You very statement indicts it as being elitist, and in competition with other sola ecclesia churches which also claim the same. What is the the basis for your assurance that Rome is that OTC?
What I have noticed is that groups which use the caucus function often tend to bring the same form of discussion along to open threads. Meaning the assertions you see in a caucus environment tend to migrate to open threads. When an assertion is challenged, the usual caucus poster responds with assertions instead of debate.
We are also seeing some groups who never used the caucus in the past attempt to use the caucus to avoid debate. That is fine but those “newer” groups have issues discussing their group issues without contrasting it with other groups; which in effect negates the caucus.
Just an observation, and why I will most likely never use a caucus. If one cannot defend their position in an open thread, then I see that as a problem.
What I would like to see at FR and especially in the RF is a “bozo function” which is used at other sites I frequent. It allows one to block seeing some posters comments and helps combat trolls and cleans up threads a bit. However, those other sites do not have the close moderation we see here and probably why we don’t have that function here.
Truth....