OT: Let us all take a moment...

[All4Christ]

The problem with reading old threads .... Is that I always want to comment. Not not are they closed, but the folks involved are mostly gone. I'm glad to see a few familiar names though.

Perhaps it would bring them back! Especially if they still get notifications when their posts are quoted.

 

[All4Christ]

That's one of many issues. CF is the only site I go to that crashes my browser regularly. It never did that before. I'm glad I've never tried to do anything with CF via mobile. I don't need another way to be aggravated by this place.

There's also a preponderance of trolls and those that don't follow forum rules being allowed to post without any consequences. I suppose if you become a site supporter, then your posting sins will always be overlooked. It's the only thing I can figure. My issues with this place as of late could take up a book. It all came to a head for me when I was given a warning for 'flaming Islam' about a year ago (not a person/another poster- but the religion of Islam), when those that 'flame Christianity' get away with it on an ongoing basis. I've been over this place for a while.

As an ambassador, I do my best to pursue any violations, no matter whether they are supporters or not. Honestly, it doesn't matter one whit to me whether they pay CF or not. They need to follow the rules if they want the privilege of posting. That said, sometimes I miss the posts that are in violation. Many staff members I believe try to keep everyone in line no matter their site supporter status.

 

[Anhelyna]

I try very much to work with people gently - often by PM if I can.

I will very rarely be really firm publicly - and when I'm really annoyed that someone keeps crossing the 'guest' line then I will actually sign the post with my name , and add 'Ambassador' to it and hope that they take that as a strong hint. I know that EC spotted one done that way and realised I was annoyed

Snag is that some offenders can be very sneaky the way they break the rules and you end up wondering " did they ? or did they not ? " it's really not always easy.

 

[~Anastasia~]

Yes, that's what is truly annoying. (That some are very good at skirting the rules.)

I don't care if they are supporters or not. But especially over in TT, it can be difficult to see the "lines" for some of the rules. And I do try to be gentle if they aren't seeming to be purposely causing trouble. We have had someone in the last day promoting Modalism, but I think maybe they really don't understand what the teaching on the Trinity really is - I corrected them in-thread. But for those who are out on a crusade against Tradition, I will warn them bluntly a time or two, and if necessary lock up the thread and bring in a mod.

I don't really take that kind of approach in TAW. Being newer to Orthodoxy and the forum than almost all of you, I leave it to your lead, and only say something when it seems to be becoming a real problem.

I don't even bother with GT.

We have had a change of ownership fairly recently I think. And I think there was another not too long before (since I joined). Some mods have particular leanings, but most of them are very fair, IME.

But being called out for speaking against Islam (and allowing similar comments against Christianity) would certainly seem like a problem. I don't know what happened. But I don't THINK it's a prevailing sentiment. I certainly hope not.

 

[~Anastasia~]

Perhaps it would bring them back! Especially if they still get notifications when their posts are quoted.

I wish I could.

Threads beyond a certain age are locked. That was partially our fault - we argued for prevention of zombie threads. Unfortunately, we still have zombie threads, but the really old ones are blocked.

I looked to see if I could open them just long enough to grab a reply/quote and paste it into a new thread, but I don't have the tools to do that. They can only be "liked" or "reported".

I am trying to think of another workaround. Perhaps if they still have an active profile, some might get a notification for visitor messages, if allowed.

 

[All4Christ]

I wish I could.

Threads beyond a certain age are locked. That was partially our fault - we argued for prevention of zombie threads. Unfortunately, we still have zombie threads, but the really old ones are blocked.

I looked to see if I could open them just long enough to grab a reply/quote and paste it into a new thread, but I don't have the tools to do that. They can only be "liked" or "reported".

I am trying to think of another workaround. Perhaps if they still have an active profile, some might get a notification for visitor messages, if allowed.

You could copy and paste some of the posts...put them in quote tags...and tag the original posters with an @ sign...and continue with the conversation! Perhaps with a link to the original thread?

 

[~Anastasia~]

You could copy and paste some of the posts...put them in quote tags...and tag the original posters with an @ sign...and continue with the conversation! Perhaps with a link to the original thread?

Yes, we can do that. I just don't know about getting email notifications to them that way.

But that is a great suggestion.

 

[ArmyMatt]

Indeed it is.

awesome, he's a good man and the OCA's rep to OCF

 

[gurneyhalleck1]

I'm befuddled by this entire thread. I keep reading about how TAW used to be a placid place of reflection, Orthodox insight, learning, and joy. It's painted as if it were the Hobbit Shire ten years ago and somehow now TAW is in the days of the fall of the republic and the empire has taken over. I must've missed something. It all seems fine to me. The posters seem the same to me as well. Matt, Jesse, Rus, all the same style and attitudes and approaches. Anhelyna is still the resident Eastern Catholic honorary Orthodox poster from Scotland. Greg still tells everyone that they don't read his posts. Buzuxi is still his usual self, an old-fashioned solid Orthodox guy. Rus still quotes Chesterton and a few people get mad, some love it. Gzt still says the Earth is fifteen trillion years old. Knee-V still posts the way he always has along with several others. Laura/All4Christ and SeaShale still bless us with their posts. And we've been blessed enough to get wonderful, calm, level-headed posters like Anastasia, who is always quick to pray for people and bring a positive spirit to the place.

Meh, we've argued about evolution a few times. Whatever. We've had disagreements about some political issues. Who cares.

