Obob

[poppinskw]

We miss those who once were here and we love them who lurk... but we need to move on too and reach out to the new members as we miss and love those who are not here anymore and maybe in time, they will find their way back here as God leads them.. but we have to rebuild and we can't keep looking back. It hurts too much to keep going backwards instead of marching forward.

oops sorry didnt mean anything other than to say hi...

 

[bunnydrop]

Its good to reminise about good past.But things move an change i guess.I wasnt part of the old group.I dont see myself as timid.I see myself as new to the faith,full of ideas an questions etc. I often trail through old posts from way back to get my answers to questions i want.I visit GT .I think on my part its intimidation that stops me posting sometimes. I often have lots to say,an hold strong to my beliefs,but am not as articulate in putting them across as some folks.I often dont have the time to quote scriture etc.I just speak from the heart.Also i find that my thoughts are often already spoken by others.Also now when i want to look into something i research an look at the net for answers etc. Maybe i will just ask as i go from now on,to get things on a roll.Maybe i will find time to debate more.And not feel that because im not as good with words, an spelling my voice wont be heard wont be heard. Maybe old points that used to be mentioned could be raised again fo the new comers, as there are a few of us,just starting out.Maybe this would trigger dissucions.Ok they have been done before in the past,but it would help us newbies,an give us food for thought ,an help us develop our faith.What do you think folks,its worth ago.just strat posting old stuff in you used to cover etc,an see what happens.?

 

[Miss Shelby]

Things have changed...

yeah well. this place IS rather lame.

 

[Maggie893]

I happen to think that rather than OBOB's change affecting CF, CF's change(s) have been the cause of the changes in OBOB.

For every season....it will come back...not the same...different...but good.

 

[KeenanParkerII]

I wasn't around when whatever happened happened, so I don't really know what the dealio is..

BUT

I do know that the forum can bounce back; I just saw 18 guests viewing the forum. People don't want to join a forum that's dying though. If everyone keeps thinking about it the forum will not bounce back.

Be Happy, WOO!

*Takes his 5 liters of coffee and leaves for work* WOO!

 

[bunnydrop]

Yes.Lets get positive an hang on to what forum we have left.i wasnt part of the past.all the talk an moaning in the world dont help.we need action from all members ,input,fun an good cheer.What ever goes down must come up.Whats past is past.w look to future,with a godd strong heart,an show CF we here to stay an we have a voice worth hearing.What say you all.?,,,,

 

[JimR-OCDS]

I think the fact that there are other exclusively Catholic Websites, may be the reason Catholics are not showing up in here. I've seen a few who used the same handle as here, in other sites.

The problem is, some of these other sites, if you don't fit into their agenda, you're quickly removed and if you grow spiritualy, you won't be following their agenda.

Jim

 

[Lady Bug]

I've been withdrawn from this place for the past couple weeks...

something happened (not to me) and I got really bummed out. couldn't concentrate and I felt like I couldn't post here either. Finally getting a grip on it.

 

[Winter]

Hope its gotten better for you, Ladybug.

 

[Lady Bug]

a little bit

 

[setmefree]

I will try to tell you why I don’t post as much as I would like.

A bit of background. I am 50 years old. Well past the age that most people are spiritually confused.
I am Catholic by birth, communion and conformation. For no good reason I stopped going to church in my teens. After marriage when we had our kids we did get them baptized in another Christian denomination but drifted away after they were in their early teens.
Then inexplicably about 4 ½ years ago I really wanted to attend church again. Just out of the blue I felt I had to.
I thought that if I really researched things everything would become clear about where to go. I also started coming to CF.
I literally spent about 8 hours a day on the web researching all denominations.
I was considering going back to the Catholic church but found every denomination including the Catholics so unkind to anyone who didn’t believe just as they did.
I was intrigued by OBOB because there was such a diverse group of people so I started following the forum.
It was very VERY disheartening to see the unkind things people were saying to each other, particularly by people who claimed they were more Catholic than others . I also I saw a few posts that were responding kindly to seekers of the faith. Unfortunately these supportive and kind posts became less and less common.
There are a lot of things I would like to ask but fear I will get no response or worse treated in a manner that would discourage me from continuing my faith journey.
I know at my age I should be able to take a few lumps without it affecting me so much but its does.
　
Peace
Keith

 

[Auntie]

I will try to tell you why I don’t post as much as I would like.

