum, whether it has thing one to do with Christianity or not.

That's right, there is no more love or grace or kindness or purity or charity or self-sacrifice here than on a knitting site or an anime fansite or LJ or Gaia bloody Online. The only extra thing it has is a lot of Christiany buzzwords and scripture quotes. And those buzzwords and scripture quotes are used to help or harm according to the heart of the poster. They are not inherently holy.

I've seen true sacrifice, astonishing kindness, and amazing love. I've seen wretched cruelty, shocking callousness, and vicious lies. I've seen that the icon a person is wearing has no correlation to which of those things happens in the posts under the icon.

Jesus-talk does not make you a good person. Quoting scripture does not make you a good person. Giving with love and listening with kindness make you a good person, whether you do it because Jesus told you to or because you figured it out on your own. So I don't want to hear one more person saying "This is a CHRISTIAN site so OBVIOUSLY it should use CHRISTIAN words and CHRISTIAN labels and CHRISTIAN CHRISTIAN CHRISTIAN CHRISTIAN what part of that is hard to understand!" The word Christian does not make a thing holy or good or right. You can slap it on anything you want; you're still only human.

So don't pee in my Cheerios and tell me it's now Christian soup, aright?

Other random thoughts:

I want nothing to do with a website where the moderators think they're my priest. That is not okay.

This is not a church. It's not a ministry either. It's a for-profit company. If people choose to use this for-profit company's services to do ministry, good on 'em. But that doesn't sanctify the software.

I refuse to wear a cross icon as long as it functions as a passkey to special areas or grants me special services. That's a perversion of the Cross and I won't do it. I was thinking of taking a cross icon in the wake of the recent changes, but then people started closing things up again, and so I'll keep the little reading glass, thanks. I don't want to drink at the CO drinking fountains.

'Safe Havens' are contrary to the Great Commission. They're wrong. They're a bad idea. They're not what Jesus told us to do. When God tapped us on the shoulder and told us, "Hey, I've got a job for you," He didn't follow it with, "I want you to get in your bed and pull the covers over your head until the scary people go away."

Jesus came for the sinners. I'm a sinner. Every bit as much a sinner as the unbelievers and the believers of other faiths and everyone in the whole world. They're my brothers and sisters. Not my potential brothers and sisters. My family.

So I'm outta here. Again. This is not where I belong, shivering in the sheepfold with the 99, patting each other on the back for tossing verses at each other like trained birds. I'm going back out into the storm. I hear a scared sheep out there. It's wet and cold. The sheep's probably got a real good reason to prefer being out there in the thunder and rain, and I'm going to find out what it is and see if I can help him with it. And if he's not ready to come in, I'm going to sit with him and see if we can keep each other warm until he's ready.

Erwin: you need to get your head straight, dude. Do you have a leading? Did you pray, and did you feel God plant His hand between your shoulderblades and push? Then why are you playing around with trying to make all the people happy all the time? It's not going to happen. Quit stirring people into wasting pixels on this nonsense and follow that light!

 

[PureGrace]

edited.

 

[Ramona]

MrStaggerLee has just won the internet.

 

[J4Jesus]

I suggest when they count the final totals they do an IP search and make it one vote per IP address.

This definately needs to be done so people dont vote 2-3-4 ----times.

 

[DMagoh]

So.. Athiests are not worthy of witnessing to?

Nobody said that. What I said was, an atheist is not going to define my values. But that was a nice try at completely changing the subject.

 

[Ramona]

ARGH, the opportunism.

I deconverted for a little while. When I mentioned that my deconversion took place during the time in which I was active at CF - and I made it very clear that it was not BECAUSE of CF - I was castigated because I "was never really saved" to begin with and had "put [my] faith in CF, not Christ."

Now I see the same members who said that to me sometime ago suddenly expressing so much concern that the non-Christians will lead Christians astray. Why have the tables turned now?

Please tell me that I am not the only one who has noticed this.

 

[glamourdollxoxo]

I voted with what I felt was right so hopefully things will work out someway somehow.

 

[Axver]

MrStaggerLee has just won the internet.

Pretty much.

 

[uberd00b]

MrStaggerLee has just won the internet.

Seconded.

Edit: Oh, ok, thirded.

 

[Miracle Storm]

Over dramatic are we?

We already have non-Christian mods, and you know what? their doing a better job then 3/4 of the Christian mods

Excuse me?
Now your starting to talk about many of my friends.

Christian based site = Christian's as the citizens others invited guests.

That means they shouldn't be moderating.

 

[Annabel Lee]

Excuse me?
Now your starting to talk about many of my friends.

Christian based site = Christian's as the citizens others invited guests.

That means they shouldn't be moderating.

But they are moderating, and apparently doing a good job.

 

[icedtea]

I want to vote 1.5
I dunno, maybe I don't get around much here, but i haven't run into awful stuff happening between members.
Maybe I'm clueless.
I want to just let Erwin decide.

 

[Psalms34]

This is my first post in months, incidentally, and will probably be my last for a good long while.

Well yeah, someone probably sent you a PM or email alerting you to the poll where CF is going to denounce being a Christian community and then change the name to something else once enough votes are acquired from the mass alert the non-Christians are sending to all their contacts. Given time, that is what will eventually happen with this poll, the Christian community will loose their forums. I wish the Atheist sites (etc…) would be so democratic as well so we can take them over, but when ever I post any Christian ideas at such sites I risk getting banned so I don’t stick around those places long.

 

[DMagoh]

But they are moderating, and apparently doing a good job.

Then change the name to "Everybody Forum" and quit pretending it's a Christian Forum.

 

[ALiberalTeen]

Excuse me?
Now your starting to talk about many of my friends.

Christian based site = Christian's as the citizens others invited guests.

That means they shouldn't be moderating.

But they are, and their doing an awesome job.

 

[GenemZ]

if my husband and i begin to discuss theology adn God right now it doens't miraculously turn my trailer into a church.

If your husband had the spiritual gift to teach? And, a Bible? It would be. A very small church.

Philemon 1:2 (New International Version)
"To Philemon our dear friend and fellow worker, 2to Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier and to the church that meets in your home."
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There is no Biblical precept to say that a church is an organization that must meet in certain numbers, in a specific type of building. The early churches met mostly in homes.

And, it would not be a miracle. It would be simply normal.

In Christ, GeneZ
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