The forum is run by people, populated by people, and continues to have the occasional disagreement or acrimony. Isn't that just a microcosm of life itself? Maybe we need to get over ourselves thinking TAW was some utopian message board when it likely never was. Maybe it's ok to come here and disagree or get feathers ruffled as long as we FORGIVE?

Personally I have no clue what this thread REALLY is about? I don't see anything lately that is different, but perhaps I'm an unobservant dullard goofball?

I know I'm at a place personally in my Orthodox journey that is the best I've ever had before, and it's largely in part to folks in this forum encouraging me and praying for me to hold on, hang on, and stick with it!

But like I said, I just don't see what is so badly wrong with this forum that it needs this thread and this catharsis and encounter group to flush it out? Seems great to me. Go on over to the Catholic forum where it's all liberal vs. conservative, traditional vs. modernist, secular values run wild. Go over to the Anglicans and listen to their bickering where people can't even agree on the gender of their priests and if gay "marriage" is ok or not.

I don't know anyone in here I don't like. There are people I TEND to disagree with, but it depends on the issue. And in the end, I like them anyway.

 

[All4Christ]

I have to second a lot of gurney's post - TAW wouldn't be the special place it is without any one of you, and often I feel like I fellowship with you all than many of the people in my own parish. Most people I speak to on Saturday and Sunday, but they are busy during the week. I also really appreciate having a sounding board like TAW for all my questions - and a place to share Orthodoxy with others. Nothing I said negates me being thankful for you all and for the atmosphere TAW has today as well. Sure we go through ups and downs, and it is always good to remember what Gzt said about this possibly being the first and only encounter people have with Orthodoxy. That said, I still think it is a pretty awesome forum.

 

[All4Christ]

I know I'm at a place personally in my Orthodox journey that is the best I've ever had before, and it's largely in part to folks in this forum encouraging me and praying for me to hold on, hang on, and stick with it!

By the way - I am so thankful you came home! [emoji4]

 

[Orthodoxjay1]

If people think TAW a problem, go look at some of the threads on other forums, between Trad Catholics and Modern Catholics, it turns into civil war real quick, and like Gurney said see the arguments over Gay Marriage on the Anglican forums, it turns uncivil real quick. Do we all forget, we are all human and prone to human emotions, when disagreements take place?

 

[gzt]

I wish I could.

Threads beyond a certain age are locked. That was partially our fault - we argued for prevention of zombie threads. Unfortunately, we still have zombie threads, but the really old ones are blocked.

I looked to see if I could open them just long enough to grab a reply/quote and paste it into a new thread, but I don't have the tools to do that. They can only be "liked" or "reported".

I am trying to think of another workaround. Perhaps if they still have an active profile, some might get a notification for visitor messages, if allowed.

I think killing zombie threads is a good idea - the people who are gone are loooong gone and nothing is getting them back.

 

[gzt]

I agree in large part with what gurney said even as I still maintain there are some problems with maintaining civil discourse. The myth of a gold, silver, then bronze, then Ikea furniture age is one that we have to be wary of, but there is some truth it in my quick survey of the time I had in mind, roughly 04-08. However, I think the allusion to the sort of fights happening in the Catholic forum - Trads vs Moderns - is what I'm thinking of when I say that the discourse here has degraded. The irruptions of those fights are what I find to be a problem, and they happened much less in the past.

 

[~Anastasia~]

I think the forum just hit a bad patch (and we have them) right when I had my own crisis, which probably tended to magnify the problems.

But I do still miss folks. There are a number that have disappeared since I've been here. But I am very glad for those that remain. Y'all pretty much ARE TAW. And again, it's probably exacerbated by the fact that some of my favorite non-Orthodox posters have left as well.

 

[~Anastasia~]

I think killing zombie threads is a good idea - the people who are gone are loooong gone and nothing is getting them back.

Problem is, we need to also be able to kill younger zombie threads. I don't really like things of mine from a couple of years back and before I was baptized being brought up, and I can't continue the discussion sometimes, I'm in such a different place.

 

[gurneyhalleck1]

You lost me with this part, brother g.

The myth of a gold, silver, then bronze, then Ikea furniture age is one that we have to be wary of, but there is some truth it in my quick survey of the time I had in mind, roughly 04-08. .

 

[E.C.]

I think the forum just hit a bad patch (and we have them) right when I had my own crisis, which probably tended to magnify the problems.

I think that we have hit a rough patch that's been particularly rough. Or at least seems this way.




Either way, this thread was mostly a lament of days long past. Kind of how the world seems more dangerous than before, yet the fact is there are fewer kidnappings, homocides and unsolved murders than almost any decade of the last century and a half. Maybe there are fewer rough patches now than the last decade or so and it just seems bad because we don't have them as often (thank God if that's the case).

TAW has always been a peaceful congregational forum I think because Orthodoxy has some very solid, well-articulated theology. Of course being the True Faith just MIIIIGHT help a little too For the time being, I'll more than likely post so long as the Lord allows or I get married, or get a life. Whichever comes last.

I asked us all to take a moment and think, which we have done. For that this thread has served its purpose. Thank you all.

And if a mod would kindly close this thread and let it die that'd be awesome.


Forgive me.

 

[Anhelyna]

Are you sure you want it locked EC ?

I can put a temporary lock on it till it's confirmed - but are you sure ?

I think the thread has been useful - it's allowed for to speak about what's worrying them - and that's good

 

[Hammster]

ADMIN HAT ON



Closed at OP request.


ADMIN HAT OFF