What's your purpose at a forum such as this?

[Rxlx]

I came to see if this forum is really Christian after being banned from 2 'Christian' forums for pointing out that Muslims, Hindus, etc are doomed for being idolaters.
Other 'Christian' forums I've tried in the past have members who deny GOD, Jesus, the Gospel, creation etc etc and who remove any post that tries to explain Bible truths.

Satan runs so many forums in these last days!

 

[Wick Stick]

I came to see if this forum is really Christian after being banned from 2 'Christian' forums for pointing out that Muslims, Hindus, etc are doomed for being idolaters.

Other 'Christian' forums I've tried in the past have members who deny GOD, Jesus, the Gospel, creation etc etc and who remove any post that tries to explain Bible truths.

Satan runs so many forums in these last days!

Once is happenstance. Twice is a coincidence? Three would be a trend.

 

[MA2444]

Once is happenstance. Twice is a coincidence? Three would be a trend.

I dont believe in co-incidences.

I only believe in God-incidences.

 

[Rxlx]

Once is happenstance. Twice is a coincidence? Three would be a trend.

Actually I gave up on 'Christian' forums a few years ago because there were so many Satanists infesting them.
If you do some research of a few other forums you too will find many members are definitely not Christian.

 

[Stumpmaster]

Actually I gave up on 'Christian' forums a few years ago because there were so many Satanists infesting them.
If you do some research of a few other forums you too will find many members are definitely not Christian.

How do we know you aren't bogus?

 

[Rxlx]

How do we know you aren't bogus?

You will know I'm true when you mature. Until then you can imagine your nasty little imaginings.

 

[VictoryinJesus]

It seems to me that clarifying for yourself "Why am I here?" might be a useful exercise and might even reduce the toxicity.

“Why am I here?”
I came here in the beginning when I came across a thread on Google where someone asked why God made them ugly. To be able to respond to their post…I had to sign up. I thought I could persuade them otherwise (how God didn’t make them ugly). I guess that means I thought I had some wisdom to share with them. Even though I found their post by searching for others (like me)who thought God had destroyed their life. Because at the time I thought God had des other my life.

I stayed out of boredom and having no real purpose. I thought I could find a purpose here. I thought I might find people to be close to. Friends even. I was lonely. I wanted to feel alive and have something to look forward to every day which became looking forward to replies or comments. I think I wanted to feel relevant.

Then being here turned into being motivated to read God’s word and in return I started to really believe I had something important to share. I’ve experienced all of the reason below over the time of being here:

• You hope to actually learn something? (You're a rare bird if that's your purpose.)
• Christian fellowship? (Oh, dear, you are a masochist.)
• You think you have unique insights into God's truth and want to share them with others?-
• You hope to persuade/browbeat/outshout others into accepting your views?
• You're lonely or bored and forums are a substitute for actual human contact? (I'm a bit of an urban hermit myself.)
• You just like to argue about anything and everything? (Well, yes, that too.). <not sure about this one but I do get fired up!
• The cloak of anonymity allows you to be the real you or at least the you you'd like to be?
• You're looking for love in all the wrong places?
• All of the above?

 

[Rxlx]

I came here to check on the state of Christianity in these Last Days.
I wasn't disappointed.

 

[marks]

I came here to check on the state of Christianity in these Last Days.
I wasn't disappointed.

I like to differentiate between "Christianity", by which I mean the true faith of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and "Christendom", the "cultural Christianity" expressed by those who think they should be Christians, and present themselves as Christian, but are not Christians, not being born again in the true faith.

My counsel is to discern between those with whom discussion is fruitful, and those with whom it is not, so you can focus in the direction of growth.

Much love!

 

[Rxlx]

I like to differentiate between "Christianity", by which I mean the true faith of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and "Christendom", the "cultural Christianity" expressed by those who think they should be Christians, and present themselves as Christian, but are not Christians, not being born again in the true faith.

