UNTIL this returns to a higher ground of civility

[Stan]

UNTIL this returns to a higher ground of civility the Theological Townhall will NOT be showing up in the ACTIVE TOPICS.

[Dr. Rich]

But Stan, did you notice that more people are following this than any other? What was it that caused you to think it is not civil? Just asking.

[Lysimachus]

What's wrong with Bible thumping?

WAR!

WAR!

WAR!

Give me WAAARRRR!!!!!! ::

JK!!!. ;P

[Dr. Rich]

No, we will not have any war here on this forum because we are all seeking the truth, aren't we? Since Jesus' words are the truth may I suggest that we do a close inspection of those words again? Could it be, that the one singular and absolute truth will actually give us unity?

[Gibs]

But Lysimachus,

Bible thumping isn't war, that's what is called "pounding it in". Ha Ha, War is when people get in each other's face all heated up when they need to calm down and consider each other's testimony. Just assure you have considered and if his viewpoint can't be taken in by you you must just go on unconvinced.

Our attitude must be, well, convince me if you can with the TRUTH as that is all that I can and will accept.

Leave the heat to the blacksmith, he needs it to shape up a horseshoe! It takes the Spirit of Jesus Christ to shape us up!

1Jo 4:4 ¶ Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

[Lysimachus]

I see what you're saying Gibs.

However, I must concur with Stan that we need to make up our minds to become more civil toward one another. I have been very guilty of violating this, and I'm determined to make much greater efforts in reflecting the spirit of Christ with you all here.

Time to move forward in the humility of Christ!

[Tom Wetmore]

Topics will continue to be locked where the tone is uncivil or moving in that direction.

Let's exercise self-restraint and self-control. Show respect of others and their views and recognize that there will be differences of interpretation on points of Scripture. Those differences are very likely far more troubling to us than they are to God.

[Overaged]

I see what you're saying Gibs.

However, I must concur with Stan that we need to make up our minds to become more civil toward one another. I have been very guilty of violating this, and I'm determined to make much greater efforts in reflecting the spirit of Christ with you all here.

Time to move forward in the humility of Christ!

[BobRyan]

Topics are locked if people ever use upper case letters for this or that word according to the Sanctuary thread (Not an issue with my post in that case) - but as Stan has demonstrated on this thread - using upper case for a word is not always the great evil that some make it out to be.

So while I agree with no ad hominem - something else is amiss here.

in Christ,

Bob

[Gibs]

The only ones to declare war on is the devil and his host. We are all Brothers here and I consider all here to be my brother. Yes I may disagree with some things, but even my Daddy allowed me to do that with him, but not with God, He's got it right, follow Him without question.

Cling to the Rock of Truth and none can deny your testimony, they can fuss about it but it continues to shine forth whether they can receive it or not. No we can not make any one see it, all have to be moved by the Holy Spirit on Many things.

SDA's are given this council,

Divine Aid in the Search for Truth

"Point after point of truth should be investigated; for there is no limitation to the truth of God, and in its study a most lively interest should be felt by both teachers and pupils, that they may know what God hath said. For years the voice of God has been saying to us, "Agitate, agitate, agitate." Study every point of truth, that you may know for yourselves what is truth in distinction from error. Let students search for themselves, that they may know the deep things of God. Let this work be done in the Spirit of Christ. Put no restriction upon the students.

In searching the Scriptures there is need of great humility of mind and contrition of heart, of seeking earnestly unto God. Those who come in a lowly spirit, seeking for truth, will be aided in their search by the angels of God".--TSS 55, 56. {CSW 37.1}

We must be malleable clay in His hands.

1Jo 4:4 ¶ Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

[Tom Wetmore]

Topics are locked if people ever use upper case letters for this or that word according to the Sanctuary thread (Not an issue with my post in that case) - but as Stan has demonstrated on this thread - using upper case for a word is not always the great evil that some make it out to be.

So while I agree with no ad hominem - something else is amiss here.

in Christ,

Bob

Just to clarify what appears to be a misunderstanding. Selective use of all caps or larger font for a word or phrase in the context of written form helps to signal what would be voice inflection if we were speaking. The same can be done by the selective use of italics, underlining, different color, or bold print. It can be helpful if used sparingly.

However, the problem is that when entire posts, or substantial portions, are all caps or bold or larger font. The perception from the reader standpoint is no longer like voice inflection for emphasis. It gives the reader the distinct impression of being shouted at. It changes the tone of the post. Someone shouting comes across as belligerent, angry, argumentative, or confrontational. Quite simply in an online discussion it is rude. Any of those is a tone that should be avoided here. And as often is the case, if one person starts ramping up the negative tone, others respond in kind and the whole discussion deteriorates into a virtual food fight.

Where topics are locked is when certain individuals fail to heed specific requests by a moderator (most always by a PM) to stop doing such things. After repeated unsuccessful attempts are made to get participants to tone it down in a particular topic, locking the topic forces a cool down. It is that simple.

[Lysimachus]

I've been catching myself on the caps more the last few days, although I've missed here and there. Several times the last few days, I ended up going over my paragraphs and removing caps, and just putting italics. It can be easy to get into the habit of using caps a lot, and I agree, the tone comes across a lot nicer when they are used sparingly or not at all.

