Forum Specific Guidelines

[rmw8855]

I have seen several members of this forum state that this is a fellowship only forum - no debate of any kind by anyone, including members.

As the FSG are written right now, debate by members is allowed. If that isn't what you want, we may be able to adjust the FSG but I want to make sure it is truly what the majority of you want.

There are a few options available:

1. Debate by members is okay
2. Debate is only allowed if [Debate] is included in the thread title
3. No debate of any kind
4. Other (I might have missed an option )

If you are not a member of this forum, please do not respond or vote in the poll.

 

[byhisstripes]

Im just curiouse as to why we are voting on this after over a year of it being fellowship and worship only. If we brought debate of any kind it will completly take the whole purpose away from the Forum, and then I would also have to ask what the purpose of fighting so hard to break free of the Spirit filled debate forum was for? Im not trying to cause problems of any kind, this just seems so random and shocking. Thanks

 

[rmw8855]

As the FSG are written right now - debate is allowed between Pentecostal members.

I brought it up because I have seen several you state that this forum is for fellowship only. If that is correct, then I want to close the loophole in the FSGs so that we can then remove any debating posts as violations.

Just trying to watch out for you all

 

[byhisstripes]

Ok, thanks for taking the time to answer, and thanks for looking out for us you are truely a blessing and we love having you as a mod of our forum

 

[lilmissmontana]

Im just curiouse as to why we are voting on this after over a year of it being fellowship and worship only. If we brought debate of any kind it will completly take the whole purpose away from the Forum, and then I would also have to ask what the purpose of fighting so hard to break free of the Spirit filled debate forum was for? Im not trying to cause problems of any kind, this just seems so random and shocking. Thanks

Exactly! I know you all know EXACTLY how I feel about this. And I'm trying to figure out where the part about no debate disapppeared to. I know how many times I've went to check on it. Another "glitch". Well, this is what I know. I'm pretty fed up with a lot of the blurring of lines everywhere one turns. My thought is if this forum gos to a debate forum of any kind just scratch out the Pentecostal and put Spirit-filled. Debate completely and utterly destroys worship. There is ALREADY a debate forum for Pentecostal-Charismatic ... why in the world would we need another. The whole point of getting the Pentecostal forum to finally be on the homepage like all the rest of the denominations was to be able to represent the Lord to the world. And frankly I'm pretty sure I won't be staying if it does ... barring the Lord telling me different. A whole lot of people have put a whole lot of effort into this forum. I guess what I can't understand is why on God's barely left green earth anyone would have a problem with a forum being a sanctuary. They have the ENTIRE rest of the internet to fight, argue and rip each other apart.

Let me say, rmw, this is nothing to do with you. You're doing what you think is right.

I'm at a place where I want to know if this site is going to stand for the Lord anywhere or not. We got witch garbage and magic in pets and avatars representing the enemy ... you name it. If CF is not going to make one corner just for the Lord ... then I guess I have a choice to make. What can possibly be so bad about one little forum that doesn't want to argue ... just soak in the Lord :o

I voted other because I don't want it to be just fellowship. It should be worship also and such. But NO DEBATE.

 

[rmw8855]

That's why I posted the poll lilmissmontana.

If the majority of you vote for NO DEBATE - fellowship & worship only, then we can get that clearly spelled out in the FSG's so that there is no longer any confusion.

 

[mssurrendered]

I voted other too because I agree that we don`t just want fellowship,we want worship too.The other sites that have debate on them have so much arguing and you feel like your not even on a christian site sometimes the way people treat each other,it is in no way Christ like and we have worked very hard to have a peaceful loving site that when others and unbelievers who come and check it out, they will be able to feel the love of Christ on our forum and want to join in and we will be able to reach out to them.We need to keep it the same way.Thanks rmw8855 for getting this all done for us so we don`t have this problem in the long run.I love our site.

 

[rmw8855]

I changed the poll to read "Fellowship & Worship" and moved your vote. Let me know if you want it moved back to other.

 

[birdofthunder]

lilmiss and mss put what I'm feeling and thinking into words already, but thought to post my agreement with them here.

 

[JoynTx]

I was the first to vote yesterday stating I would like this to be a "no debate of any kind" forum. I didn't post anything at that time but I want to go on record as saying that one of the reasons I stayed after first coming to this forum is that it seemed like a sanctuary...a place where there was no strife and people were not tearing each other down all the time. That is what debate leads to imo. I would so much like this forum to be a place where the Name of Jesus is lifted high and the people who are lifting that Name high are supported and encouraged. I just know that if I came on this site each day and saw a lot of debate type threads and posts, I would first not want to read them and it would probably eventually cause me to stop coming here at all. CF is a large forum with many sub forums. And there are places where debate is encouraged and allowed. Why cannot the debaters go there and debate any and everything they want?? RMW, I understand completely what you are doing and why. And I appreciate you so very much. I understand that it is just to get the rules changed if the majority votes to make this a debate free forum. I just wanted to sound off and make my position known. I would like to ask though what happens if the majority of the members don't vote at all? Right now there are only five votes... all voting to keep the forum a place for worship and fellowship. Surely there are other members who have an opinion and can state what they want by voting.

