GOOD NEWS - BAD NEWS (Don't Say You Weren't Warned)

Self | 1-22-04 | Sidebar Moderator

[Sidebar Moderator]

GOOD NEWS - BAD NEWS
(Don't Say You Weren't Warned)

The bad news is that I am the newly designated moderator of Free Republic's Religion Forum. The good news is that I am the newly designated moderator of Free Republic's Religion Forum.

First, let's discuss why this is bad news.

I have no doubt that everyone who participates in this forum is aware of the general posting guidelines of Free Republic; they've been in effect as long as Free Republic has been in existence. Just for clarity, here they are again: "NO profanity, NO personal attacks, NO racism or violence in posts."

Having spent the better part of a week reading as much as I was able to get to on the Religion Forum, which includes virtually every currently posted thread, I can say that I've seen no profanity (should be a given on a forum devoted to religion), and only one or two posts which could be construed to contain violence. On that score I commend you all.

Unfortunately, however, personal attacks are rampant. Protestants attack Catholics, and vice versa. Within these two major Christian families, Calvinists attack Arminians, and tit-for-tat. Traditional Catholics attack New Age Catholics, and back it comes. Self-professed Christians of all flavors post gratuitous insults and jibes directed toward Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses frequently. Threads are posted for the obvious and sole purpose of flaming "the opposition", whoever that might be in any particular instance. I could go on and on with further examples, but from many of your posted comments it is clear that all of you are aware of these facts, and seemingly, accept them as the order of things.

It is not the order of things, and it will no longer be tolerated.

Sadly, a forum devoted to perhaps the highest endeavor of the human mind and soul, that of the religious expression of faith, has become an embarrassment to Free Republic. All too often the discourse appearing in the Religion Forum resembles that found in those threads devoted to the War on Drugs, less the profanity, of course. Consequently, the question whether the Religion Forum will remain much longer as a feature of Free Republic, at least in its present format, is very much up in the air. How that question is answered depends entirely on the response each and every one of you make to this announcement in the next few weeks.

Therefore, from this time forward, the Free Republic rule of " NO profanity, NO personal attacks, NO racism or violence in posts.", will be more strictly enforced. Furthermore, you are all reminded that this is a religion forum; that is, all practitioners of any recognized religion, provided they also follow the rules, are welcome. However, since a large majority of posters to this forum are self-professing Christians, of one flavor or another, some additional rules will be imposed. You should all be quite familiar with them, even though some of you seem to pay them no heed at present.

These rules are:

"The second is this, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself'." [Mark 12:31 (RSV)]

"But I say to you that hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you." [Luke 6:27 (RSV)]

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; even as I have loved you, that you also love one another." [John 13:34 (RSV)]

"If you love me, you will keep my commandments." [John 14:15 (RSV)]

Or, if the commandments of our Lord Jesus are insufficient (paraphrasing Paul) speak the truth in love.

For now, enough of the harsh words. There really is good news.

First and foremost, all that has passed prior to today is forgiven. However, my forgiveness, unlike that of God, is continuing but not unlimited. After all, I'm a sinner, too. Transgressions of the rules will be met with three warnings, followed by three progressively lengthy suspensions, after which unrepentant posters will be, shall we say, cast into the outer darkness. Totally outrageous violations, of course, remain subject to the ultimate penalty immediately, as always.

However, I am also aware that love, in the Biblical sense, is not the Hollywood kind of love we hear about all around us these days. Spirited debate is a hallmark of Free Republic, and is welcome. Sometimes the truth (at least as we understand it, through a glass darkly) sounds rather harsh, but even harsh truth can be couched in terms that allow the Christian love of the speaker to come through.

Further, no matter how you read the tenor of this announcement, I am not a martinet. I can be persuaded to change my mind by reasoned discourse. On the other hand, sinful nature that I have, I do not suffer fools gladly. Directing complaints to me over some action I have taken is fine; doing so with insulting language will not achieve the results you desire, and in fact, will probably result in something far worse. And, as always, I am not the ultimate authority regarding any decision I make; anything I do can be appealed to one higher court - Jim Robinson, by whose direction I am here as moderator.

There are some things I will not do. I will not arbitrate theological disputes. I will not resolve questions of church polity. Nor will I render judgment on interpretations of Scripture. Those are all issues for legitimate debate, and I do not propose to take part as just another poster on this forum. Naturally, I have my own opinions on all these issues, but my opinions are my own and I will keep them to myself.

You should also know, I suppose, that I was selected as the moderator of the Religion Forum because no one else wanted to wade into the mess that this forum has become. All too often when abuse reports come into the moderators from the Religion Forum it is discovered that there are no clean hands in the dispute under complaint. More often than not removing the post complained about generates another abuse report asking "why was I punished when he said thus-and-so first". In many cases, removing all of the offending posts makes the thread unreadable. So, whatever you think of me now, or come to think of me in the next few weeks, I'm your last chance. After me comes the abyss.

