A new CF, an old vision (3)

Woo! This is a marathon to read (even skim).

I think positive change will come from this. I don't think, in the end, Christians will find unbelievers streaking raucously through serious and solemn conversational areas, or more than one or two non Christian moderators.

Give it a chance. Other topic driven forums are barely moderated at all, except for spam and trolls, and they go along nicely.

Miracle_Storm said:

I have seen the hatred spewed in GA and I have now battled this out for three threads.

Click to expand...

This is the crap that those who choose to stay will have to be exposed to on a daily basis.
Foolishness.
...and to think of one of them moderating. How sickening.

Click to expand...

Really, you need to take a much closer look at what you are writing. Many people do. The hatred is not in GA or anywhere else right now ... it's right here. And all of it is coming from the mouths of christians

I find the idea of someone who thinks of their fellow human beings, good people who have done no wrong, as sickening to be a wholly disappointing viewpoint.

I've been gone all day, so I have over a thousand posts to read, between this thread and the #2 thread.

I'm all for the changes that Irwin is implementing. It will make CF more like the early primitive first century church, one in which the apostolic model of government is used, instead of the Catholic Papal model of government.


"1. The first stage is the CULTURE change stage. This is going to start happening from TODAY but will be an ongoing process. This will involve:

a. Changing the site rules - simpler, less legalistic, and more open
b. Changing the way rules are developed or changed - wikify it! The rules process should be a member-initiated community-propelled, and consensus driven, not something that a minority can decide on.
c. Changing the way moderators are appointed - the members decide! There will be forum moderators, category moderators, and then super moderators. Members nominated, members vote, members appointed. Appointments are for a 12 months - at the end, can be renominated, or not. The power is with the people. And yes, if you are not a Christian, you can be on staff, if people vote for you to do so. The whole process will be open, transparent, and clear. What about current staff? They will all have to be renominated and voted in at some stage.
d. No more warnings. If God can forgive, so can we. Of course, consistent rule-breakers and trolls will still be banned, but hey, that's not going to be avoidable for any site. But not legitimate users.
e. No more restriction of forums for non-Christians - if a non-Christian can walk into a church, a non-Christian can walk and post in any forum here. Some forums may still have gender or age restrictions, but the whole side, as should be any Christian site, will now be totally [OPEN].
f. No more restriction of faith icons - who are we to tell you who you are or what you believe in? In fact, no other restrictions - if you want to call yourself married, go ahead. It is between you and God, not you and CF.
g. Related to the above, if you believe you are a Christian, you are. No more reliance on our own definition of what we think is a Christian. In the end, who are we to judge.
h. Transparent appeals of moderator actions in a much more simpler format - with member input allowed - in fact, the community has a say in all appeals. The way it should be. As the community has written the rules up in the end.
i. No more hidden moderator forums - in fact, no hidden forums at all (except trash forums). If we can read it, you can read it. What is there to hide? If it has to be private, it can be in a PM. This will mean more transparency from all people."

Lisa0315 said:

Balance is in the Bible. We do not have to push out people. We have to push out negativity and the mean spirit. We have to push out pride. We do not oppress, but we do not tolerate nastiness either.

Click to expand...

I respectfully disagree. It is easy to show God's love to the people who show respect to us. Balance, if one would call it that, is an eye for an eye, but Jesus taught us to love those who are intolerable.

Being intolerant of the intolerable is the way of the world. Loving the intolerable is the way of a Christian.

It seems this community as a whole has lost sight of that.

Goodchild said:

Really, you need to take a much closer look at what you are writing. Many people do. The hatred is not in GA or anywhere else right now ... it's right here. And all of it is coming from the mouths of christians

I find the idea of someone who thinks of their fellow human beings, good people who have done no wrong, as sickening to be a wholly disappointing viewpoint.

Click to expand...

I agree with you..

Alice the Sister said:

Man, I'd hate to see some of you in the real world, if it's like this on the internet. Aren't you supposed to go make fishers of men? You have your little Clubhouse and when the sinful neighbors want to come and play you say, "oh let's go to this other playhouse, but you can't come up to this one. It's our comfort zone, and we're too afraid to go outside of it to show you the love Jesus showed everyone."

So people get alienated, and you don't make any fishers of men. You just make a disgrace. I feel that the whole rule thing is trying to be more inviting for people, and be an open place. If you're afraid of that then I suggest you just go and hide in a Church bathroom and never come out. That way you will never interact with non-Christians, because apparently God hasn't called you to do such a thing.

Click to expand...

I think you miss the point. I'm a former non-Christian myself and I'd be the last person to say I don't want to interact with non-Christians. One of the things that does concern me is the removal of faith icons. How do we know who is what? Could someone just sign up as a troll pretending to be Catholic, Orthodox or whatever just to cause trouble? It's always possible because some people have very little to do with their time.

