Vision, tagline, SoF, and revised promotion rule (last post has link to Wiki)

[scraparcs]

A good quesiton HoD (and well worth repeating, I think, five times ).

It makes sense, from a purely natural standpoint, for one to feel an obligation toward one's family and close-knit tribe or community. To do so helps preserve these institutions that do such a fine job of insuring our ability to survive and reproduce. Yet the message of Christ is that our neighbors are not only those who are close by and with whom we have a stake. It is those whose existence affords us no advantage whatsoever. Our natural selves would tell us that this is a waste of scarce resources and unwise. What's more, (and this is a truly dangerous idea) Christ taught us to love our enemies and to pray for those who spitefully use us.

It is an amazingly good apologetic, from the viewpoint of this skeptic.

So, Christian love is expressed when we engage those who do not belong to our families or closeknit group with generosity and respect, and most especially when we similarly engage those whom we regard as our enemies and those who make spiteful use of us.


Edit: May I add that I have no idea if this is what is meant by the OP, nor do I entertain any illusions that my opinion on the matter is of any consequence to this board.

It's a wise point and one that is extremely important to heed even though the focus may change.

If the words have consequence to one person, that is enough. And I'm taking them to heart. So thank you.

 

[drstevej]

It's a wise point and one that is extremely important to heed even though the focus may change.

If the words have consequence to one person, that is enough. And I'm taking them to heart. So thank you.

20 STARS
gotcha

 

[Glass*Soul]

It's a wise point and one that is extremely important to heed even though the focus may change.

If the words have consequence to one person, that is enough. And I'm taking them to heart. So thank you.

Thank you! (((Lel)))

My edit was meant to forestall getting involved in a meta-discussion that was forming, but it actually managed to expose some bitterness on my part. It wouldn't hurt me to be a little less bitter in light of your comment.

 

[GeratTzedek]

Let me say right off the bat that this is YOUR forum, a CHRISTIAN forum, and you have the right to set the definition of "Christianity" as well as the boundaries for those who post here.

I simply have concerns about the phrasing, "You will not promote any faith, belief, or religion other than Christianity." Without a description of what "promote" means, this can be used to attack those who really are not "promoting" another religion, but simply answering questions and providing information. How will this rule specifically apply to non-Christians monotheists such as Jews and Muslims? How about other non-Christians such as Atheists, Pagans, Buddhists?

AND... how is this going to work with those denominations which certainly claim to be Christian, and are certainly not Nicene? Such as your one-ness Pentecostals, or Messianics?

Well, at least you avoided a holy war by not including a paragaph regarding the Holy Spirit -- you got to completely skirt the filioque issue!

 

[CaDan]

The problem of the definition of "to promote" has hung around for at least three years without a rule-based resolution. At this point, I don't think there is a way we can write a rule to adequately express what we are doing. I know I have certainly tried and failed.

I think we will end up having to take a casustic approach to the problem and go case-by-case. I know that is not the optimal solution, but it is probably the only one.

 

[Crazy Liz]

I've made a few alterations which has simplified and also made it Trinitarian. It follows the structure of the original and where possible i've used language of the original. There's still a mountain of faults here and it's just something i did in five minutes but to my mind closer reflects what a very basic statement of faith needs to be.





We believe in one God, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit; three divine persons who share one essence--the Trinity.

The Father, the Almighty, is author and sustainer of all creation. The Son, Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, God incarnate, fully God and fully man, conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary. He was crucified for our sins, died, was buried, resurrected on the third day and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He shall come again in glory to judge the living and the dead and His Kingdom will have no end. The Holy Spirit is the Lord and giver of life.

That sounds like a pretty good condensation.

 

[français]

I do not know why there is a need for this..

I just hope it does not become like how CF was lonnng ago.. Where the moderators defined what religion you were, and non Christians had like no powers. I hope that non Christians will still be able to be mods, post in all sections, etc.

I do not support the revisions, but whatever! It is not my forum, so oh well.

 

[Crazy Liz]

What does "inreach" mean?

It sounds to me like cult terminology.

 

[Tonks]

What does "inreach" mean?

It sounds to me like cult terminology.

Please...give me a break. The intent is to have the majority of dicussions between and amongst Christians. That is what is meant by "inreach." The intent, as I understand it, is to build the Body from within. Conversion of unbelievers and apostates is not the focus.

Non-Christian opinion and commentary is secondary.

 

[Ringo84]

I see that you're new and have not been around alot. The message of Christ is not to have Christians be attacked at every given turn by non-Christians for their beliefs in the name of some garbage pluralistic ideal.

CF is not a Church...not is it even specifically a ministry. It is a place, ultimately, for Christians to discuss Christian things. CF has strayed from that purpose over the last 8 months and I'm glad to see that it is swinging - somewhat - back in the direction of allowing Christians to be Christians without harassment.

Christ doesn't value a false Gospel. 'Tis in the Bible.

The message of Christ is not to have Christians be attacked at every given turn by non-Christians for their beliefs in the name of some garbage pluralistic ideal.