My counsel is to discern between those with whom discussion is fruitful, and those with whom it is not, so you can focus in the direction of growth.

Much love!

I've got some of the gifts mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12 and I'm quite happy to use them.

 

[Stumpmaster]

You will know I'm true when you mature. Until then you can imagine your nasty little imaginings.

Glad you're not a troll

 

[Rxlx]

Glad you're not a troll

sarcasm is the lowest....

 

[St. SteVen]

Satan runs so many forums in these last days!

The forum administrators will be glad to hear that. On second thought...

[

 

[St. SteVen]

sarcasm is the lowest....

--- Parody ---

Demon: Welcome to hell.
Resident: What a horrible place.
Demon: Thank you. We do our best.
Resident: Where are you taking me?
Demon: That depends.
Resident: Depends on what?
Demon: Would you prefer smoking, or nonsmoking?
Resident: Are you serious?
Demon: No. You need to get a sense of humor.

/ cc: @Stumpmaster

 

[Stumpmaster]

sarcasm is the lowest....

Opinions vary about that, which is why the Apostle Paul freely used sarcasm, and satire.

 

[MA2444]

Christian fellowship? (Oh, dear, you are a masochist.)

Brother you got that right, lol!

There used to be fellowshiip on the forums and then the satanists and homos moved in so there's not much edifying going on about doctrine any more.

I was about to give up on forums and call it quits. But something weird happened. The Lord started me learning a new thing. How to love people through hostility. How to talk to people better and stay focused. I'm not very good at it yet.

I already knew how to talk to those kind of people, they learned me that from birth, lol.

And the Lord said...but that's your old man. Try again in this way or that way. So I'm working on it.

I'm pretty sure that I may annoy the entire board with my posts because I have a habit of rambling on when I get going and make terribly long posts. I'm sorry about that Brothers & Sisters! But it's like I cant stop sometimes.

I am learning a new thing though, like the Lord wants. He said when you resurrect your old man (which was crucified & buried in Christ at Baptism...that you essentially put Him up on the cross again. And that scared the pee out of me! Then He says, but my blood covers a multitude of sins. Then I felt better.

He seems to be working on the board because some of the (rapture enemies) which are typically very hostile...have shown, a heart for the Lord in the midst of a thread on hostility (sic). and that's encouraging to me. And so I stay and it's sorta weird walking through a valley of hostility in total peace but...it happens. So here I am, like it or not! Lol.

 

[Wick Stick]

You will know I'm true when you mature. Until then you can imagine your nasty little imaginings.

I'm beginning to see why you keep getting the metaphorical boot.

 

[Webers_Home]

.
Internet forums have given many of Christ's obscure followers a convenient
venue for sharing their time-won knowledge and experience with a
worldwide audience. For the world's sake, I highly recommend making an
effort to compose legible posts; neatly arranged, sensible, coherent, and
tidy.

Excessive bolding, underscoring, and italics, lack of adequate paragraphing,
twitter spelling, obnoxious emogies, horrible grammar, confusing mixtures
of font sizes and colors, and/or shouting with caps; makes for tiresome
clutter and annoying graffiti that leave a bad impression.

Some people's posts resemble the scrawled placards of worked-up
protesters and political activists; yelling, shrieking, and sometimes even
spraying spittle. They are beyond reason and objectivity in their desperation
to be taken seriously. Apparently they assume that if only they shout loud
enough, make themselves annoying enough, and hold out long enough;
maybe they'll get their point across and somebody will finally listen.

I rather suspect that some people regard forums as a canvas for painting
their comments instead of composing them. Well; that might be okay for
outsiders, they can drip and splash and be as messy as they want because
their comments don't matter anyway. But for those of us who honestly
believe ourselves to be representing God's son; that kind of penmanship is
unacceptable because it reflects on Christ and makes him look like his
followers are desperate kooks.

● 1Cor 10:31 . . So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for
the glory of God.

