Not that I didn't already know this... what I am getting at.. and it have never been adequately handled, .. although addressed every time the occasion comes to bring it up... we are throwing Christians of other faiths out [This Forum is Closed to Christians?] because they have no clue and do not see the need to change positions, yet feel compelled to come here to make sure we have been fed the basic milk of the faith, because what they see from us, is so far removed from singing their song, they don't know we also know the words of that song by heart. There has to be something, someplace we can set up where it might be in a ??question and answer format?? ... a spot where only one non-member can open up a thread... ...challenge us to explain ourselves and to compare with what they know and understand... so that we can bring them up to speed
Which was discussed before (as shared in #
693 ) by the mods when it came to noting how other forums had a Debate Sub-Forum set up for others not of a particular faith to be able to debate a position - while the main forums were specifically dedicated to others of that Faith to talk/dialogue.
There was set-up in the works - but we have to work with it and do our part, as we're not to be promoting open debate on the forums dedicated exclusively to fellowship when the sub-forums were already made/given specifically for Messianics to debate amongst one another on Torah-related issues while the main forum was for fellowship. Engaging in debate with non-members - in the time another forums is being worked on - does not work best with the goals they had in mind....and it helps when we choose to not debate - and instead, discourage non-members from doing so here - or simply refer them back to previous threads where their answers were tackled point for point.
And as what's available now is GT (which is where many non-members come anyhow), it is not an issue having debate threads opened up there as other Messianics have done so that they can debate. Bringing that here in the main forum with debate doesn't help. And as the leadership already asked us not to debate on Torah (as it concerns Messianics vs Messianic) here in the main thread so as to not encourage other non-members to do so as well thinking it's cool, we have to keep that in mind.
. If such a spot.. thread... goes around and around,... with neither parties able to move on... then close it... just a suggestion
The question and answer format... puts the Christian at a disadvantage of not being able to explain their position, so that they know we already know that, and can proceed from there to lead them further on the narrow path, where the we are.
When the sub-forum for a debate area gets developed, it'll add a lot to containing dialogue and allowing it to not convolute issues - but we've been given no other options. Debate isn't allowed in the MAIN Sub-forum (which is fellowship) and was noted years ago - so we cannot go for the option saying "Well, let's just have a thread where people can go back and forth till discussion is done" - that doesn't honor what the leadership asked for in how the forum was set up. It's trying to go directly against what we were given to do to help things along.
All Christians of differing faiths have been asked to read the SoP of the Christians of the Messianic Faith here before commenting - or to investigate the STICKY available with resources to answer questions (or to use the search engine to investigate if something has been noted). And if they have questions, as guests, they've been asked to note their questions and then be directed on what to do from there rather than go for open debate. It has also been noted that there has NEVER been a mindset that all who are Messianic are automatically on the "narrow path" since it is noted that other Christians are not inherently inferior to Messianic believers in their walk
Some questions they have were tackled - and others have not - but the question/answer format allows for discussion on a calm level where they do not get themselves into trouble for debating. Many stated their position in their first post - and where they were coming from - and thus, it wasn't as if they couldn't share where they were coming from. Of course, there were times they stated their position and it was misunderstood by other Messianic believers who didn't know fully what they meant by a word/phrase - thus leading to the need for asking questions to clarify.
But ultimately, for a debate atmosphere where a question is asked - given an answer - and someone disagrees, GT is the only place we're really allowed to go for that kind of debate. The same also goes whenever Messianics may debate amongst themselves - setting the example that non-members think is available to them...and thus, encouraging them to debate further rather than go for the designated areas they've been given for now.
If we're gonna honor the time/work utilized to develop the forums, we have to be faithful in going there when issues come up - and obedient to what we have been asked by CF to do (as it pertains to THIS forum ) with not doing debate with non-members in the MAIN Forum based on what we want to do or think is best.
