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Locked on 01/26/2004 9:33:25 AM PST by Sidebar Moderator, reason:
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Posted on 01/22/2004 6:34:29 PM PST by Sidebar Moderator
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:
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.
Well, there wasn't much of a list in 67 AD when he and St. Peter, our first pope were both executed. But, as to the various roles that people serve in the body of the Church;
1 Corinthians 28. "And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues."
Various popes have served in all those capacities throughout history, though I imagine the gifts of administration would be essential to their official capacity.
Speaking of the Body of the Church, we had some applicable readings on that today at mass.
Our good Freeper, Salvation is kind enough to post daily mass readings here on Free Republic. Not only is it a blessing to Catholics and other interested Christians, but it has served to help dismiss the false myth that Catholics don't read the Holy Bible.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1064870/posts
However, please read your Catechism citations one more time and explain to me the difference between the use of the words "on" and "of". Please note especially the careful wording of #552. A cursory reading might lead you to believe the Church was built on Peter. Such is not the case.
Well..... ya sure cudda fooled ME!!
I can see where it IS a bit hard trying to uphold your unscriptural temple rites, after one has taken a vow not to discuss them outside of the 'faithful'.
Is this considered 'inflammatory'?
I grew up in that organization. Hmmmm. Must be saved.
BTW I was asking the catholic if he thought it was possible to be saved if you weren't a catholic and had no intention of ever being one. He didn't answer. He referred me to a web site where, upon quick glance, it appears that it would be impossible for me to be saved unless I submitted to the authority of the Roman Catholic Church.
Well that's just peachy fine with me, if they want to think that. I just think that if someone questions their salvation that they don't go running and crying to the moderator every time the subject comes up. Obviously AT LEAST one of us is wrong. So if we want to seek the truth, then we have to risk the possiblity that we are going to be offended when we hear it.
Then let's DO this.
One account is from Matthew, one from Luke. So, I don't know how it is possible to put them into chronic logical order. I stated them in an order which makes logical sense, and I'm not a biblical scholar or familiar with what they say on this subject.
If you want to believe it is James, so be it. That's one of the things that is different between you and me.
Objective Freepers can read our exchange and decide for themselves as well.
Shalom
Is this anything like Jumbo Shrimp or
Military Intelligence?
Sure you merely mean 'myth'; for a 'false myth' would equal truth!
Doubt...is daring the soul to go beyond what the eyes have plainly read.
Food for thought:
Remember, in this man Peter, the rock. He’s the one, you see, who on being questioned by the Lord about who the disciples said he was, replied, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’ On hearing this, Jesus said to him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon Bar Jona, because flesh and blood did not reveal it to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you’...’You are Peter, Rocky, and on this rock I shall build my Church, and the gates of the underworld will not conquer her. To you shall I give the keys of the kingdom. Whatever you bind on earth shall also be bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth shall also be loosed in heaven’ (Mt 16:15 - 19). In Peter, Rocky, we see our attention drawn to the rock. Now the apostle Paul says about the former people, ‘They drank from the spiritual rock that was following them; but the rock was Christ’ (1 Cor 10:4). So this disciple is called Rocky from the rock, like Christian from Christ.
"Why have I wanted to make this little introduction? In order to suggest to you that in Peter the Church is to be recognized. Christ, you see, built his Church not on a man but on Peter’s confession. What is Peter’s confession? ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’ There’s the rock for you, there’s the foundation, there’s where the Church has been built, which the gates of the underworld cannot conquer (John Rotelle, O.S.A., Ed., The Works of Saint Augustine (New Rochelle: New City Press, 1993), Sermons, Volume III/6, Sermon 229P.1, p. 327).
Maybe, but I doubt it is a mischarateriztion
"Hyprocrisy" is your false charge.
No, it's self-evident. How many "Servetus" threads have you posted on?
Your use of my phrase "poisoned bait" implies that when I post on a thread (especially if it is deemed to be "gleefully"), that should be considered the poison.
No, as usual you have it wrong. My use of your phrase, "poisen bait", was used as a comparison to when you and your ilk post historical commentaries on John Calvin. If I acted like you I would cry to the moderators that these commentaries were "poisen bait" against Calvinism. Since I prefer not to act with such peruile behavior I do not cry to the Mods.
This post is not one where the abuse button should be pushed. It does not "rise to that level", but it is inappropriate.
If it is inppropriate then the abuse button should be pushed. You seem confused. If the Mods want to employ a form of Mormon legalism then I suppose they will act.
See how you mislead and distort truth!
SM This is the kind of example the LDS has to endur these smear and hate fill buzzed words to attract others to have contempt for the LDS!
Minds like these were respondsible for the LDS to be driven from one state to another to live under duress and the fear of extermination!
The rest of the post is fine: you cut and pasted the comment to which you were replying, and you stated your objection to the facts as represented. Presumably the next thing to happen would be for each of you to present documentation or citation to prove one case or the other.
The comments I have italicized do nothing but continue personal attacks.
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