Thanks for the memories, but it's time for Christians to unite not fight

self | 3/2/2015 | two134711

[two134711]

Thank you Free Republic for allowing me to post and vent on this site for over ten years. I am a young, married conservative woman who is trying to raise her daughter to be a fine, upstanding lady, an educated woman and a worthy wife to a decent man. Despite the stupidity of my generation (I am on the cusp of GenX and GenY) there is hope. Many young people are more prolife than ever. And at last, many others are beginning to open their eyes to the lies of socialism.

However recent events on this site like witnessing the discord between fellow believers of Christ and how the Religious moderators have given carte blanche to those who wish to spread hate is not something I want to be part of.

I received this message from the Religion Moderator regarding Key words received 03/02/2015 8:45:19 PM PST

“DO NOT use keywords to snipe at other posters or beliefs. RM”

I certainly did not post key words that sniped at anyone; they were terms such as "enough already,” “Christianity,” “unity” and "peace." Now, yes, the comments I made were invectives thrown at posters. I don't deny that; but they deserved every word directed at them and more. Outside of Caucus threads the religious forum is based on sniping at posters and insulting other's beliefs. Mostly it’s a few alleged “Evangelicals” damning those Papists, pedophiles, pagans, cracker-eaters, cannibals and Mary-worshipping heretics to Hell if they don't convert to the Western Branch of American Reform Presbylutheranism or the Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of 1879. Then a very small contingent of Catholics tries to fight back.

These are the kind of comments are allowed on the religious forums without any moderation.

"I believe that Catholicism has caused more people to go to hell then [sic] Islam."
84 posted on 2/23/2015, 2:36:42 PM by CynicalBear (For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus)

AND

**Have you accepted the Catholic Church** "I have accepted Jesus. Not some abomination created by man."
98 posted on 2/23/2015, 2:46:17 PM by Gamecock (Joel Osteen is a minister of the Gospel like Captain Crunch is a Naval line officer.)

I have no skin in this game other than to realize that Christians (and Jews) are not each other’s enemies. There is a much more diabolical force in this world that should be fought. Anti-theists, Islamists, secular amoralists, etc., they're nothing. But, hey, keep going after Catholics and Mormons because they're the ones ruining the world today!

I said those words because it was the truth, (a truth that many others see but do not mention; they merely avoid the conflicts). If the anti-Catholic delusional bigots have a problem with the truth, then a pox on their houses.

I have posted on and off this site for over ten years. Every time I come back here I think to myself, “Wow, FR is one of the only sites telling it like it is when it comes to politics!” But then the OCD religious posters take control over and over again. It’s not just the religious forums, but they’re the worst. In the past the moderation was far more even-handed. Now it’s out of control. Please use more judiciousness in moderating them in the future.

You are losing members left and right and your fundraisers take months to complete. I am aware that the owner of this site, Mr. Robinson, is a Catholic, and I’m sure it breaks his heart to see such infighting amongst fellow Christians. I hope his health betters and that he can continue to fight the goof fight.

Nevertheless, FR's days as a premium conservative site are over. There a quite a few decent folks around here like Mrs. Don-0, xzins, Morgana, miss marmelstein, wardaddy, that fellow named something like yefrugeturbrumuy, and lots of others. There are many good folks with diverse opinions and no malice in their hearts.

But some others seem possessed by other-world forces. Mostly they're old people scared of death, wanting to make sure they get in with God before the end, desperate to hold on to every penny they've ever come across, willing to kvetch about the future and frequently mentioning how glad they'll be when they're dead and won't have to deal with this world, while their children and grandchildren will. Or worse, they actively wish for the world to end today or soon. Sorry, I'm young enough to have a smidgen of hope despite the moral disaster this world is in.

The Apple squabbles, the griping about TV and art, heck even the "my candidate is better than your candidate" bloodletting is nothing compared to the nutters that run rampant on the religion forum.

So Religious moderator, if you thought my key words were examples of “sniping,” then I suppose this post was outright bashing. Every time I come to this site I get angry. Anger opens up the heart to dark forces; it’s best not to be part of that.

Got to go. May peace come to this once wonderful site and make it a place of harmony for future posters.

[mlizzy]

Make the Religion Forum a subforum of the Smokey Back Room. That way FReepers not interested in religious debate won't see it on their main page, and it will save a lot of work and heartache for the Religion Moderator.

