Closing down VOAF

[Fran]

Quote:

---

Topic: Closing down VOAF

Paul Lee

Administrator posted July 31, 2004 22:01

------------------------------------------------------------Dear posters.

I am seriously considering closing down this forum since it is not achieving its original intended purpose.

The stated purpose is clearly outlined on the main forum page -

http://www.online-adventist.org

. I have posted notices about this problem in the administrative forum in 2001. "..Purpose of VOAF was not to provide opportunity for gossip, different agendas, bash SDA church, its leaders, its beliefs or to sway people from the church..."

This problem has acutely surfaced and increased in the last 6 months. Individuals with negative attitudes, bashing the church, EGW, our beliefs are a little more clever now, seeding doubts into the readers with subtle "questions". I was hoping that the positive minded individuals would contribute as much and offset the negative attitude. But that is not happening and the negatives are winning.

---

http://online-adventist.org/ubb/Forum2/HTML/000539.html

[aka]

Excellent step of decision in Paul Lee's life, if he'd only follow through on it.

I am all for him chucking his leadership of that VOAF.

It must be terribly dissatisfying for him to have it dangling from his neck.

He is far better served just doing his airplane projects.

I am throughly convinced he should sell his shares to Bruce Nelson or Doug Meister and let those two guys take it over.

... or offer it as a whole package to J.R. Layman

[Gail]

Hear hear

[Joe_in_RP]

Why would anyone go anyplace else ?

How many of these do we need?

How much time is spent on all of these forums?

[Fran]

I would sure like to see it stay. It is a place where people can go and feel comfortable. I have read some good posts.

Different Strokes for different folks. I go to all of the Forums because each is different and I enjoy them all.

I have a special place in my heart for Maritime. We adopted 4 children from Labrador, which is supposed to be Newfoundland. However, if you ask someone from Quebec, they will say they are the rightful owners! We lived in Labrador for several years.

While there we started a church; we Bible studied with 52 people; every house in Happy Valley & Goose Bay received Steps to Christ with a Bible study offer; we adopted 4 Eskimo children. I have very dear memories of Labrador.

I hope it stays alive.

[Gail]

Being an administrator of such a board is not an easy job

I hope that Paul Lee has some moral support. There are some people out there who tend to tear down rather than build up

[Anitavj]

Hi Gail, is tearing down and building up a characteristic of posters on VOAF or human being posters in general? Somehow I wonder if you thought that point through thoroughly enough before posting it? Sorry, just my thoughts.

[Gail]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr />

Hi Gail, is tearing down and building up a characteristic of posters on VOAF or human being posters in general? Somehow I wonder if you thought that point through thoroughly enough before posting it? Sorry, just my thoughts.

<hr /></blockquote><font class="post">

Not quite sure what you are getting at, Anita.

What I was saying was that it is hard on administrators (and probably everyone else, too) when some members are constantly posting negative comments. I mean, we all make mistakes sometimes and most of us tolerate the odd oops without too much problem, but there are those out there who seem to be miserable on a consistent basis.

I can relate to the message given by Paul Lee. I'm not sure how much people realise how stressful it can be on an owner or administrator of a board to watch their creation feature rudeness when that wasn't the purpose they created it for.

And, yes, comments can either build up or tear down. I have talked to many disheartened members here enough to know that they CAN be affected for positive or negative by what they read

[Anitavj]

Thank you Gail, your clarification made clearer what you meant and does not seem as though you felt that only VOAF had negative posters. I did wonder.

[Guest]

Quote:

---

Being an administrator of such a board is not an easy job

I hope that Paul Lee has some moral support. There are some people out there who tend to tear down rather than build up

---

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Gail did you ever consider that those you feel are "tearing down" are showing by their action a new level of love you haven't reached yet? The SOP tells "that love has a twin sister, which is duty". And there is no way you, or any other administrator knows the duty of another. And to suppress that is serious business.