[Tom Wetmore]

Yes, I find italics to be a gentle means of emphasis. Changing color for portions to be emphasized or distinguished from the rest of the post is also mild.

[BobRyan]

But it is much faster to use upper case for emphasis than to apply the modifiers for italics and color.

So I agree with not having whole posts in upper case - only limiting to certain words just for emphasis not for volume. As with the case of Stan's post -- it is easy to see that it is being used for emphasis.

[BobRyan]

It appears that the traffic here is going to nill -- can all agree??

[BobRyan]

Here are some basic rules you will find on many Christian and nonchristian message boards.

1. No ad hominem posting. No "you stink" or "you only say that because you are evil" or "you only say that because you belong to an evil group".

2. No hijacking the subject of the thread.

3. No all upper case posts. No super large font posts

4. Lock all threads that exceed 30 pages (some reasonable limit) and invite the participants to start a new thread under the same subject.

Just a thought.

in Christ,

Bob

[Lysimachus]

I must confess, the traffic in this forum has been getting rather bleak. You would think that the advertisements were paying off?

People need to get up in front of their Churches, and invite everyone to start participating in these forums. What do you think? Every Adventist we run into, we need to invite them to join and share their thoughts. Forum discussion stimulates study, it stimulates us to search the scriptures and give a reason for the hope that is within us, and it helps us to know where we stand.

With 17 million Adventists around the world, you'd think a LOT more Adventist students would be participating in here.

I find it rather sad that most Adventist young adults that I run into have very little interest in discussing spiritual things. :(

[Woody]

I'm with you Marcos.

But it's not just isolated to young adults and students.

In the real world - few will listen to the sermon.

Few will have daily devotions.

And few enjoy discussiing spiritual/religious topics.

I found this out after inviting member after member - home for lunch after church. They were not interested in discussing what we had studied and learned in Sabbath School or the sermon. They instead wanted to discuss the latest movie they saw or even politics.

It was rather eye opening for me. So, I just hang out here instead of trying to find like minded members from my home church.

[Gibs]

Lys, Woody, I have invited several that I thought would like to witness their faith and some may have but with a user name I wouldn't know them, so don't be disappointed and invite more, I will do the same.

Bro. Stan, I believe all have gotten the message by now, looks good from here. If there is something ya see let us know.

May all be blessed in participating.

Bro. Gibs.

1Jo 4:4 ¶ Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

[Stan]

Sorry , have been traveling a lot over the past few days.. will put this back into the active threads..

If you want people to stay, do not 'correct' everything they say or do.. BUT respond politely to their challenges... that is just how it works..

[BobRyan]

Here are some basic rules you will find on many Christian and nonchristian message boards.

1. No ad hominem posting. No "you stink" or "you only say that because you are evil" or "you only say that because you belong to an evil group".

2. No hijacking the subject of the thread.

3. No all upper case posts. No super large font posts

4. Lock all threads that exceed 30 pages (some reasonable limit) and invite the participants to start a new thread under the same subject.

I think these are good rules to follow in general - not just on this section of the board.

in Christ,

Bob

[M. T. Cross]

Sorry , have been traveling a lot over the past few days.. will put this back into the active threads..

If you want people to stay, do not 'correct' everything they say or do.. BUT respond politely to their challenges... that is just how it works..

I will give you an AMEN on that one!

[M. T. Cross]

Originally Posted By: BobRyan

Here are some basic rules you will find on many Christian and nonchristian message boards.

1. No ad hominem posting. No "you stink" or "you only say that because you are evil" or "you only say that because you belong to an evil group".

2. No hijacking the subject of the thread.

3. No all upper case posts. No super large font posts

4. Lock all threads that exceed 30 pages (some reasonable limit) and invite the participants to start a new thread under the same subject.

I think these are good rules to follow in general - not just on this section of the board.

in Christ,

Bob

I agree Bob, though #2 should be understood. Threads on message boards do often wander.

[BobRyan]

I agree that the threads tend to wander - everyone has that problem - but making it a board rule that mods at least try to enforce helps to remind people who would prefer another topic - to go ahead and start their own thread rather than hijacking topics of interest - with another topic of not-so-much-interest.

For example on this area of the board - one person likes to argue that the Apostle Paul was evil or something close to it. But why have that be the subject of "every thread"? Why not just a select few threads that just have that as a title? If you let him hijack every thread with that subject - eventually some of the other posters get tired of it and start to respond in a rather snippy fashion which then gets the thread shut down. So nobody really wins by not enforcing that rule.

in Christ,

Bob

[M. T. Cross]

I agree that the threads tend to wander - everyone has that problem - but making it a board rule that mods at least try to enforce helps to remind people who would prefer another topic - to go ahead and start their own thread rather than hijacking topics of interest - with another topic of not-so-much-interest.

For example on this area of the board - one person likes to argue that the Apostle Paul was evil or something close to it. But why have that be the subject of "every thread"? Why not just a select few threads that just have that as a title?

in Christ,

Bob

Totally agree. But see how we have wandered onto the subject of thread hijacking? Thats what I mean, they wander and either come back or they grow in subject.

The example you gave, of a person bringing a subject into a thread that has nothing to do with the thread at all is most the time very rude I agree.