Why did this subforum die?

[LordDuncanBurneWilke]

Moderates are chill. 90% of threads on this forum usually contain some sort of debate or contention. Moderates are happy to be...moderate.

 

[EmmaCat]

Well now, that's weird.

I usually don't like the debates because I am moderate. I'm not here to change, convert, correct (only with attitudes in non-debate places), or shove my beliefs down anyone's throats. IMHO, that's a terrible, mean thing to do.

I'm not here to say your religion stinks or you're doing this wrong because I'm a Fundie and we DO NOT judge that stuff. Your religion, your worshipping, your walk with God is yours, not mine, and has every single bit of respect I can give and yes, you have every bit of my humble respect.

I'm here to share, to pray for people, sometimes I need help too and ask for prayers, and just for fellowship. I'll support you in your religion and love you unconditionally because we believe that's the right thing to do. It's not that I don't care. I DO care; that's exactly why I'll support you, even if you say you're an Orthodox Muslim Christian Atheist Fundamentalist Catholic Buddhist. Whatever. That's between you and God; that's not my business.

So I choose to enjoy you people, pray for you when you ask, love and respect you and never judge. Not a dang one of us is perfect. There was only One Who was perfect, and we all know Who.

Who's to say that maybe there are people like me who would just like to get together and discuss things without the meanness of judgement or the hurt of disrespect? Can't we try that here? Why can't we talk about nice things?

Okay, I'll start. I was out at 5am tending to my chickens this morning as usual, and one pooped on my shoe. This is considered good and usually means there's an extra egg for our breakfast ... and there was! My 6-year-old niece, Chloe, got the extra egg -- ooooh she loves eggs -- and it's perfect for a growing, learning little blessing of a girl.

So ... did a chicken poop on your shoe today? If so, what was the ensuing blessing? I know somebody out there must have been blessed today!

All good things
Emmy

 

[JM]

Which was our point - being "Moderate" should not be confused with being lukewarm

"moderately warm"

 

[Job8]

Because no one knows what it means to be moderate.

Christianity is radical, anyway you look at it. Jesus said that He had come to bring a sword.

King James Bible
Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. (Mt 10:34).

 

[JCFantasy23]

"moderately warm"

You're missing the point of the thread - some people have been saying moderate gives a false impression, like the word being similar to "lukewarm." Not choosing to be fully liberal or fully fundamental doesn't make a person lukewarm, it just means not wanting to box themselves in a category.

 

[JM]

You're missing the point of the thread - some people have been saying moderate gives a false impression, like the word being similar to "lukewarm." Not choosing to be fully liberal or fully fundamental doesn't make a person lukewarm, it just means not wanting to box themselves in a category.

Not being a Progressive or Fundamentalist would make you a regular ol' Conservative. Moderate is associated with passionless which is why "lukewarm" was used by Christ in Revelation.

 

[JCFantasy23]

Not being a Progressive or Fundamentalist would make you a regular ol' Conservative. Moderate is associated with passionless which is why "lukewarm" was used by Christ in Revelation.

I think that is why some don't like the name being used for this subforum. Too many associate it with - as you say - passionless and lukewarm. But oh well, names and labels aren't always the important things for this kind of stuff. Not sure of what a better term would be that everyone could agree with for this section.

 

[FireDragon76]

Some Christians don't really consider passion a good thing. Christians of the eastern traditions think of passion and petty contentiousness as an immature response. The correct Christian response, at least for them, is mourning and repentance. It's not just something you did once a long time ago, it's a lifestyle.

 

[EmmaCat]

Naaaahhhh ... I think it's how we comport ourselves. We say "Praise the Lord!" when we really mean PRAISE THE LORD!! Only our way is by not waking the dead and scaring the guys tending the Richter Scales or causing an international incident.

And talking about blessings can open the door for more conversation ... or just some company. What if someone wants to just cry for a minute and they're alone? **Poof** Here we are. Go ahead and cry, it's ok, we're here.

All good things
Emmy

 

[Starcrystal]

Naaaahhhh ... I think it's how we comport ourselves. We say "Praise the Lord!" when we really mean PRAISE THE LORD!! Only our way is by not waking the dead and scaring the guys tending the Richter Scales or causing an international incident.

LOL..Oh my..haha..I have been known to do that:

"waking the dead and scaring the guys tending the Richter Scales or causing an international incident."

I love your wording...I guess prayer and praise should sometimes be kept bottled up, but sometimes I can't help it...

I do not shout and cause public disturbances but at times tornadoes jump over houses or else block roads to disaster and i never use my tornado shelter for fear of lack of faith...we should also cause international incidents for peace, which I think is cool...and if there are earthquakes i have this weird fantasy prayer for the New Madrid fault that if it goes off raise me higher and break a spring atop my mountain so I can have water, make the creek into a river with a lake so I have waterfront
property.... for real....