[Gail]

Well, that may be true, Ed, but in some cases it's a hard thing to try and discern the love there. If something can be said it can be done without ridicule and putdowns

The kind of thing that was mentioned in Lee's message was the slamming of EGW and the church, etc. I can understand someone speaking up against a wrong principle but I cannot see where any personal attack benefits anyone

[Gail]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr />

Gail did you ever consider that those you feel are "tearing down" are showing by their action a new level of love you haven't reached yet? The SOP tells "that love has a twin sister, which is duty". And there is no way you, or any other administrator knows the duty of another. And to suppress that is serious business.

<hr /></blockquote><font class="post">

Ed, do you feel that has been your experience?

[Guest]

Quote:

---

Quote:

---

Gail did you ever consider that those you feel are "tearing down" are showing by their action a new level of love you haven't reached yet? The SOP tells "that love has a twin sister, which is duty". And there is no way you, or any other administrator knows the duty of another. And to suppress that is serious business.

---

Ed, do you feel that has been your experience?

---

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

I believe a reformer is not a destroyer! If they are, that is the wrong approach. It is one thing to identify a problem, but if that is all that is offered without a solution, that too would be a curse.

[Gail]

Amen to that!

[Nicodema]

A second amen to that from me.

[aka]

Hi to ya WhiteEd,

From my observation over the years of reading at your website and scanning your various Forums postings, I see you are walking the narrow road to 'Glory'. I too want to be one of those who stay on that narrow-road as Ellen's vision described it. I believe in wisdom you will continue to listen to your brethren who caution you to show love in your messages along with the warning you are giving.

I believe you are a watchman on the wall warning the various members in the NewTheology era of our SDA.org people online for them to give up false teachings and wrong convictions. May God continue to bless you. I surely will pray for you and support your efforts. (Whatever happened to Adventbeliever? wasn't he also of the same voice?)

The VOAF dominate ones, who are semi-EGW-respectful, have taken the liberty to update her counsel to fit their present needs or view. Egoistically many have shown online so much of their mind of loop-holes in "how to interprete her" that I wonder why they even bother sticking around the SDA.org?...just out of habit? ....for the sake of the buddies attachments? .... or being double-agents of devil pawns for sowing discord among the brethern?

The weakness' of all of our five major SDA privately owned online Forums are well known by we veteran lurkers here. If the goals, stategy, rules and co-operation of all those five Forum members with the Forum leaders goes askew, then in most cases anarchy or insiped lukewarm attitude starts to rule in topics and messages. Cause/effect principle takes over.

I am for a coercive spiritual governmental rule of God's laws in my life.

When His laws are reigning in my will, so that I make decisions based on His plans or principles, I get on well in the Kingdom of God. In mini ways that applies also to the institute of my marriage, my commitment to a church group or even to my participation in some online Forum. As for the latter it must be clearly define just what the operational parameters are. Not some abstract nebulous wishful thinking private expectation but written concrete rules of engagement. Having moderators to enforce said Forum regulations helps lighten the burden of responsibility of the System Operator.

I still pray that Paul Lee makes the right choice for himself and his health sake.

Turmeric

[aka]

>>Why would anyone go anyplace else ?<<

Joe, from what angle of thought are you saying this?

Are you meaning to say…”why would anyone want to go anywhere else for SDA Forum participation otherwhere’s than to ClubAdventist?”

[aka]

Anitavj, “…does not seem as though you felt that only VOAF had negative posters.”

Certainly not. I love you over time more and more, Anita, because of your stand on matters. All because I read your posts over at VOAF. Volz also is a great believer and I would be so pleased to know where he might be posting online elsewhere again after he gets settled into his new project. Ulcia is a beautiful defender of our Faith. I am always glad to be around reading where she is.

I am so glad that those who are firm on our SDA foundation were courageous enough not to bury themselves in some tightlaced SDA Forum but go to the places where our brethern have kinks in their thinking and help them to get reading right Bible verses to their wrong teachings. And of course giving them the exposure to what our EW messenger of our Lord said on counsel to the topic subject that came up. Our Lord gave the ‘go out to them’ commission. Not to wait for ‘them’ to show up at our pharisaical-we-have-the-truth and sure are holy Forum. At such private closed Forums comes the work-over of the one who arrives who might have an imperfect view on a matter. If they don’t measure up after a spell, they can always get the boot out of the Forum with a quick ‘denial of access’ lock. The use of which has taken place accordance to the tolerance level of the administration. I understand the popularity of VOAF in it's broadness of allowing free speach. When not abused it is a condition I too need when participating in group dynamics.