Sounds fine with me. Good idea.

[boatbums]

And it would make both camps happy. Those who like unrestrained religious debate could engage in such without scruples, and those of us who no longer contribute to FreeRepublic because of what the Religion Forum has become could once again in good conscience resume contributing to FR.

Oh, but y'all should still be able to keep the "Catholic Caucus" threads, right?

[boatbums]

And yours prove mine. Thanks!

[Brian Kopp DPM]

If there is no Religion Forum or it is a subforum of the SBR then I suspect there would be no Caucus threads. Of course it’s the very subject of this thread that necessitated caucus threads in the first place. But hey it’s not my forum, the owner can let the RF drive away more members and donors if he wants.

[Brian Kopp DPM]

Keep dreaming child.

[mlizzy]

It may not be the primary reason that FR donations are down, but I know it’s the number one reason I no longer donate and I know that is also the case for not a small number of others. FR has bills to pay and if the behavior of some in the RF is causing difficulties, you gotta figure out how to fix the problem. Denying its existence or blaming it on the Catholics just doesn’t cut it. It just let’s it fester and it will grow.

There are so many reasons money is tight, it's true. I don't really know if my friends over on Facebook even donated at all. I never really asked them, but they did like to debate on Free Republic, until it became too biased, they said. And you're right; if there's a problem, one has to fix it. Just like in a family, if a serious issue is not addressed, eventually there will be a separation and/or a divorce. Happens all the time.

[editor-surveyor]

.
The Religion has not driven off any reasonable intellectual contributors.

The cry babies leave eventually, and that is true across the internet, and most of society in general.

If a cry baby is not given a special protected voice, they leave.
.

[Brian Kopp DPM]

Keep telling yourself that. That way at least one person will believe it.

[editor-surveyor]

.
Wow, a comment from the most important person on FR!
.

[boatbums]

You, too, Pops!

[boatbums]

If there is no Religion Forum or it is a subforum of the SBR then I suspect there would be no Caucus threads. Of course it’s the very subject of this thread that necessitated caucus threads in the first place. But hey it’s not my forum, the owner can let the RF drive away more members and donors if he wants.

You just got done stating:

Those who like unrestrained religious debate could engage in such without scruples, and those of us who no longer contribute to FreeRepublic because of what the Religion Forum has become could once again in good conscience resume contributing to FR.

If, as you say, there would STILL be some place on Free Republic where all this unscrupulous and unrestrained religious debate goes on - and the grievous "hatred" against Catholics (as is claimed is the reason why so many don't donate) - then explain how moving it off to a new area frees those who refuse to support FR on principle to start giving again? Wouldn't they STILL be supporting what you claim drives them away?

Here's a thought...we're all supposed to be adults here, right? Shouldn't we be able to conduct ourselves in respectful ways concerning our discussion of our religious beliefs and disagreements without having to NEED a Moderator examining every single comment? There are a few simple rules already in place plus a good bit of advanced warning that help to make the RF a place where these kinds of debates can take place and the Moderator is there to respond to abuses that are reported to him/her and to deal with them as time permits. Much like the police, they show up AFTER the crime has already happened. They can't be everywhere all the time - they aren't God. With that being said, we should police ourselves. If we want a RF we can be proud of and support unequivocally, WE should strive to make it that way. It won't be accomplished by banning ALL religious discussions - that's why the RF was created in the first place. It won't happen by sending everything of that nature to the dark dungeon of the Smoky Back Room, either, where, if some people are offended now by the RF, having them in the SBR will make them wish for the good ol' days - I've seen what goes on there.

[Gamecock]

Interestingly, I remember about 2 years ago a thread was moved from here to the Smokey Back Room and I was the subject of some pretty vicious personal attacks by a well known FRoman Catholic who sad something to the effect of “Now I can really tell you what I thinks about you”.

Certainly not Christ-like behavior.

I agree with boatbums’s assessment. How will moving Religious discussions to an lightly moderated area protect FROman Catholic concerns?

[Alex Murphy]

I remember about 2 years ago a thread was moved from here to the Smokey Back Room and I was the subject of some pretty vicious personal attacks by a well known FRoman Catholic who sad something to the effect of “Now I can really tell you what I thinks about you”....How will moving Religious discussions to an lightly moderated area protect FROman Catholic concerns?