I'm extending you an open invitation to come into OBOB once the restrictions are lifted. I consider you more than welcome to come in from what I've seen of your posts. I know to some people that a faith icon is like a badge, but it certainly makes it easier in the long run.

TheBear said:

I've been gone all day, so I have over a thousand posts to read, between this thread and the #2 thread.

Click to expand...

Save yourself the trouble Bear. It's either:

Sounds great!
Not sure, but hope it works!
Atheists as moderators is sickening and they are dishonest!
Mormon's and JW's are going to proselytize in our home congregations!
We must tell people whether they are christian or not!
CF is giving over to the disgusting homo's!

That's about it, I think.

I have to say, this thread, little moderation, atheists, Christians, and other, all mixing it up together has been great and informative. I'm disappointed in some of my Christian brothers and sisters for the way they are acting towards each other and non-Christians and am grateful to my non-christian friends for their kindness in the face of such posts.
All in all, this thread PROVES it will work if people are willing to give it a chance and actually be interested in fellowshipping with those who are not like our own selves.
blessings to all
tommy

Lisa0315 said:

Oooh, you just slipped up. You said, Atheists CHOOSE to see...I thought it was ALL about the evidence (or lack thereof)...

Lisa

Click to expand...

Some choose to see the evidence, others choose not to see the evidence.

AMEN, I stand a proud defender of the WORD

Tonks said:

Hey Miracle Storm good to see you again!

I agree with much of what you said. In many respects I'm going to miss being on staff because I really got to know some folks well.

Whether I always agreed with the staff decisions is irrelevant now, I suppose. I'm just somewhat saddened that folks that put in 3, 4, 5 years often up to 4am making sure the clunking CF stayed working were pretty much kissed off with "so long and thanks for all the fish."

I hope that whomever gets elected to staff (though I find the backroom campaigning that I've already been exposed to somewhat distasteful) and whichever rules they decide to write continue to serve the best interests of members.

Right now things are just too dorked up for me to put much effort in...

Click to expand...

I know dear brother. I have had a few messages from friends leaving staff and they are very concerned for the members.
I know how much work it is. I was right there with you. I am so sorry you all are being treated this way.

"thanks for the years of service, you can stay or you can go, but CF will now be a toilet that cannot be flushed. Cuz, I'm gonna stink up the joint. "

Mark 9:42"And if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone tied around his neck.

I think you miss the point. I'm a former non-Christian myself and I'd be the last person to say I don't want to interact with non-Christians. One of the things that does concern me is the removal of faith icons.

Click to expand...

Why not put in your denomination in your signature or as an Avatar?

herev said:

I have to say, this thread, little moderation, atheists, Christians, and other, all mixing it up together has been great and informative. I'm disappointed in some of my Christian brothers and sisters for the way they are acting towards each other and non-Christians and am grateful to my non-christian friends for their kindness in the face of such posts.
All in all, this thread PROVES it will work if people are willing to give it a chance and actually be interested in fellowshipping with those who are not like our own selves.
blessings to all
tommy

Click to expand...

Figured you'd be spouting the party line give the new position that you've lined up for yourself once all the changes are pushed through.

seekingmyLord said:

I respectfully disagree. It is easy to show God's love to the people who show respect to us. Balance, if one would call it that, is an eye for an eye, but Jesus taught us to love those who are intolerable.

Being intolerant of the intolerable is the way of the world. Loving the intolerable is the way of a Christian.

It seems this community as a whole has lost sight of that.

Click to expand...

Intolerance was also a characteristic of Christianity during the time of the Inquisition and during the time of the Reformation of the 16th century, and even sadly during the early years of the Puritan movement in the USA. It would seem, now in year 2007, we as Christians should move forward in our ability to discuss theology, Chrisitan history, prophecy, etc, etc., with a level of maturity not seen since the time of the Apostles.

LittleLambofJesus said:

Why not put in your denomination in your signature or as an Avatar?

Click to expand...

Because that costs blessings and I'm quite cheap.

Miracle_Storm said:

Hide in the bathroom, why would I do that. As your avatar describes...."girls don't poop"
2 Corinthians 6: 14Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? 15What harmony is there between Christ and Belial[b]? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? 16What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people."[c]
17"Therefore come out from them
and be separate, says the Lord.

Click to expand...

Good! Then you realize that you can't "become" them, but you must at least interact with them and show them God's love. You're on the right track, dear.

And what does my avatar have to do with it?

CrusaderKing said:

Because that costs blessings and I'm quite cheap.

Click to expand...

...but you have so many!

I have over the last few months stayed out of the siggy war and I am choosing to not discuss the changes... sorry... I believe that God is bigger than our vision, I believe that the Holy Spirit will prevail, and cause the changes to be positive!

Tonks said:

Figured you'd be spouting the party line give the new position that you've lined up for yourself once all the changes are pushed through.

Click to expand...

It is campaign season for the liberals with the New CF on the horizon.




====