Posted on 03/03/2015 12:32:27 PM PST by 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.
I read it differently, but thanks for clearing it up. :)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/backroom/3263766/posts?page=682#682
Thank heavens there are no chairs in cyberspace! :) Lol
Would be a shame if that is so, though, because there are so many people in need of FRiendship, with spouses passing, and families separated [by distance], etc. and so on. Many people are disabled, suffer dis-ease, or have no neighbors to visit, as well, and they should not be taken advantage of......."if that's the case." :)
That's so true. Sad, but true.
---St. Thomas More I’m sorry, I missed italicizing the last part of your post when I quoted you.
Don’t be totally dismayed, there is some good that comes from the RF.
The RF is the rod that pushed me over the ledge so to speak to finally make a decision.
In a positive way...I learned much about a faith I was following that was shown to me to be in error.
The delivery of said information may have left a lot to be desired, but once I cut through my own personal baggage and bias, what I read was the pure, unvarnished truth. Harsh? Yeah, but sometimes that is what is needed and I needed it.
The RF moderators have volunteered to take on a most difficult task. I have the utmost respect for what they do and how they do it.
There are options on FR...if a forum, thread, poster or comment doesn’t appeal to you, walk away from it.
FR has been compared innumerable times to family. We bicker, argue, hurt others, cross some lines we wish we hadn’t, etc...but in the end, we are family. If we but put aside our own egos and pride, apologize and attempt meaningful discussion, rifts can be repaired.
I for one do not stop contributing because someone posts something I find disagreeable, hurtful, etc.
Just thought I’d post a contrarian opinion on the matter. And with that, I’ll now make my meager contribution to FR.
Already a member in proud standing.
Same thing happened to me last year and NO ONE explained why it was moved even after repeated PMs to the Mods and a few others. Probably the same "well known FRoman Catholic" you recalled was who not only used the SBR designation to say some pretty nasty personal things towards me but pinged a whole host of other FRomans with the announcement that it was a free-for-all now that the thread was moved to the SBR! To add insult to injury, this person then mocked and ridiculed me for remarking about the invectives and changed forum designation.
If some want to be honest, they will have to admit that what they REALLY want is a "Catholic Caucus" atmosphere for ALL Religion Forum threads where nothing can be said that is critical towards their beliefs no matter what flavor of Christianity is represented. Kind of like the way it was when Roman Catholicism was the LAW of the land and dissenters could be burned at the stake as heretics?
Second Vatican Council, Dogmatic Constitution Lumen gentium, 14: "They could not be saved who, knowing that the Catholic Church was founded as necessary by God through Christ, would refuse either to enter it, or to remain in it." The Latin phrase extra Ecclesiam nulla salus means: "outside the Church there is no salvation".
Excuse me, but there is more on the subject of salvation outside the Catholic Church in Lumen Gentium:
And currently. From: Lumen Gentium: "Light of Nations"
The Second Vatican Council speaks of salvation outside the Church in Lumen Gentium, nos. 14 and 16. Here are the pertinent sections from those two articles: 14. This Sacred Council wishes to turn its attention firstly to the Catholic faithful. Basing itself upon Sacred Scripture and Tradition, it teaches that the Church, now sojourning on earth as an exile, is necessary for salvation. Christ, present to us in His Body, which is the Church, is the one Mediator and the unique way of salvation. In explicit terms He Himself affirmed the necessity of faith and baptism (cf. Mk 16:16; Jn 3:5) and thereby affirmed also the necessity of the Church, for through baptism as through a door men enter the Church. Whosoever, therefore, knowing that the Catholic Church was made necessary by Christ, would refuse to enter or to remain in it, could not be saved. [. . .] 16. [. . .] Those also can attain to salvation who through no fault of their own do not know the Gospel of Christ or His Church, yet sincerely seek God and moved by grace strive by their deeds to do His will as it is known to them through the dictates of conscience. Nor does Divine Providence deny the helps necessary for salvation to those who, without blame on their part, have not yet arrived at an explicit knowledge of God and with His grace strive to live a good life. Whatever good or truth is found amongst them is looked upon by the Church as a preparation for the Gospel. She knows that it is given by Him who enlightens all men so that they may finally have life.