A bit of background. I am 50 years old. Well past the age that most people are spiritually confused.
I am Catholic by birth, communion and conformation. For no good reason I stopped going to church in my teens. After marriage when we had our kids we did get them baptized in another Christian denomination but drifted away after they were in their early teens.
Then inexplicably about 4 ½ years ago I really wanted to attend church again. Just out of the blue I felt I had to.
I thought that if I really researched things everything would become clear about where to go. I also started coming to CF.
I literally spent about 8 hours a day on the web researching all denominations.
I was considering going back to the Catholic church but found every denomination including the Catholics so unkind to anyone who didn’t believe just as they did.
I was intrigued by OBOB because there was such a diverse group of people so I started following the forum.
It was very VERY disheartening to see the unkind things people were saying to each other, particularly by people who claimed they were more Catholic than others . I also I saw a few posts that were responding kindly to seekers of the faith. Unfortunately these supportive and kind posts became less and less common.
There are a lot of things I would like to ask but fear I will get no response or worse treated in a manner that would discourage me from continuing my faith journey.
I know at my age I should be able to take a few lumps without it affecting me so much but its does.
　
Peace
Keith

Hugs (((Keith))) You sound like a kind soul, and I am sorry if I am one who has offended you.
I am a sensitive person too, not very good at taking lumps, so I know what you are saying. But I feel
it is worth the risk to get pounded on occasionally, if it means I will also have an opportunity to make
friends and receive some loving words and kind prayers from folks here.

 

[CoyoteUgly]

yeah well. this place IS rather lame.

In find it more interesting these past few weeks than it was a year or two ago. There may be fewer people here now, but the ones that are here are here because they actually want to be here, not because their addictions kept leading them into a hatefest, or they felt compelled to get in the last jab.

There may be less sophistication in the faith too in the posters that remain, but still it is like watching a garden grow.

Really it is not like there was much of an intentional pruning or a weeding on behalf of the powers that be, but more like the overgrown weeds have finally choked each other out.

A few new shoots remain, that's all. But springtime with a few buds springing from the scorched earth is any gardeners delight.

 

[NewMan99]

I will try to tell you why I don’t post as much as I would like.

A bit of background. I am 50 years old. Well past the age that most people are spiritually confused.
I am Catholic by birth, communion and conformation. For no good reason I stopped going to church in my teens. After marriage when we had our kids we did get them baptized in another Christian denomination but drifted away after they were in their early teens.
Then inexplicably about 4 ½ years ago I really wanted to attend church again. Just out of the blue I felt I had to.
I thought that if I really researched things everything would become clear about where to go. I also started coming to CF.
I literally spent about 8 hours a day on the web researching all denominations.
I was considering going back to the Catholic church but found every denomination including the Catholics so unkind to anyone who didn’t believe just as they did.
I was intrigued by OBOB because there was such a diverse group of people so I started following the forum.
It was very VERY disheartening to see the unkind things people were saying to each other, particularly by people who claimed they were more Catholic than others . I also I saw a few posts that were responding kindly to seekers of the faith. Unfortunately these supportive and kind posts became less and less common.
There are a lot of things I would like to ask but fear I will get no response or worse treated in a manner that would discourage me from continuing my faith journey.
I know at my age I should be able to take a few lumps without it affecting me so much but its does.
　
Peace
Keith

Sorry to hear of your experiences. If you have certain questions, but don't want to "put it out there" in public, you are welcome to send me a PM. I don't know all the answers, but I know a few. And I don't bite. Promise.

God's Peace,

NewMan

 

[WarriorAngel]

Good to hear LadyBug.


Perhaps i am closing a chapter as a new one opens. Its hard to let go, which seems to happen in here about every year or so.
Some peeps move on - and so a restart occurs and that's not always easy.