 

[rmw8855]

We will leave the poll open for a few days and go from there.

 

[FreeinChrist]

Great discussion here!

 

[Redheadedstepchild]

Can I just put this out there for thought...

Just because a forum has debate does not mean that it will automatically lead to fighting. For examples of this please visit Wesley's Parish. We don't have a no-debate rule. In fact, we don't even have FSGs - and it's a very peaceful and supportive place for worship and fellowship. However, members are free to raise questions for intelligent, respectful discussion. My personal opinion is that you guys at least consider this as a possibility, as there are times I'm sure when a member has a question and may need to hear differing view points.

Food for thought...perhaps it can be addressed in your FSGs to reflect the need to keep this a peaceful place.

 

[lilmissmontana]

Great to see you!

I've been thinking about your post. I still have to stand firm on no debate. The Pentecostal-Charismatic already has a debate forum. The link to get there is right up there at the top of the page. I can't see at all why there should be two. Will we get a second forum when we decide we need two.

Also I disagree ... debate and worship can not work together. One is about the Lord and the other isn't. I have had enough experience at this site to know it will create arguing, bickering, excess moderating, people will leave this forum, you name it. It boggles my mind why no one gave a hoot when we were buried way down under the debate forum. The debaters didn't want anything to do with this forum then.

As far as answering questions and such ... we already do that. No one here has a problem with those kind of threads. Anyone who wants states there opinion and moves on. In my mind that leaves it to the Holy Spirit to speak to the person. Anything past that just becomes a need to be right.

You were there and you saw what happened when we tried to worship in the Spirit-filled forum when there was still debate in it. The Jesus thread was blasphemed outright. The Lord's word was called tired, old and useless. We were accuse of having nothing else to do. We were accused of being self-righteous. No. I love you to pieces but I absolutely 100% disagree.

God bless ...

 

[lilmissmontana]

Great discussion here!

 

[Redheadedstepchild]

There is a difference between discussion and fighting though, and debate done properly is more akin to discussion than it is fighting. The problem is that the type of debate that often goes on isn't debate at all. What you really want to ban is fighting. Discussion leads to growth, which is compatable with worship. People do ask questions here, but often times an answer can bring about more questions. With a hard and fast debate rule that type of thread could be called into question. I just don't want to see people turn away from this forum because they feel like they can't engage in honest discussion here. And I would add as well that the spirit filled forum is not a "pentecostal" forum per sae (the Pentecostal was removed from the title when you got your own forum)...so for example if you wanted to ask a question about initial evidences and only get answers from pentecostals you would have to come here.

So maybe, in your FSGs, consider wording it so that it is clear that discussion is allowable but debate (fighting) is not.

 

[lilmissmontana]

There is a difference between discussion and fighting though, and debate done properly is more akin to discussion than it is fighting. The problem is that the type of debate that often goes on isn't debate at all. What you really want to ban is fighting. Discussion leads to growth, which is compatable with worship. People do ask questions here, but often times an answer can bring about more questions. With a hard and fast debate rule that type of thread could be called into question. I just don't want to see people turn away from this forum because they feel like they can't engage in honest discussion here. And I would add as well that the spirit filled forum is not a "pentecostal" forum per sae (the Pentecostal was removed from the title when you got your own forum)...so for example if you wanted to ask a question about initial evidences and only get answers from pentecostals you would have to come here.

So maybe, in your FSGs, consider wording it so that it is clear that discussion is allowable but debate (fighting) is not.

I didn't know that ... thank you
cool!

well, I really can't think of anything more to say that isn't repeating myself. I guess we can agree to disagree. Love you bunches ...

 

[rmw8855]

bump

 

[lilmissmontana]

bump

 

[lilmissmontana]

and while we're at it ...

are we always going to have to battle the no teaching in this forum unless you have a Pentecostal icon. I have some say but I am Pentecostal. Then why not use the icon. I figure if you can't claim it you can't use it. If not why bother to have rules. If you're Pentecostal are they to ashamed to say it or what. There is a non-denominational forum. I'm requesting a poll of forum members ONLY to decide on that issue as well.

God bless!