dialogue about dialogue

[Faithfulservant]

great post tao_equus and I totally agree

[Postmaster]

Why was Niranjan banned by the way? Thought he had some good point of views he was just a bit rough round the edges. His posts were extreme but he countered opposing extreme thought the way it should. I say good on him, I don't think he's as nieve as you may think and I don't think he had a ounce of violent intent eiether.

[bananabrain]

Originally Posted by Tao_Equus

Perhaps in cases like this where someone gets a bit hot-headed a time out option should exist.

we have this - it's called "moderated mode". basically it requires posts made by the poster to be approved by a moderator before being posted. it's quite a lot of work, but i dare say we should use it more. perhaps it might be something we might consider if other posters are getting fed up with a possible troll and want to give him a "time out". but then again, we'd really have to use our judgement about who and when is calling for other people to be timed out. i suppose complaints about other posters is probably how.

As for what Dondi calls the "lone wolves", let them howl at the moon. I think the intellects of the people here good enough to draw their own conclusions about anyone. I can see it could become a problem if they became prolific c&p'rs across mulitiple boards. So maybe they should be confined to a new "others" section in the New Religions board?

i think i'd respond, as brian has, by saying we're not running a kindergarten here. we expect people to accept the rules. if you don't like the rules, fine, you're free to go somewhere else. if you want to challenge the rules in a productive way, i'd say first build up some social capital. one of the problems with some of the keyboard warriors is that they post first and then think about what they've posted later, when what they really need to do is consider whether the rest of us really need to hear what they have to say. people tend to mellow over time, which is good, but i would suggest it might be better if they started off with humility and then started pushing the envelope once they had become established and well-liked members of the community. without that, we're not losing anything by banning them. silas, for example, was not so much personally liked, but did perform a very useful function imho because he was good at getting discussions going.

b'shalom

bananabrain

[ardenz]

Originally Posted by wil

err....great dialogue about dialogue!

Let us not forget Silas and MagnetMan....now I know the issues and see the point...but another point and not to be to soupy...they need our love too. These are exactly the people that if kicked out here...with us tolerant, interfaith acceptable folks, where will they go and what will they do.

Timothy McVey was the individual that set my mind into realizing that capitol punishment was unacceptable. I believe he was a wayward soul who didn't get the acceptance and love he needed when he reached out, and went the wrong way... And the above folks make it plain to me that I've got a lot of work to do in the dialogue department and that if not us, who...and where will they go...and what will they do?

I only arrived when there as PaganProphet was gathering momentum. He may have been someone who had some mental issues which were turning into a kind of psychosis with religious mania, or perhaps was someone who was just promoting himself and his ideas and was fully aware of what he was doing.

Obviously he had been here before, as We've been told.

What this brings up, as Wil, in the above post mentions, is what going on in this persons mind? can we help? writing off someone as on the lunatic fringe discounts what they may actually be going through.

Perhaps we can have a mental health section, psychology, links to other sites. Maybe a notice board section to point to if we see someone coming in like that so that we don't just react.

Is there a relationship between Religious mania and madness? (idea for a topic)

thanks,

Ardenza

[Dondi]

Originally Posted by ardenz

Perhaps we can we have a mental health section, psychology, links to other sites. Maybe a notice board section to point to if we see someone coming in like that so that we don't just react.

Unnecessary. Let's not turn this into a mental clinic. Look, this is a discussion site. I don't think we ought to get into the social service business. If you want to help out and try to reach a person personally, then do so in PMs. We can direct a persons misunderstanding of scripture or suggest alternate ways of interpretation, but we are reaching another realm if we turn this forum into a therapy workshop. For one thing, we are not qualified. Just MHO.

[Postmaster]

Originally Posted by ardenz

Is there a relationship between Religious mania and madness? (idea for a topic)
Ardenza

Hell yeah! There is a relationship between great scientists, great movie directors and madness too.

But I would say its all on the verge.. True madness is a state of disability altogether. Were all mad anyway the more we admit it the more sane we stay.

Perhaps we can have a mental health section, psychology, links to other sites. Maybe a notice board section to point to if we see someone coming in like that so that we don't just react.

