Posted on 05/14/2008 9:06:42 AM PDT by Religion Moderator
In late April, markomalley and gamecock made a trial run at a respectful dialog category for threads on the Religion Forum. The trial failed due to the inability of the posters to agree on what is or is not respectful. Then in early May, several other posters appealed for the elimination of posts which seek to tear down other posters beliefs (iconoclasm.)
Meanwhile, the situation on the Religion Forum has been exacerbated by posters on the News/Activism forum inadvertently being exposed to religious debate as a result of choosing the everything option on browse instead of the News/Activism option.
In response to the pleas for a respectful dialog and/or the elimination of iconoclasm (attacks on other peoples beliefs) Im opening the floor for trial postings of a new type of semi-open thread which we shall call ecumenic.
Unlike the caucus threads, any poster could reply to an ecumenic thread. And the article on which an ecumenic thread is based could include contrasts and challenges of other beliefs. However, on the ecumenic thread, the poster must not argue against any other beliefs. He can only argue for what he believes or ask questions.
While we test this new type of thread, be sure to tag every article so that posters will know when to avoid a thread. The tags during this trial run are prayer devotional caucus ecumenic or open.
Devotional threads are closed to debate of any kind.
Caucus threads are closed to any poster who is not a member of the caucus. If it says Catholic Caucus and you are not Catholic, do not post to the thread. However, if the poster of the caucus welcomes you, I will not boot you from the thread.
Ecumenic threads in this trial run are closed to all anti arguments. Posters who try to tear down others beliefs or use subterfuge to accomplish the same goal are the disrupters on ecumenic threads and will be booted from the thread and/or suspended.
Open threads are a town square posters may argue for or against beliefs of any kind. They may tear down other's beliefs. They may ridicule, similar to the Smoky Backroom with the exception that a poster must never make it personal. Reading minds and attributing motives are forms of making it personal. Thin-skinned posters will be booted from open threads because in the town square, they are the disrupters.
When you see a post which is inappropriate for an ecumenic thread, ping me. Do not bother the Admin Moderators with an abuse report unless the situation requires immediate attention.
NO!
After nothingness comes bupkis. Then what do you have?
Is there a "Whiney Tree" out there someplace?
You have quoted my telling of it, but the lesson is from Iscool.
Geneva
John 15: 2, 4-5, 8, 16
2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
Matt. 7: 16-20
16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
Luke 6: 43-44
43 For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
44 For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes.
It was unkind and untrue. That you could say it speaks more about you than about anything else.
That’d be it (though I probably would have posted 15:2-16, but anyway, I skipped my chance).
Do Mormons use a particular translation of the Bible I might know, or something unique to you?
Good luck with the above.
Nada?
You might want to check out post 505. Pretty explicit.
Nada, sure.
As my dear, long-suffering wife well knows, I am fond of referring to “The Empty Set.”
LOL
I know a lot of people who don't like him. It may be unkind to say so, but it is not untrue. He is very easily unliked.
I suppose I am too.
Do you like me?
I'm not sure if "silly" is the appropriate term but I agree with your statement. Not to discuss these fundamental issues of faith seems to go against one of the fundamental commands of Christianity-that we grow in our faith until we achieve the "unity" of faith.
I have learned a great deal about everyone's faith not from the quiet threads where we all agree, but from the threads where we do get rowdy. What we all could grow in is a bit more love in how we express things (myself included). But even this is something that we can only learn by being challenged in our walk.
Figs from thistles, and all that.
I personally adore you.
Those days are gone. I am stating clearly that you have lost something amongst your Protestant brethren. Many of the cooler, more thoughtful voices don't post any more. Collectively, you have allowed a few strident voices to overpower your Christian message, forever altering my perception of non-Catholic Christians. You may argue with my words, but in the end you cannot change my perceptions.
*******************
This was my experience as well. I was thinking about it over the last few days. It's very, very unfortunate.
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