seebs

Which part of the Bible do they find objectionable?

UberLutheran

This forums strikes me as much more genuinely "Christian" than CF ever has. Despite all of CF's rules for what or how one can post, there is some real, rock-hard, vile-as-hades hatred spewed forth over there by a lot of people who like to go around parading themselves as "model Christians".

It's interesting: people are much freer to say what they really think and believe over here, and sometimes the discussions get heated -- but I've also noticed that there is a distinct tendency for people to speak to each other on IIDB/Christian Forums rather than at each other or around each other.

People at CF make a very big deal of "not taking God's name in vain", to the point where one cannot use acronyms such as OMG (ohmygod). To me, "taking God's name in vain" comes out loudest and clearest when people make comments such as "love the sinner and hate the sin" -- which any second grader could figure out means "hate the sinner, especially if he or she is gay, and hate the sin". To me, "taking God's name in vain" is saying or doing anything to intentionally harm or injure someone (even emotionally) while trying to cover what one is doing in nice, churchy language and maybe including a few choice Scriptural proof-texts (and if they're taken out of context, so much the better).

If people get mad at each other here, at least they're honest enough to come right out and say they're mad at each other -- and I've noticed, over and over again, that once people come out and actually admit what they think and feel the two parties end up at resolutions. Over on CF, where a lot of "nasty-nice" goes on, fights get ugly and mean and they tend not to resolve.

One other thing I'm going to say, right now, because I'm really sick and tired of covering and using indefinite pronouns -- I'm gay. I came out 36 years ago back in 1970 at the ripe old age of 15 (which was either incredibly brave or incredibly stupid to do in southern Indiana at that time!). The spouse who died in the pedestrian/automobile traffic accident in 1989 was my partner of five years (he's the one for whom I made the decision to take off life support and put together his funeral, because his family couldn't be bothered with it -- the fact that he was gay was just too "icky" for them to deal with so they didn't even bother showing up for the funeral.).

I really am taking seminary coursework, and even though I can't be ordained since I'm in a committed relationship, I plan either to start a renegade Lutheran congregation or jump over to the UCC or MCC to try to minister to those people who've been treated badly by the church to show them that they are entitled to a relationship with God, and they can have that relationship just for the asking!

My current partner and I have been together since 1990. He never intended to be a pastor's husband, but he's accepting the idea pretty well and I wouldn't trade him for all the rhubarb in the world (and I do love rhubarb)! We met while working on a computer project together, and we've been computing together ever since -- and we send IMs to each other every evening on our laptops while watching TV! If that isn't love, then I don't know what is...

And I really am "Maude in training."

Kassiana

Cool. Sorry about your beloved's death, but I'm glad you found someone else to love afterward.

So what kind of gel and hair dye does it take to look like Maude, anyway?

TheBear

Interesting.....

This leads to the next question. If not a control issue, why do you desire to be on staff on all these different message boards?

(This should be revealing. )

TasManOfGod

Uber
I think we have something in common -our interests in CF's inconsistent attitude to Leviticus
In my case to what they refuse
In your case in what they accept
Welcome brother ..or is that .. oh never mind

dogma

The bear....
maybe this is a little something that needs to be revealed also...you keep beating the same dead fucking horse about seebs..you keep throwing out that maybe he needs to get over it and maybe he's letting it get to him or control him too much...well what the fuck man!!...look at yourself...post after post your nagging on seebs....do you think that maybe youre the one thats hung up on something...seems to me that youre hungup on trying to discredit seebs or to prove seebs wrong....MAn Bear you seem like good shit i just dont see what the hang uo is with seebs taking a genuine interest in Cf and how its run...is it because he points out the flaws that could be improved on..what is it?

dogma

Uber it's about time you showed up here man.....

seebs

A good question, honestly.

I guess, I hate power, but I distrust myself slightly less than I distrust people in general. More importantly, I think it falls to people who hate the very concept of authority and power to use it.

If there must be a moderator, let it be someone who doubts the very notion that there could be a person qualified to change what someone else says. If there must be bans for the forum to work, let them be advocated by someone who isn't sure there must, and who has been banned often enough to know what it's about.

I think I have a bit of vocation along these lines. I am good at working with people. I have a pretty good track record of persuading people that a given post was inappropriate, or that they should moderate their language, rather than falling back on force. I am far enough from the mainstreams of the obvious cliques that I can try to find middle ground in a lot of debates, because there's very few people I agree with enough to be stuck with the bias issues faced by someone who holds a common set of positions.

Mostly... I have a lot of free time, I read quickly, I type quickly, I'm comfortable with computers, and I want to give something back to the community.

On both CF and IIDB, I've gotten flak from people for wanting to promote change. I certainly do tend to try to change the world... This perhaps is part of the attraction. I am a big believer in sticking up for the underdogs, for the people who can't argue their own case, for the people who have been disenfranchised.

I would rather there be no power over others. If there must be power, I'd rather it be exercised by people who don't want it. Moderation is service, not rulership. I seem to be stuck with it.

If there were an intermediate role, without the authority, but with the ability to help, I'd like that too. I've a standing offer to CF that if they need an ombudsman, I'd be glad to do it. I argue well, I can mediate discussions... It's a good use of my skills.

TasManOfGod

I nominate seebs for CF ombudsman

countrygal

wow, that was beautiful. i may not agree with each and everything you said but that was sad, dead on in spots, and lovely rolled up into one *hugs*