Conservatives are drawn to Free Republic where we find many other like-minded voters and we collaborate on our activism.
But there are differences among conservatives.
For instance, whether on-thread or off-thread, it was normal for “young earth creationists” to meet and discuss their experiences and plans for responding to the “evolutionists” who also meet on-thread or off-thread. The same claims are made and rebutted seemingly without end so there is a tendency to look for the best and worst arguments, when to respond, when to ignore, etc.
No doubt the two sides in the ongoing disputes over the “war of Northern aggression” do the same. Also, the fair tax debate and so on.
Evidently the longer and deeper the dispute the more likely the posters on the opposing sides will collaborate.
And that is also true in religious debate and for the same reasons.
But I draw the line at “making it personal.” The collaboration is fine as long as it deals with the issues, the decorum, the experiences, the plans. But it is not tolerable for any side to “gang up” on another Freeper as if to try and have him banned, suspended or silenced.
So is sin.
:-)
Thanks for the thoughts.
My point is that there is collaboration to "drive them nuts". This was NOT about Forum rules or propriety but adduced in the face of assertions from the other side that they just love us to pieces and, outside of their ministry to the lurkers, they only have our best interests at heart. I'm sure that's true of some of them. I have reason to believe it is not true of all of them, especially in the face of frank statements that the style of response is determined not by the argument or the person being responded to but in the interests of the poor lurkers who without being watched night and day might fall into the slough of Romanism.
AND, I wasn't in general appealing to FR/RM/Religion Forum rules, excellent though they be. I was appealing to an older legislation.
Sounds like a wise, fitting and functionally manageable boundary.
I Love to see Holy Spirit’s wisdom in your management of this herd of cats.
Congrats.
I have never known anyone to consciously gang up on any Catholic FReeper. Sounds like a good idea though (LOL) Just kidding.