Is The Religion Forum Working?

9/9/2002 | PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Why all the seperatition of late, are we afraid to debate each other any more?

BigMack

[George W. Bush]

I do believe that most people do not give such things a thought That is one of the values of religious threads IMHO Sometimes seeing a title will make someone think.

Agreed.

Some of the lesser amount of activity probably has to do with families and others getting back fully to the school/work schedule of the school year. I think late spring, summer and early fall are the slowest times for FR partly because FReepers are a bit outdoorsy and tend to get out and do things. This is across the board, not just in the Religion forum. We have a lot of parents with kids at home on these fora and we do have to compete with school events as well.

I expect that, even with the current and entirely predictable complacence among Republicans and even among conservatives given that "we" hold the White House, we'll still probably see some pickup around election time and people spending more time around here as the weather keeps them from outside more often and as the full political season gets underway. I know I'm much more active in the colder months. Think about it. If the Battle For Floriduh had been fought in the summer months, would anyone have showed up? OF COURSE THEY WOULD! Well, I like to think so but have a few nagging doubts.

As far as some of the other noticable ebb and tide in religious threads, sometimes it has to do with events in the real world (controversial statements or actions by celebrity Christians of all denominations or the actions of some denominational organization or a media attack on some denomination like the church of Rome or Southern Baptists.

And, from time to time, some of us feel our theological battery has run down a bit and that we've repeated ourselves so many times on a particular issue that we save ourselves the effort of typing the same old responses yet one more time and forcing someone else to parse them yet one more time, in short, the lack of anything new to say on the subject. Hey, it happens even to FReepers.

[George W. Bush]

My problem with the religious forum is that I do not particularly enjoy discussions of Calvinism, What is wrong with the RC Curch, or why Mormonism is a one way ticket to Satan's Eternal Resort.

HERETIC!

[F16Fighter]

"...Lots of news forums but not many good religious forums."

Many forums arguably overlap into both catagories, but part of the problem or lack of passion at FR began, as some have noted when it's hierarchy balkanized the format into specific bits and pieces instead of the smorgasbord menu of topics of its old format.

Was this done to prevent "controversial" religion-based threads off the main board in order for FR to not be perceived on the outside as "extreme far-right Christian" website? Arguably so IMO.

[L,TOWM]

>>>>hope that is true<<<<

So, what, I'm lying? Get a grip, man.

[L,TOWM]

>>>>>HERETIC!<<<<<<

Funny, I was expecting "BLASPHEMY"...

[11th Earl of Mar]

I am not convinced that the few comments sent to you claiming that these pious food-fights brought them to the Lord could be considered a trend.

[L,TOWM]

>>>>>these pious food-fights brought them to the Lord<<<<<<<

I was claiming something quite different. The threads on the old "everything gets posted here" forum produced many chances to debate on the existence of God and his nature. I am aware of more than one FReeper that either came to faith or rekindled their faith based on things posted on those threads.

Trend? Hardly. But it is worth it to me if only one person comes to Saving Faith. It is also worth it to me if the posting that goes on follows the Jeremiah model.

In this forum, you are quite correct; inter doctrinal "food fights", Wanna Be Pharisees saying the same thing over and over to each other. Not my cup of tea--I'll work on those that don't even have an idea that Jesus is the answer.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

My problem with the religious forum is that I do not particularly enjoy discussions of Calvinism, What is wrong with the RC Curch, or why Mormonism is a one way ticket to Satan's Eternal Resort

What do you enjoy discussing as far as religion?

Becky

[xzins]

Can you believe that xzing, deck, Jude and I are on the "same side"??:>)

That was to codie, but let me dip in here a bit.

It is too weird for words....and Jude is as puzzled as you and I. (But Jude is cleaning a few clocks over on the church/israel thread.)

Don't forget ftd....you're on the same side as ftD.

And Winston is opposite me (and here I thought we were long separated identical twins.)

[jude24]

A sign of the Apocalypse???? ;-)

[jude24]

Well, I've generally not been party to a lot of the Religion forum discussions because they can be pretty time-consuming, and between junior-year chemistry work, involvement in Campus Crusade, and so forth, I don't have time to jump in every debate where the truth is already being ably presented.