 

[DawnStar]

Which was our point - being "Moderate" should not be confused with being lukewarm

True. Fundamentalists and more than a few evangelicals would consider moderate Christians as lukewarm because we are not out there screaming and making noise on blogs or social media or the street corners. The fact is when you get right down to it most Christians are moderate in their thinking. It is the fundamentalists making the most noise that get the attention. Unfortunately this attention more often than not causes others to broad brush all Christians as hateful and bigoted.

 

[hopeforhappiness]

A year or so ago I suggested that it be closed because of the very little traffic that this forum generates. Even at that, what is posted usually has no basis for being on this forum--"Do you have a Living Will?" and "Is Homeopathy a good thing?" for instance.

Hi Albion,
Yes, I haven't been on this forum for a long time. Yes, I have started threads on social and moral contemporary issues partly because being moderate here seems to imply lack of interest in doctrine. SEcondly, If it is bridge-building then having 'safe space' forums defeats the object.
"Having a living will" has strong connection with what we believe about the sanctity of life, a very contentious issue. It is because I have interpreted moderate as being measured and patient and reasoned and respectful in debate, by all means holding onto doctrinal absolutes, that I have wanted to open that discussion here. It is the hermeneutic and the thought processes that I wanted to be exposed to rather than the intolerance of some other forums.
If we take on board "has no basis" then many many threads on many forums are just non-starters. And this forums would have shut down ages ago.
A last thought - why can't we have a forum for leaders, where we can talk about the challenges of heading up a church?

 

[Albion]

Hi Albion,
Yes, I haven't been on this forum for a long time. Yes, I have started threads on social and moral contemporary issues partly because being moderate here seems to imply lack of interest in doctrine. SEcondly, If it is bridge-building then having 'safe space' forums defeats the object.

I guess I'm not picking up your point there. The idea behind Bridge Builders was that there would be a forum for those who wanted to discuss Liberal and Traditional views with an end to actually finding some middle ground or resolution. This came as the Liberals and the Conservatives were asking for -- and getting -- their own forums as safe houses where their opponents were not supposed to disagree with them. But it was said that "Bridge Builders" was such vague imagery that it needed a bit more explanation, hence "Moderate." But it was clearly understood that this meant tolerant and civil, not wishy washy or uncommitted. Alas, that still has not been sufficient for many people to understand the objective.

"Having a living will" has strong connection with what we believe about the sanctity of life, a very contentious issue. It is because I have interpreted moderate as being measured and patient and reasoned and respectful in debate, by all means holding onto doctrinal absolutes, that I have wanted to open that discussion here. It is the hermeneutic and the thought processes that I wanted to be exposed to rather than the intolerance of some other forums.
If we take on board "has no basis" then many many threads on many forums are just non-starters. And this forums would have shut down ages ago.
A last thought - why can't we have a forum for leaders, where we can talk about the challenges of heading up a church?

It sounds to me that all of this is all appropriate for this forum, sure.

 

[W2L]

Maybe this forum died because no one wants to question their own beliefs and so its futile to try and get people to do that. Also, moderates only find themselves angering everyone in the end and they might not have any friends when its over. They are seen as self righteous, holier than thou, proud, know it all, heretics...who cant submit to authority.

That's my opinion anyway.

 

[JCFantasy23]

Maybe this forum died because no one wants to question their own beliefs and so its futile to try and get people to do that. Also, moderates only find themselves angering everyone in the end and they might not have any friends when its over. They are seen as self righteous, holier than thou, proud, know it all, heretics...who cant submit to authority.

That's my opinion anyway.

When and why would moderates be seen like that?

 

[W2L]

When and why would moderates be seen like that?

Its my opinion. You have the right to reject it.

 

[JCFantasy23]

Its my opinion. You have the right to reject it.

I've just never heard anyone describe moderates that way, so it made me curious.

 

[W2L]

I've just never heard anyone describe moderates that way, so it made me curious.

Of course they don't describe them that way. Try to be a true moderate once though. That means you will make many enemies. That's what a moderate does, they try to see all sides of an issue and they don't make any friends. Moderate thinking is not popular in this politically correct, religiously bias world.

 

[Tigger45]

Again I think it's appropriate to point out that here in this forum the term 'moderate' would be synonymous with temperate in discourse. Not the level of passion for our beliefs.

 

[W2L]

Again I think it's appropriate to point out that here in this forum the term 'moderate' would be synonymous with temperate in discourse. Not the level of passion for our beliefs.

Maybe I misunderstand what you mean by "temperate". If you mean that temperate discourse is to maintain composure during a disagreement, but without ever changing your views, then that's why it died. The definition doesn't describe what moderate thinking is about. Anyone can be temperate in discourse, but if they are unwilling to change their beliefs then all they will do is argue to no end. It doesn't matter how temperate your argument is, if you are not willing to change your ideas.