What should this WORLD AFFAIRS section look like?

[Stan]

This is among the highest, if not the highest, complaint sorce forum, of people asking me to STOP someone or STOP someone else from saying/doing/meaning etc.

What would you like to see this look like?

{deleted a lot of comments and ideas here]

[Bravus]

OK, I'll probably get accused of 'hating America' or something (I really don't), but one thing that would actually help a lot is more news from parts of the world other than the USA. And basically, rest-of-the-worlders, that means we've been falling down on the job. I hereby pledge to try to redress the balance by raising topics on other parts of the world.

[Dr. Shane]

I guess I just don't understand why people that don't want to discuss current events or politics come into this forum. If it is closed, such discussions are going to pop up in other forums. At least this way the controversial threads are kept in one place. Perhaps moving it to another section like "Hangin' Out" would reduce the number of complaints.

As it is, I am grateful to be able to participate in the exchange of ideas with other Adventists even though we do not agree. It is healthy for me to get various prespectives from others that hold the same religious beliefs I do.

[Nicodema]

No cheerleading for corruption or for the beast (or its forerunner ilk). No calling something "bashing" or "hate" just because someone seeks to objectively discuss something they feel is wrong. No spin, and no calling dialogue from an opposing view "spin" just because you disagree with it. Spin is spin; disagreement is disagreement.

No pro-establishment propaganda.

That's at least what I DON'T want to see ...

More realistic portrayal of the place of "power" nations in this world instead of idealistic cheerleading for Big Brother. Overall, better signal-to-noise ratio. And like Bravus suggested, more news items from the rest of the world, not just the USA.

[Michelle]

In response to Bravus, since the majority of non-USA'ers on this forum are from Canada or Australia and they already have their own place for news from their countries, this forum just seems to be the place for the US news sites. Perhaps a place for US news/politics separate from world affairs might be good. I often come across interesting news from my neck of the woods but usually assume that no one would really be interested, since there seems to be a bias toward the "big three" on this board.

M

[Dr. Shane]

Let me correct myself.

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Perhaps moving it to another section like "Hangin' Out" would reduce the number of complaints.

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I meant could, not would <img src="/ubbtreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

[aka]

World Affairs forum sector has produced some hot political correctness type comments leading to debating, which got into at times more of a I-am-right-you-are-wrong power struggle.

What Nico listed in her above message was a very good sizing up with good solutions for change.

I appreciated her comments.

Having a USA Today Forum separate from World Happenings Forum is what I would vote for if asked.

Encouraging the members to look more for articles of human interest items is what I'd vote for, too. Their messages showing how others have been humanitarily helped in some way would be nice to read about.

It is still a part of cutting edge reporting what is going on in USA and the World, to draw attention to political issues affecting one or the other's area mentioned. Or mass crises. Or nature catastrophies causing mass deaths. However, I would be against reading messages on serial killers, infancide, pedeophiles, rapists, arsenists and reporting on all the criminal elements out there. The headlines are full of Satan's acts of 10 commandment-breaking through humans first off when logging on newscast reports to read online.

Why is it important at CAdventist to propogate reports of evil?

What appeals to me are lists of statistics on trends in each country if the world. Or of religious stats on beliefs comparisions, or stats on human customs or personal habits. I mentioned how reports of someone breaking the 10 commandments bothers me. However, all the messages that sometimes show up online about the various ethnic cultural happenings like e.g HonorKillings, did catch my interest.

Turmeric

[Dr. Shane]

In the political world there is a lot of fear and hatred out there. As a result there are a lot of fear and hate mongers. It is easy to get sucked into these groups. That is why the KKK was so successful for so long and why Hitler was able to gain power.

If Adventists refuse to discuss the tactics of these fear and hate mongers, they will go unchallednged in our circles. Adventists tend not to shy away from the tough subjects. Adventists tend to want to see and expose the truth for what it is. Before becoming a member here I use to listen to a lot of right-wing comentators without challenging anything they said. Now, thanks to many of you, I am very suspicious of what is being said by both sides of the political spectrum.

I do not favor censorship except when personal insults, vulgarity or extreame crudeness are being used. I have no problem if someone wants to suggest that a public figure is a hate monger as long as they are willing to have their opinion challenged. Free and open discussion, without personal insults or vulgarity, is the key to expsoing falshood and examining truth.

When we say "You can't say this" and "You can't say that" we are trying to contain ideas. That is not done in other forums like EG White or Bible and Theology. We allow people to come in all day long and challenge our beliefs from creation to the state of the dead to the Sabbath and Ellen White. If we allow such people leeway in those areas, why would we want to contain their ideas in this forum?

Not everyone enjoys discussing current events. Some people hate even listening about politics. Their televisions are never tuned to news channels or CSPAN. Some hate watching programs like CNN's Crossfire or Hannity & Combs because they don't like to see people passionately challenging each other. Here at C/A we have forums for all kinds of interests. One should expect that in a forum for those interested in current events and politics there will be passionate discussion. So if one doesn't like passionate discussion, why would they instist on coming into that forum?

[Neil D]

I guess what I am about to post should have a "should be" in place of all the "is"es.....

This is a listening/education/personal issues center...

It is an area where one learns first and foremost about various areas around the world. This center should educate those of us who are NOT in that area of the world.

Since the majority of the people here are Canadians, Australians and US citizens, those areas are to be represented by those citizens in thier various areas of their country. They should be reflecting the views of thier people and make personal commentary plain from the views of the countryside. Cultural misunderstandings are paramount here, please be careful as to what you are communicating. It may be caught as something different. "Nursing" in Oz is different in meaning than in American.

Other nations should be prepresented as time and place permit. Right now, I wish we had someone from Somalia, Rowanda, and other parts of Africa represented in this forum.

This is a center for ideas to be tried and discussed. Politics, while divisive, can also benefit the many if given the chance to root and grow.

This is a center for education. Many of us have not majored in medicine or education or various envioromental studies. We benefit by learning from others in their unique area of intrest.

This is a center for applied Adventism, with emphasis on mercy and justice. [The bible says that these two concepts have kissed each other]. While this is where the rubber meets the road, it is an area of respect. Disagreements are inevitable...respect is not. Balaam's ass had more respect for Balaam than Balaam for his ass. Therefore,it is recommended to be his ass, but dont be a Balaam.

This is a personal issues area. Many ideas are presented wholesale by political groups adapted by individuals who do have not the oppertunities to see other educational ideas. Please be patient with these people and explain with clarity and patience why the idea will or will not work.

Well, that is my idea. Adapt accordingly.