If we Christians can't take occasionally having our beliefs questioned and shaken up by curious people, perhaps we're too weak.

"Garbage" is it? I suppose, then, that it was "garbage" that Jesus associated Himself with people in His day that believers of His day would have shunned as "unclean" or "sinful"?

CF is not a Church...not is it even specifically a ministry. It is a place, ultimately, for Christians to discuss Christian things.

I think you're trying to pigeonhole too much. Who cares what it's called? If Christians are going to be like Jesus, we should be moving beyond the "Christians only club" concept and more towards an "all are welcome" concept.

CF has strayed from that purpose over the last 8 months and I'm glad to see that it is swinging - somewhat - back in the direction of allowing Christians to be Christians without harassment.

What harassment? There are people here who have valid questions about faith issues. Shall we turn them away and say, "You won't tow our theological line, so your questioning isn't valid. In fact, it's harassment"?
Ringo

 

[CaDan]

How do you run a "Christian" message board while avoiding two extremes:

1. The horrifying back-slapping self-righteousness of some places which shall not be named; and

2. Losing the "Christian" character altogether.

We are trying to navigate between Scylla and Charybdis, but the waters are a bit rough. Right now, the feeling is we are wandering a bit too close to #2, so we are veering a bit more toward #1. At some point we will have to tack back toward the center again as we sail this ship along.

 

[Ringo84]

How do you run a "Christian" message board while avoiding two extremes:

1. The horrifying back-slapping self-righteousness of some places which shall not be named; and

2. Losing the "Christian" character altogether.

We are trying to navigate between Scylla and Charybdis, but the waters are a bit rough. Right now, the feeling is we are wandering a bit too close to #2, so we are veering a bit more toward #1. At some point we will have to tack back toward the center again as we sail this ship along.

Well, that seems reasonable to me, CaDan.

I don't mind the "Christian character" of CF returning a bit more as long as it doesn't mean that CF becomes a "Christians only" club or leaves non-believers or "unorthodox" believers to rot in some separated part of the site.

Exactly how to strike a balance, however, escapes me. I just don't like the elitism. It's disturbing.
Ringo

 

[CaDan]

Well, that seems reasonable to me, CaDan.

I don't mind the "Christian character" of CF returning a bit more as long as it doesn't mean that CF becomes a "Christians only" club or leaves non-believers or "unorthodox" believers to rot in some separated part of the site.

Exactly how to strike a balance, however, escapes me. I just don't like the elitism. It's disturbing.
Ringo

I don't think there is any permanent balance. It is always a flux. The ship will tack back and forth (and up and down, too).

 

[Ringo84]

I don't think there is any permanent balance. It is always a flux. The ship will tack back and forth (and up and down, too).

As it does in most situations.
Ringo

 

[Autumnleaf]

CF should be a Christians club with visitors who behave respectfully of Christian beliefs when they participate in threads. This is the only forum I visit where visitors consistently ridicule the beliefs of the people the forum was created for. For this forum to be strong and grow the faith must be defended by those faithful to it.

 

[Ringo84]

CF should be a Christians club with visitors who behave respectfully of Christian beliefs when they participate in threads. This is the only forum I visit where visitors consistently ridicule the beliefs of the people the forum was created for. For this forum to be strong and grow the faith must be defended by those faithful to it.

Not just visitors. Non-Christians and "unorthodox" believers are mainstays of this site, and they should be welcomed and accepted.

"Constantly" ridicule? That's quite a bit of an exaggeration. It's true that E&M threads often devolve into "prove your God exists" arguments, but I have found that the majority of non-Christians on this site don't fall in this "bomb-thrower" category.
Ringo

 

[Crazy Liz]

CF should be a Christians club with visitors who behave respectfully of Christian beliefs when they participate in threads. This is the only forum I visit where visitors consistently ridicule the beliefs of the people the forum was created for. For this forum to be strong and grow the faith must be defended by those faithful to it.

Defend it all you want.

How do you defend the faith?

AFAIK, you defend the faith by answering your opponents and by showing them Christian love, not by erasing their words.

 

[CaDan]

CF should be a Christians club with visitors who behave respectfully of Christian beliefs when they participate in threads. This is the only forum I visit where visitors consistently ridicule the beliefs of the people the forum was created for. For this forum to be strong and grow the faith must be defended by those faithful to it.

The difficult thing is how to do that without turning into a self-righteously backslapping club. There are already a gazillion forums for that kind of dullness.

 

[Ringo84]

Defend it all you want.

How do you defend the faith?

AFAIK, you defend the faith by answering your opponents and by showing them Christian love, not by erasing their words.

Or banishing them to a separated part of the forum, though I'm not sure that Autumn is necessarily advocating either one of these.

I hope not, anyway.
Ringo

 

[I'ddie4him2]

I'm not going to say anything one way or the other as far as these changes and how I feel about them.

I will say that I partly agree with Cadan, We have veered off course so to speak over the years and recent months.
As I understand all of this, The site owner wants to get back on course and try to keep a straight and true bearing. Hard to do in rough waters but definitely a worthy aspiration.

For that I applaud him.