Crazy idea

[ardenz]

Originally Posted by Dondi

Unnecessary. Let's not turn this into a mental clinic. Look, this is a discussion site. I don't think we ought to get into the social service business. If you want to help out and try to reach a person personally, then do so in PMs. We can direct a persons misunderstanding of scripture or suggest alternate ways of interpretation, but we are reaching another realm if we turn this forum into a therapy workshop. For one thing, we are not qualified. Just MHO.

Obviously a site like this is going to continue to attract people who may have a mission, personal or otherwise. Ok, now I know how to deal with them - ignore them?

As I understand religious beliefs in general, I thought part of their role in society is to try to understand peoples problems, form a structure and a belief system. If this is just a discussion, what role is it playing for most people here? maybe it plays therapy for them too. Places like these also have a social aspect.
I am not suggesting going into areas outside anybodys qualifications. I certainly believe that doing "witnessing" (a christian practice, I believe) with someone who has serious problems is a "crazy idea" - I would sooner suggest someone visit to a medical doctor, or psychiatrist.

[Postmaster]

Only people who should visit a doctor or a pstchiatrists are those who intend on harming or incieting it and people who have lost total sense of reality.

The verge of madness is bought about by too much creative behaviour in the mind, you see a lot of it round here.

Regardless, I'm sure not many of us are qualified to judge.

[Tao_Equus]

Originally Posted by bananabrain

we have this - it's called "moderated mode". basically it requires posts made by the poster to be approved by a moderator before being posted. it's quite a lot of work, but i dare say we should use it more. perhaps it might be something we might consider if other posters are getting fed up with a possible troll and want to give him a "time out". but then again, we'd really have to use our judgement about who and when is calling for other people to be timed out. i suppose complaints about other posters is probably how.




bananabrain

This does mean a lot of work for the mods and is such a 'hands on' censorship that it is more likely to inflame rather than moderate passions. Why not just a simple 7day blanket ban from posting? Then someone has the opportunity to reflect rather than find ways to continue an argument through moderation.

Regards

TE

[17th Angel]

Originally Posted by ardenz

Is there a relationship between Religious mania and madness? (idea for a topic)

Mental illness... -Can be- loosley connected just like sanity can be connected to religion.... Again, how would you define mandess..... And I guess this is a subject for another thread...

[Prober]

Originally Posted by ardenz

I certainly believe that doing "witnessing" (a christian practice, I believe) with someone who has serious problems is a "crazy idea" - I would sooner suggest someone visit to a medical doctor, or psychiatrist.

It's fine for you to believe that and I support your right to do so, but some (myself included) think that since G-d created the doctors and gave them all their knowledge, it might be a good idea to go to Him first - not necessarily at the exclusion of the doctors, of course.

And it's hard to hold yourself back from witnessing when you believe it's what a person really needs.

[17th Angel]

Originally Posted by Prober

It's fine for you to believe that and I support your right to do so, but some (myself included) think that since G-d created the doctors and gave them all their knowledge, it might be a good idea to go to Him first - not necessarily at the exclusion of the doctors, of course.

And it's hard to hold yourself back from witnessing when you believe it's what a person really needs.

Not all believe god created doctors.... And I'd put my life in the hands of my personal doctors than your god any day... They can do more

[Sunny C.]

I still don't understand why Christianity has been separated into camps. Liberal Christianity is every bit as mainstream as conservative Christianity. Just ask some Episcopalians. And anything which lightly touches on Christianity is germane to the topic of Christianity. Why does the conservative faction own the prime real estate within Abrahamic? There's something seriously wrong with that.

[Prober]

Originally Posted by 17th Angel

Not all believe god created doctors.... And I'd put my life in the hands of my personal doctors than your god any day... They can do more

I know, but some believe...that's my point.

[Dondi]

I certainly believe that doing "witnessing" (a christian practice, I believe) with someone who has serious problems is a "crazy idea" - I would sooner suggest someone visit to a medical doctor, or psychiatrist.

Witnessing, or prostylizing, is against forum rules.