Turmeric

[Gail]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr />

(Whatever happened to Adventbeliever? wasn't he also of the same voice?)

<hr /></blockquote><font class="post">

He is away for the summer, working. I really should try to email him and see how he is keeping...

[Stan]

I to get those thoughts Paul has from time to time. I am sure it will pass as well.

They are high ranked in some search engines and it would be a shame to close. Paul L has done a great job keeping things civil there, and with the exception of a few people there are some great posters.

Stan

[ChildofChrist]

Quote:

---

it would be a shame to close. Paul L has done a great job keeping things civil there, and with the exception of a few people there are some great posters.

---

I haven't gone there in over two and a half years. Yes, it would be a shame to let it 'die' due to a few bad apples. But the bashing turned me off months ago.

[Guest]

Quote:

---

Quote:

---

it would be a shame to close. Paul L has done a great job keeping things civil there, and with the exception of a few people there are some great posters.

---

I haven't gone there in over two and a half years. Yes, it would be a shame to let it 'die' due to a few bad apples. But the bashing turned me off months ago.

---

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Child I had much rather have a friend wound me sorely than have the kisses of an enemy. I was barefooted once as a boy of 12 and a bully in high school saw me downtown barefooted and stomped my big toe with boots on. The toe doubled in size. After a few days a trip to see the doctor was all that I knew to do back then. He wasted not one moment, he had a knife in his hand in a flash. I wanted to talk this thing through as I knew he was going to HURT ME! He never agreed to any talking, he stuck that knife in there and pushed the entire length of the toe ripping it open. Now I was hurt big time, but it was a GOOD HURT from the start, because it was from a friend. These wet sloppy kisses floating around these forums could be an enemys kiss, are you aware of that?

"Faithful [are] the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of

an enemy [are] deceitful. Chap. 27, Verse 6, [PRO].

[Peter]

Quote:

---

These wet sloppy kisses floating around these forums could be an enemys kiss, are you aware of that?

"Faithful [are] the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of

an enemy [are] deceitful. Chap. 27, Verse 6, [PRO].

---

I do not think many would agree with that kind of logic.

[LifeHiscost]

Quote:

---

These wet sloppy kisses floating around these forums could be an enemys kiss, are you aware of that?

"Faithful [are] the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of

an enemy [are] deceitful. Chap. 27, Verse 6, [PRO].

---

[:"red"]"Love...is ever ready to believe the best of every person." [/] 1 Cor 13:7 Amp

I don't believe that instruction excludes reformers.

Lift Jesus up!!

[Guest]

Quote:

---

Quote:

---

These wet sloppy kisses floating around these forums could be an enemys kiss, are you aware of that?

"Faithful [are] the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of

an enemy [are] deceitful. Chap. 27, Verse 6, [PRO].

---

[:"red"]"Love...is ever ready to believe the best of every person." [/] 1 Cor 13:7 Amp

I don't believe that instruction excludes reformers.

Lift Jesus up!!

---

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Life let’s look at the bible for sound instruction, even the ACTUAL VERSE verse you were using to make your point.

“Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all

things, endureth all things. Chap.” 1 Cor 13:7

Yes that is so true!!! Even a “reformer” is not “excluded” from this heaven sent instruction, they especially need heavens help when in “beareth all thing”, even when seeing Gods words distorted in such a translation you choose to use. They even need heavens help in “believeth all things” to know that God has, and is protected His word [the KJV] according to Ps. 12:7-8. Knowing that all of Heavens bidding are also enabling, when it comes time to “endureth all things”, they are not working alone, but with a General that knows best at every turn. He especially is a kind of friend to not make you FEEL GOOD when you need reproving, but to FEEL BAD long enough for the reproving to be remembered and take effect. False sympathizers will enter in at this point in your life to cheer you up and to abort heaven way to bring you true everlasting comfort. But in our hurry up world of pushing buttons & things jump at our command, everlasting comfort takes to long. That would be like watching carrots grow. SORRY but there is no faster connection hook up for making carrots grow or everlasting comfort, this is only done heaven way.