Nor do I enjoy debate for debate's sake. One thing which deeply concerns me about the debates I see is the inherent assumption several parties have; viz, that anyone who has a minor theological quarrel is obviously either not saved or apostate. I'm not talking about anything fundamental, like whether or not the Book of Mormon is canonical (obviously, I think not), but smaller things. I'm a Calvinist, no bones about it, but I'm not gonna sit here in judgment and say that the Arminians are necessarily apostate, and the Calvinists not. Its just not the case. Similarly, there are those on this board who consider me apostate beacause I do not use the King James version of the Bible, but rather have an NASB on my desk now.

I've gone toe-to-toe with those on my own side of an issue who I've thought gone overboard with ad hominem arguments, and I'll do it again, if necessary.

But I'm not adverse to open discussions of theological issues here -- God knows that it really helped me in my own walk. Ask RnMomof7, she and I both were a year and a half ago as devoted to the free-will position as anyone else on this board. But our objections were consistently answered -- so now I love and cherish the doctrine I raged against in my teenage years.

[xzins]

The 4 horsemen.....jude, rn, x, ftD

And it's FOOTBALL season.

[11th Earl of Mar]

inter doctrinal "food fights", Wanna Be Pharisees saying the same thing over and over to each other. Not my cup of tea--I'll work on those that don't even have an idea that Jesus is the answer.

Well said. I agree.

[fortheDeclaration]

A sign of the Apocalypse???? ;-)

Can't be, the Christians haven't been 'caught up' with the Lord yet! :>)

[fortheDeclaration]

Can you believe that xzing, deck, Jude and I are on the "same side"??:>) That was to codie, but let me dip in here a bit. It is too weird for words....and Jude is as puzzled as you and I. (But Jude is cleaning a few clocks over on the church/israel thread.) Don't forget ftd....you're on the same side as ftD. And Winston is opposite me (and here I thought we were long separated identical twins.)

Now this could be sign of the Apocalypse!

[xzins]

Now this could be sign of the Apocalypse!

maybe that's why we went to alert level orange!

[fortheDeclaration]

Now this could be sign of the Apocalypse! maybe that's why we went to alert level orange!

LOL! Amen!

[Federalist#34]

I've been on list servers, bulletin boards, chat rooms, etc... - the ones dealing with religion tend to be some of the most exasperating, and I'm not entirely sure why.

I'm a Reformed Baptist, committed to the doctrines of grace and the resulting priority of making disciples, building strong Churches featuring Biblical fellowship and accountability, loving the saints and impacting all things in the culture for the sake of His Name.

I'm not always convinced that these forums accomplish any of these things. So many of the arguments are circular, and since very few people online seem to be interested in following any kind of fair debating principles, one's skill at presenting truth isn't really honed either.

What I think an online forum CAN be useful for, is for like-minded believers to be able to encourage one another in truth, share burdens and otherwise enjoy one another's friendship. Now, ideally, all these things happen in the local church, and this or a similar forum shouldn't be seen as a replacement for THAT, but it can be an enjoyable supplement to it. I do believe that in these dark times, an emerging remnant is beginning to stand out as a bright lamp, espousing many of the themes I mention above. I think the Net is a useful tool in that regard, helping a lot of people network and share helpful teaching tools. Some have been able to find Biblical churches they didn't know existed, as a result.

I would much prefer to interact on here with other like-minded individuals in a collegial manner, rather than to get into just another pointless argument with some Arminian or rabid dispensationalist with his brain switched off.

Is there any forum here or otherwise available for THAT?

[RnMomof7]

Was this done to prevent "controversial" religion-based threads off the main board in order for FR to not be perceived on the outside as "extreme far-right Christian" website? Arguably so IMO.

I agree ...it was a PC move...Funny though I USED to read almost every thread..no more. I come to the getto now that is about it unless I am flagged or decide to go uptown (to the BIG time News Forum) for a visit

I note a real loss of diversity on that forum when I go and some pretty dumb "news" articles. I think the expression is " dumbed down"

ya know the folks that post on the religious forum are some pretty smart folks...This is not a forum of "backwater illiterates"...some Biblethumpers that know nothing else

Most of the posters on the Religion forum are well informed and highly motivated citizens...( that now post alot less on the news forum:>)

[RnMomof7]

What happens is people see what they THINK they believe misstated or not understood...so they do web searches and get in their bibles and look where they have not looked in years..

Was the council at Trent a food fight?Dort?

Men met and discussed and hammered out doctrine..Today the ordinary man can do that on the internet..

I think it is awesome and a time of reflection and growth..

Any time someone is moved to pick up the word of God it is an opportunity for the Holy Spirit to work...