IMO that's exactly what some of these Catholics are asking for, i.e. for Free Republic to move all religious discussion out from under any sort of moderation, because the current Religion Moderator will not allow Catholics to use destructive personal language in posts made about certain Protestants.

In other words, I think the Catholics want sanctioning, i.e. "space to destroy".

[mlizzy]

IMO that's exactly what some of these Catholics are asking for, i.e. for Free Republic to move all religious discussion out from under any sort of moderation, because the current Religion Moderator will not allow Catholics to use destructive personal language in posts made about certain Protestants. In other words, I think the Catholics want sanctioning, i.e. "space to destroy".

It would be interesting to see how well things would function with a [well-schooled] devout Roman Catholic sharing in the duties of moderating in the [current] Religion Forum, if they were interested in doing so. I can name three or four who would be respectful [and evidently so can boatbums as she mentioned it in previous commentary]. It's the lukewarm [or impatient] Catholic who is the troublemaker. And "space to destroy" goes both ways. You can search this thread for examples if you like.

[mlizzy]

Meant to ping you to this post: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/backroom/3263766/posts?page=754#754

[Alex Murphy]

It would be interesting to see how well things would function with a [well-schooled] devout Roman Catholic sharing in the duties of moderating in the [current] Religion Forum....It's the lukewarm [or impatient] Catholic who is the troublemaker.

I have no objections to a "well schooled devout Roman Catholic" being appointed as a moderator, but I am curious as to how (you think) that would be different from how the RF is run today. I've read a number of different suggestions from Catholics over the years, everything from only allowing "Catholic Caucus" threads, enforcing a "Ecumenical threads only" atmosphere, to banning all of the troublemakers and burning the Religion Forum to the ground. Let's just say I've read some pretty colorful ideas over the last decade, and very very few of them were workable.

As a thought experiment, let's revisit the opus-inducing issue that was the original topic of this thread (see my excerpts here), and let's assume that this theoretical moderator tag-team was already in place. What changes to the existing RF rules do you think would be made? How do you think the events surrounding this opus would have gone done differently, from what actually went down?

[Gamecock]

**It would be interesting to see how well things would function with a [well-schooled] devout Roman Catholic sharing in the duties of moderating in the [current] Religion Forum,**

I have always felt there is more than 1 moderator. RFM-1 and RFM-2. One is slightly more engaging in some banter and the other is, shall we say, more clinical in carrying out their duties. Not saying either one is right or wrong, just different. Who is to say that a devout RC isn’t a mod? On this board it is hard to say who is and isn’t a mod. Right Alex? ;-)

So my question is, why should the members decide who the moderator is? Isn’t that, in our case anyway, turning the asylum over to the inmates? (And that is meant to cut both ways)

[Grateful2God]

Thanks for the ping! 😀

[Grateful2God]

In other words, I think the Catholics want sanctioning, i.e. "space to destroy".

As a (sometimes pesky 😉) forum member, you're entitled to your opinion. As moderator, though, that opinion expressed above would reflect partiality.

Somehow, I think it's a bit of a relief to know. This whole thing is like an Agatha Christie novel. For all we know, some of the rowdiest posters could be Moderators as well, stimulating discussion and general infighting, while simultaneously being assigned to keep things under control. Gotta be quite a juggling act, if that's the case. Just an observation.

[mlizzy]

Respect. I think more respect could have been expressed [especially since the OP had been with Free Republic for over ten years]. As in no one kicks a long-term customer in the knee, even as they're walking out the door. Sarcasm runs rampant over Free Republic and it can be very funny, but religion moderators, in my opinion, should not be on board to post this sort of dialogue [under their own name] during their "work" hours.

A devout Roman Catholic sharing in moderation would know how to handle the Catholic troublemaker with better results, I believe. They know better than anyone else who they are [no devout Catholic appreciates their actions], and could more readily take care of any issues in that regard.

Free Republic has had (and still maintains to a lesser degree) a beautiful crew of good Catholics; a couple I've forgotten their screen names, but they have always been gracious, and patient. Very good teacher types who are respectful of all Christian faiths.

Like I said previously, even boatbums agrees.