Hence, the Latin phrase extra Ecclesiam nulla salus which means: "outside the Church there is no salvation" is no longer absolute, nor pertinent.
Here is yet another example of an attack on Catholics. Were this the first time freeper WVKayaker posted such a comment, we Catholics, in charity, would address the misunderstandings. However, all of the above has been addressed through scriptural support on multiple occassions. Despite that, freeper WVKayaker continues to lambast (=attack) the Catholic Church on multiple threads. In Mt 7:2, we read:
"Do not judge so that you will not be judged. "For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. "Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?
It would be helpful to establish a protocol for these situations where repeated, unprovoked attacks can be resolved, in christian charity.
Thank you G2G. I’m too addicted to the Net to leave forever........
That’s a really nice quote, G2G....
Thank you very much, SZonian!!
Why should the Religion Moderator respond, when this conversation is happening in the Smokey Back Room? I wasn't going to say anything myself, but since you all are going to continue to pick at this particular scab, consider that every single day in the Religion Forum sees Catholics agitating Protestants by referring to them as Fundamentalists, Snake Handlers, Know-Nothings, KKKers, Anti-Semites, Nazi sympathizers, "OrthodoPresbyCultists", "Worshipers of Self and Self-Alone", and equated godly men like Billy and Franklin Graham with Jim Jones, Jesse Jackson, and Jeremiah Wright. Catholics have done so with impunity, so long as they didn't make them personal insults about their fellow FReepers, because of the "don't make it personal" rules of the Religion Forum.
Is that agitation enough for you? Since NYer saw fit to quote from Matthew 7:2, allow me to complete the quote via 7:4 -
"You hypocrite! First take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye."Protestants have put up with these kinds of insults in the Religion Forum for at least a decade. The least that Catholics could do is be as thick-skinned as the Protestants have been IMO.
OK. For the record I take no offense to those terms, but to each his own I guess.
Being called a Romanist, Papist, cultist, heathen, "child of the cult of Satan" (that one really floored me!) etc. shuts things down.
Papist? Ever heard of the apologist titled American Papist?
I haven't used the term child of the cult of Satan, not do I recall seeing it, but I can assure you I have been called worse by your churchmen.
Dissent is healthy even though at times it can be heated. Always has been always will be. Even Christ chosen Apostles had conflicts. It keeps one on their toes to defend and/or proclaim their own beliefs.
The Holy Spirit brings needed corrections within persons and leads all whom Christ calls His own to Him despite our theological differences. From The Holy Spirit comes truth.
***Hence, the Latin phrase extra Ecclesiam nulla salus which means: “outside the Church there is no salvation” is no longer absolute, nor pertinent.***
And yet we always hear that Rome has never changed. Why the change?
Don’t hold back.
Tell us how you really feel.
No one is forcing any one to click on either the RF or any of the threads posted on it.
If people don’t like it, then WHY do they read it?
Simply avoid it instead of holding FR hostage until your demands for how you think it should be run are met.
Hey...it could be like in high school and people got to vote for class president/Religion Moderator! They could run campaigns and make promises about how they would be the "better" moderator. ;o)
However, seeing as this is a nonpaying gig and volunteered time, I really don't see how changing the anonymity of the RM into a democratically elected "preferred" moderator(s) position would actually benefit anyone at all. The SAME rules would still apply and the Mods couldn't play favorites - meaning they would have to deal with comments equally and fairly. This would mean they really couldn't moderate as some would like them to by deciding which comments were okay and which ones were not content-wise, not personal. Of course, to some people, ANY criticism of their beliefs IS personal.
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