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

Self | 1-22-04 | Sidebar Moderator

[Desdemona]

Too bad I'm allergic to reds. Oh, well.

[Quester]

Let's say that someone - anyone - continues to be a Christian against all available evidence. It seems to me that we have some Biblical instruction about that very situation, something about "shaking the dust from your sandals".

Hey ... you're good!

May God be with you as you take on this challenge.

If I read you right (maybe between the lines), you are the reason why the Religious Forum still exists.

Thank-you.

[Quester]

This sounds good. I just hope I'm not the first one to run afoul of it.

I'm sorry, but the opportunity you speak of has been filled.

[Sidebar Moderator]

Ooops! Should have read...

If you read the post in question you will have noticed that the comments just before the remarks about Mohammed constituted an extremely personal offensive comment. That is not allowed. Period.

[Sidebar Moderator]

See #280, as corrected by #286.

[Sidebar Moderator]

Thank you. Carry on.

[Revelation 911]

technical question

what is the ruling regarding the creation of threads limited to a particular faith/theology group - by that faith group

are non members of that faith/theology group allowed to participate & post to such threads

I would question limited participation threads unless all contained a caveat to the lurker and non conforming poster indicating it was applicable to only a particular faith group

I think the argument could be made that each of us could speak regarding our faith (on dedicated threads) without concern for devolving aspects and potential disruption.

IMO some would say it's exclusionary - but other threads would remain where mutual conversation could occur -

I think this would solve much (again IMO)

your thoughts?

[malakhi]

calling someone a heretic, especially done without any qualifiers, is, shall we say, confrontational and at Free Republic, such is taken almost universally as an invitation to "war". On the other hand, couching your objection to another's tenet as a question wondering about its orthodoxy - clearly seeking clarification - is another thing entirely.

If I may elaborate, its all in how you say it. There is a world of difference between saying "YOU HERETIC!" vs. "according to the beliefs of my church/denomination/religion, doctrine X is considered heretical". One is making a judgment and a declaration of absolute truth. The other is expressing an opinion.

[Polycarp IV]

If I drink wine from a box with a spigot, am I Anathema too?

Good Lord, man. I used to admire you. Please don't disillusion me anymore.

It was only a rhetorical question. Honest!

And I've heard even the best wines are going to screw top bottles now, so I still won't have to buy one of those new fangled two handled brushed aluminum and pearl space age cork screws.

[philosofy123]

"...make Disciples of all Nations...",

That is the essence of all religions. Their methodology for gaining more membership of the club of us against them attitude has been to get a brownie point if you bring converts in. Moslems have managed to do well in this area. Christians have done good for hundreds of years converting others by force/intimidation, or bribes to Christianity. Now, thank God, we know better. We found that soft sell is better!

If you want my opinion, as a Christian, I would rather live my life according to Jesus example; humble/meek/forgiving/loving, and the last thing on my mind would be to witness to others! They can see that you are my disciples if you love one another?

[TradicalRC]

Sometimes it is difficult to distinguish some of the GSP from some of the GOP. Careful.

[Desdemona]

Well, at least they're not selling strawberry Riuniti.

[Ex-Wretch]

One is making a judgment and a declaration of absolute truth. The other is expressing an opinion.

Can't you just say "then IMHO YOU ARE A HERETIC" cutting to the chase and all.

[TradicalRC]

Thanks for the warning. Forewarned is fore-armed. (Or is it four-armed?)

[Catholicguy]

I KNEW you'd bring that up. Neo-vinophile. And you call yourself a "trad."

BTW, I delivered that line with a haughty sniff.

[TradicalRC]

Pig latin is quite acceptable. However, is there any pig greek for our eastern orthodox brethren? Or dare I suggest pig Hebrew? Is that an oxymoron? And where does that leave Noah's son, Ham? The mind reels.

[polemikos]

I have a question for you.

Some further clarifications would be appreciated. For example...

1 - Some in this forum make fun of the pope. Or they mock the pope. Or they ascribe to themselves pope-like attributes, I suppose in a lame attempt at humor. I find this highly offensive. But is it abuse? What if they do so on their profile page, but not in a particular thread?

2 - Offense by replication/omission. In a post, another Freeper calls the SBM an old C.S.-S.O.B. I reply that I don't think the SBM is that old. Is it abuse to quote the original offensive remark? Is it abuse to inadequately anathematize the offensive behavior?

3 - Someone makes an argument that is fallacious. Is it an offense to point out that the comment is fallacious? What if it is an argumentum ad ignorantiam fallacy, a well-known fallacy type? Is saying that an argument is an "Argument From Ignorance" too offensive?

4 - My tagline ascribes a bad result to a foundational aspect of Protestant theology. I believe it is fully, factually, and truthfully supportable. Is it offensive? Some would probably say yes. But is it an offense?

5 - Pulled punches - Lots of folks make offensive remarks and then use a smileyface or </sarcasm> tag to try and get it by. For example, "As a broad-church Anglican, you must love to use the back door ;-)" Is this an offense?

Enquiring minds want to know.

[RnMomof7]

You are aware of the "Forums (Browse All)" option?

That is not the point.

The point is that spirited debate that marked the historic church is an embarrassment to the political culture today . Anyone that has his ears burned by some posts , simply do not need to read them (as in the ignore the forum by not opening it :>)

Hey is the NES going to be held to the same standards or are you still going to have a pretty much Mod free thread??