● Col 3:23-24 . .Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working
for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an
inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

● Phil 1:27 . . Conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of
Christ.
_

 

[Stumpmaster]

.
Internet forums have given many of Christ's obscure followers a convenient
venue for sharing their time-won knowledge and experience with a
worldwide audience. For the world's sake, I highly recommend making an
effort to compose legible posts; neatly arranged, sensible, coherent, and
tidy.

Excessive bolding, underscoring, and italics, lack of adequate paragraphing,
twitter spelling, obnoxious emogies, horrible grammar, confusing mixtures
of font sizes and colors, and/or shouting with caps; makes for tiresome
clutter and annoying graffiti that leave a bad impression.

Some people's posts resemble the scrawled placards of worked-up
protesters and political activists; yelling, shrieking, and sometimes even
spraying spittle. They are beyond reason and objectivity in their desperation
to be taken seriously. Apparently they assume that if only they shout loud
enough, make themselves annoying enough, and hold out long enough;
maybe they'll get their point across and somebody will finally listen.

I rather suspect that some people regard forums as a canvas for painting
their comments instead of composing them. Well; that might be okay for
outsiders, they can drip and splash and be as messy as they want because
their comments don't matter anyway. But for those of us who honestly
believe ourselves to be representing God's son; that kind of penmanship is
unacceptable because it reflects on Christ and makes him look like his
followers are desperate kooks.

● 1Cor 10:31 . . So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for
the glory of God.

● Col 3:23-24 . .Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working
for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an
inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

● Phil 1:27 . . Conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of
Christ.
_

God's Tool Box

1Co 1:27-29 But

• God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and
• God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; (28) and
• God has chosen the base things of the world, and things which are despised, and things which are not, in order to bring to nothing things that are;

(29) so that no flesh should glory in His presence.

 

[DuckieLady]

On "The Happy Thread," of all places, @Matthias aptly described internet forums as "notoriously toxic environments." Bingo.

I participated for years on one forum, having nothing to do with religion (the JFK assassination, actually) where we were required to use our actual names, actual photos and actual educational credentials, all subject to verification. Was it any less toxic? Nooooo. Forums about embroidery, houseplants and "How to Achieve Peace of Mind" are equally toxic.

I look back now on the very first forum on which I ever participated - IANDS - some 27 years ago. I thought "Wow, this is GREAT! Direct mind-to-mind communication without all the silliness that gets in the way." Uh, no, as I quickly realized. Things became so heated at our little Near-Death Experience forum that IANDS pulled the plug.

In fact, over the years what I call the "psychology and dynamics" of forums have become almost more interesting to me than the topics being discussed. There are lots of reasons for this toxicity, but's that not the purpose of this thread.

The question here is, "What's your purpose?"

I can articulate mine: (1) I'm a professional writer and forums are one outlet now that I'm retired; (2) I post for myself, to help organize and refine my own thinking; and (3) I regard all forums as huge Monty Python skits, simply fun to observe and perhaps egg things on a bit.

If I ever started to take any forum too seriously, to allow it to make me upset or angry, I'd move on. I'm not a masochist.

What might be other purposes? You tell me.

• You hope to actually learn something? (You're a rare bird if that's your purpose.)
• Christian fellowship? (Oh, dear, you are a masochist.)
• You think you have unique insights into God's truth and want to share them with others?-
• You hope to persuade/browbeat/outshout others into accepting your views?
• You're lonely or bored and forums are a substitute for actual human contact? (I'm a bit of an urban hermit myself.)
• You just like to argue about anything and everything? (Well, yes, that too.)
• The cloak of anonymity allows you to be the real you or at least the you you'd like to be?
• You're looking for love in all the wrong places?
• All of the above?

It seems to me that clarifying for yourself "Why am I here?" might be a useful exercise and might even reduce the toxicity. Although, I must say, the toxicity can be fun if you recognize the Monty Python aspect.

The internet is the fighting ring of ideas.

You can either get in the ring or grab some whoppers and watch the show.

Or do what I do and show up every six months for like two days and get bored