Every change comes with a small mourning. Not for the future anticipation of new friends, but for the letting go of familiar characters and personalities.

If nothing else - whether anyone reads this in the future - i have left my mark in here someway - in this thread. [perhaps more like a stain ]

 

[WarriorAngel]

There are a lot of things I would like to ask but fear I will get no response or worse treated in a manner that would discourage me from continuing my faith journey.

I once felt that way - in the beginning.
Its being a newbie on the block and its sort of overwhelming.

Dive in, enjoy, learn or discuss - whatever you like.

 

[Lady Bug]

Good to hear LadyBug.


Perhaps i am closing a chapter as a new one opens. Its hard to let go, which seems to happen in here about every year or so.
Some peeps move on - and so a restart occurs and that's not always easy.

Every change comes with a small mourning. Not for the future anticipation of new friends, but for the letting go of familiar characters and personalities.

If nothing else - whether anyone reads this in the future - i have left my mark in here someway - in this thread. [perhaps more like a stain ]

I'm not mourning too much of what has changed here but I'm not celebrating it either.

sometimes coming here under certain circumstances that have been here lately makes me feel lonelier and I've noticed that about myself. I'm not liking certain things I see here that are supposed to be either benign or celebratory in nature (my problem, not yours) so I just want to withdraw...a part of me wants to. but having come here has been a decent reminder for me to keep the faith. I slack off when I go onto other forums (which I've been doing). If there's a way for me to remain interested in the faith without going to a Catholic forum everyday for some sort of accountability, that would be cool. I guess it's all up to me to take that initiation but it's hard.

 

[KeenanParkerII]

I will try to tell you why I don’t post as much as I would like.

A bit of background. I am 50 years old. Well past the age that most people are spiritually confused.
I am Catholic by birth, communion and conformation. For no good reason I stopped going to church in my teens. After marriage when we had our kids we did get them baptized in another Christian denomination but drifted away after they were in their early teens.
Then inexplicably about 4 ½ years ago I really wanted to attend church again. Just out of the blue I felt I had to.
I thought that if I really researched things everything would become clear about where to go. I also started coming to CF.
I literally spent about 8 hours a day on the web researching all denominations.
I was considering going back to the Catholic church but found every denomination including the Catholics so unkind to anyone who didn’t believe just as they did.
I was intrigued by OBOB because there was such a diverse group of people so I started following the forum.
It was very VERY disheartening to see the unkind things people were saying to each other, particularly by people who claimed they were more Catholic than others . I also I saw a few posts that were responding kindly to seekers of the faith. Unfortunately these supportive and kind posts became less and less common.
There are a lot of things I would like to ask but fear I will get no response or worse treated in a manner that would discourage me from continuing my faith journey.
I know at my age I should be able to take a few lumps without it affecting me so much but its does.
　
Peace
Keith

Hey Keith! And Lady bug! and anyone else lurking about who's feeling frustrated with the situation at present.

From what I gather, the OBOB was once a thriving Catholic hub until politics and conflict got the better of it.
But in the words of C.S Lewis, "Christianity is a fighting religion!" And often it's a fight to keep a place Christian. A forum is the people it's made of, so by simply participating you are making it the place you want it to be. In your case, a Christian place growing in it's faith.

So you know.. Hang around..

AND!!!... I promise I will always be nice.

 

[Lady Bug]

I'll always come around now and then...I'm like acne - You don't always see me here but sooner or later I come by for some reason...

 

[setmefree]

Thanks for the kind words and encouragement.
In regular life I am often very engaging and sometimes a bit of a jokester. (although anxiety does rear its ugly head a lot too.)
It’s the religious part that can just be so overwhelming at times. There are so many aspects and details.
I guess its my long standing tendency to want people to get along and fear of getting such an important aspect of life totally wrong that fuels this fear.
I am however blessed with a loving wife who worries very little about the details of her Christian faith.
She just feels blessed with what she has and luckily puts up with me and my lingering doubts.
　
Peace
Keith