I don't think I've found the peace that should be in a church on this forum yet. Well now I have through working some things on my own however, in my view it should not come to that.
The changes here in just the short time I've been a member are unlike any I've seen implemented in other forums. First , as we're allowed to speak freely, we're told that OSAS cannot be discussed. Then it becomes obvious that any allusion to that is edited and the offending member PM'd.
And we're informed it is all due not to the topic itself. But due to the offender few that make any thread discussing OSAS or its relations a lions den of conflict and verbal/written harm.
Now we have other new rules meant to quiet open discourse in order to quell those same few offenders.
The many are being contained in their freedom to post about our faith due to the few that are offenders within it.
Why not take an inventory of those who start trouble and escalate trouble in certain hot topics of their choice?
I can name a few but I won't. They're long term members by the post count and they have no inclination to speak charitably or in grace. In fact, reading their history they are adversarial to the foundation tenets of this relationship with our Lord and Savior.
And without exception those few offenders pursue the same line of attack in every thread they start in order to keep the antagonism alive. Now, when OSAS, their apparent favorite, is forbidden they're pursuing a new track of offense.
It seems the issue they have is with the eternal in God's words.
First, that which is forbidden. God's gifts are irrevocable. Which is Salvation.
Now the go-to for animus baiting and flame throwing and personal attack pejorative fans, and those who love to impart someone is not a Christian but do so within the rules that forbid outright saying so, is the opposite topic for publishing and inviting conflict to arise. Always by those same few.The topic that asks, is suffering in Hell eternal?
What can't be ignored is if someone does not go along with that which interpolates scripture in order to make their errant point, that person is targeted. Personally. And those few are the one's that put them in the cross hairs.
Here is a suggestion. Tenure should mean nothing when a minority of person(s) show a history of raising conflict and insulting Christians in threads. Some offenders have been here for years.
So what? Being a member is a privilege. It shouldn't entail entering into a battlefield. Only to find out each day one longs on that there are new rules curtailing open dialog. Arrived at apparently in an effort to either muzzle the dedicated offenders, or make their hunting easier.
Consider also how many new members arrive and make their greeting in the new member forum.
How many posts do they accrue in the midst of this chaos?
Being allowed to speak freely here, ban the minority offenders even if they've been here for a dozen years.
I can think of two right off the bat. Rather than see how the new prosecutable rules take among the majority who are decent loving people of God, why not remove the few persecutors of the word of God and those who cleave to it? Ban by IP. Though I have no doubt they'll return. But give it a shot.
A forum needs members. Members don't need devils operating in a forum.
Thank you for reading that heart felt sharing. As one who has been on the receiving end of the wicked I speak of. And by God's leading and the options here, no longer speak to. And I can tell you, that option does indeed make this site better.
Imagine the possibilities if it wasn't necessary.
God's peace and mercies surround his sheep. Amen.