And do yourself a favor; before you respond to this announcement remember the immortal advice of Jim Croce:

'You don't tug on Superman's cape
You don't spit into the wind
You don't pull the mask off the old Lone Ranger
And you don't mess around with Jim'

I'm not Jim, but I've got his ear.

One final word. I am not here 24/7. I actually have a life away from Free Republic; consequently your questions/complaints/comments may not be answered immediately. Be patient, they will be answered eventually. In the end, my goal is (our goal should be) that there will come the day when my presence here is unnoticed. That should be attainable if we all act like the Christian brothers and sisters we claim to be.

May God bless you all.

[P-Marlowe]

I think the regular usage of the word "predestined" means more than merely chosen to salvation, but means that the event was destined to happen. And in accordance with the fact that God knew for certain that it was going to happen and happen today and happen at 6:34:29 PM PST, that it was predestined and set in stone before the foundation of the earth.

Not only foreordained, but predestined according to God's infinite foreknowledge. So who art thou, or me to speak against God, eh? If Jim Rob wants us to be nice here, then I would think that God either wants us to be nice or wants us not to post. What do you think?

[Sidebar Moderator]

I read that as a criticism of your calling the subject of the poster's previous posts "brother and sister Christians", by which you were making a theological point of some controversy.

Didn't mean it that way; merely acknowledging that almost everyone who posts on this forum is a self-identified Christian of one sort or another. But I then added "or anyone else, for that matter".

Maybe he'll be kind enough to clarify the matter.

[Choose Ye This Day]

Sound like good news to me. I wish you all the best, and I may send you some Tylenol or Aleve, as you will surely need it with some of us.

Jim Croce said it well. Let's not spit into the wind, y'all.

[rwfromkansas]

"If Jim Rob wants us to be nice here, then I would think that God either wants us to be nice or wants us not to post. What do you think?"

Good point.

I am just a stickler for using predestined and foreordained as different categories, but certainly predestination is the term used for the view of any fatalist view of life of any kind by most people, but theologically, foreordained refers to God's overall providence or determination of acts outside of salvation (though you could say salvation was foreordained probably as well). Predestination refers to salvation being appointed only.

[P-Marlowe]

Predestination refers to salvation being appointed only.

Which (as you know) is where I disagree.

good night.

[RnMomof7]

I believe what I said was that the question of the continued existence of the Religion Forum was very much up in the air. I also mentioned "outer darkness". Think Smoky Back Room before complete and total elimination.

Putting God (the religion forum ) in the Smokey back room as if He is the crazy aunt we hide in the attic or as something to hide is disgracefully . The "religious right" supported GWB and now we are afraid that the same voters wil "embarrass" them ? It this forum should go it will be the will of God not men ...men only think they are god

[DouglasKC]

While that is admirable you however overlook or negate His willingness to take a stand for the truth in spite of the fallout. In some instances this same Christ called the religious leaders of his days "whitewashed tombs" or a "brood of vipers" because of what they taught or how they acted. I have a feeling our Lord would not have passed your criteria either.

I believe that Christ knew the hearts and minds of people. He knew that specific religious leaders were "whitewashed tombs" or from a "brood of vipers". It wasn't based on just what they taught, but he knew them spiritually and was able to judge correctly. We are not blessed with the same degree of discernment as he.

[RnMomof7]

If not, I'll leave it there on this thread, as I feel its appropriate. I think your statement, that Free Republic is embarrassed by religious debate, is the bottom line, and was the primary reason the Religion Forum Ghetto was created.

Agreed.

[RnMomof7]

Well if they posted the correspondence between Luther and Erasmus they would shut down the forum..Heck if Jesus came and posted His rebuke to the Pharisees it would be moved to the smokey back room

[rwfromkansas]

Yes.

Goodnight.

[RnMomof7]

You are a mouse that can live in my house anytime :>)

The only thing on the yellow line is road kill

[rwfromkansas]

There is such a thing as righteous anger though. When something attacks God, you should be angry.

[Sidebar Moderator]

You've missed the point completely. So have a few others, obviously.

It's not God who is embarrassing Free Republic. It is some of those who come here to discuss God and theology. Nor will God be consigned to the Smoky Back Room, as if we could do that in the first place.

Those who refuse to learn how to discuss God and theology without the use of ad hominums, insults, name-calling and other unpleasant tactics won't be around long.

[rwfromkansas]

True. Luther was rather direct.

[drstevej]

The whole 16th and 17th centuries were rather direct!

Some of the tract titles alone would be grounds for suspension here. There was one that went something like this

Seven Sharp arrows drawn from the quiver of God's word and surely fired into the blasphemous hearts of the infidels who teach....

It went on for almost a page! And that was only the title.

[HairOfTheDog]

Putting God (the religion forum ) in the Smokey back room as if He is the crazy aunt we hide in the attic or as something to hide is disgraceful...

Not God.... just some of his less courteous followers. :~D

I'd be willing to bet that the threads that get moved to the smokey backroom actually have very little worthy of 'God' in them.

[Gamecock]

See, it takes threats to bring RCs and Calvinists together.