What's the deal with the politics?

[Amittai]

Hiya good folks,

I often wondered why is there a field to insert "one's politics"?

Does it mean those who state one, are paid up party members or what?

What do those who state one, use it for?

Is it any use to anyone?

Best regards.

 

[tampasteve]

It's simply an option that people can add if they choose to. Having it identified allows one to participate in some threads/forums that are for those parties specifically, they are "safe houses" for those parties on this website. No one checks if someone is really registered under that political party or "paid up" (most US party members don't pay any dues).

 

[Monksailor]

Why does any social network ask you to answer the questions it does? For those who want anonymity or keep personal data unknown these questions are annoying. I wholly understand why one would want to hide personal data and/or anonymity online. That guy who is branded a traitor whose name stats with an "S" who exposed how unsafe it is to post personal information ANYWHERE online gave us good sound reason. Fortunately, most sites permit you to not share or hide such data, even if they require it. At least it narrows down where the leak occurred for us and an ID Theft Detective.

I think that some online sites have good intentions of facilitating like-minded people to connect, as here at CF, in making such data public, but there IS a cost and a risk. How do you think ALL of that free information about you online has been obtained? And for a price a TON of information is available concerning you or me. Your personal info online is sought by those who make a living procuring such and most likely being stored in large main frames owned by the government or other personal data warehouse entities. One day it could become invaluable and reap a very high price paid by someone who wants to hurt you or expose you or eliminate their cost of hiring a detective for who knows how long.

Even though you may be able to hide/erase from memory where you have been online, for example, your ISP has it all logged. And by using their internet svc, you have agreed to their EUA which gives them the right to record and store that information. Is politics or church leadership in your future, for example? Certain information about certain sites you may have visited would be of great interest/value to some. It could be surfaced anonymously.

Any reputable site which I have visited affords you the right to hide most, if not all, personal information. Why they need certain data is explained, usually, with a click.

Were you implying that there was a political agenda practiced here by this site?

 

[Albion]

It is helpful to know where the other person "is coming from" when trying to decipher some posts.

I feel the same about the question on religious affiliation or preference, which is so often sidestepped when people answer "Christian" or "Non-denominational."

To be sure, the political orientation doesn't mean much in the case of a member who posts almost exclusively in the religious forums, and the religious identity isn't especially important if the person posts mainly in the political ones.

 

[Amittai]

... Were you implying that there was a political agenda practiced here by this site?

Far from it, I wondered why any member would want to give such a statement except in passing within the occasional post. Certainly it is wise of the admins to not require such. Indeed, I suspect the vast majority, especially in the UK, do not personally identify with nameable politics. Thanks for all that info by the way!

 

[Amittai]

... I feel the same about the question on religious affiliation or preference, which is so often sidestepped when people answer "Christian" or "Non-denominational."

To be sure, the political orientation doesn't mean much in the case of a member who posts almost exclusively in the religious forums, and the religious identity isn't especially important if the person posts mainly in the political ones.

On the contrary in my case "non denominational" was not sidestepping, it was the nearest the list got to me (I'd have preferred more options).

The concatenation of religion and politics statements is in some cases alarming and I would rather members didn't aim to make an impression thereby. It tells me too much. I suspect some members are painting themselves into corners.

 

[Albion]

On the contrary in my case "non denominational" was not sidestepping, it was the nearest the list got to me (I'd have preferred more options).

I recognize that to be true, but the problem is that the term means all sorts of different things to different people.

For some, it means they belong to an independent congregation. For others, it means that they do belong to a denomination but one that prides itself on claiming to be non-denominational. For others, it means they don't belong to any congregation at all. And for some of these, they mean also that they think membership in any denomination is unscriptural. If I understand what you were just explaining, you chose non-denominational because there wasn't a better indicator of your preference to be found on the list.

So the reader really has no clue which of these is meant, if any, when he sees the term used on some member's profile.

 

[Amittai]

I recognize that to be true, but the problem is that the term means all sorts of different things to different people.

For some, it means they belong to an independent congregation. For others, it means that they do belong to a denomination but one that prides itself on claiming to be non-denominational. For others, it means they don't belong to any congregation at all. And for some of these, they mean also that they think membership in any denomination is unscriptural. If I understand what you were just explaining, you chose non-denominational because there wasn't a better indicator of your preference to be found on the list. ...

Yes I feel myself to be multi-denominational, and the church I have just joined (after rejoining CF) describes itself and affiliates (and its life is) in a markedly different way from the kinds mentioned!

A religion description is treated as a mandatory field here whereas I only wondered "what's with the politics" of those who went out of their way to mention one (in my view fortunately few )