Hello new and old members. it has been brought to my attention we could use a little moderation on this board and so I am extending invitations for that.

anyone can be a peer moderater by clicking at the bottom of the page "Peer Moderator Input".  then explain why you object to a post, what your reccomendation is, whether removal, or modification, put the location of the post for identifcation by the administrator, and the title of the post. keep it brief but to the point.

If more people here were interested in keeping this forum user friendly, we can also make the world user friendly!  thanks for being here. If you're not sure what the intentions of this board is for, we do have the guidelines listed to read.

Agreed, Alysia!

Bets

I think it's essential to first have a solid understanding of what violates the guidelines and what doesn't.  The guidelines themselves are quite clear and comprehensive; however sometimes it comes down to whose ox is gored before folks get upset.

For example, there is a thread on the board that is titled "The ungodly lie promoted by Christianity".  This is apparently considered to be ok even in light of the following:

POSTING GUIDELINES & RULES:

It is a violation subject to banning to post any message that is:

**An attack upon the beliefs of individuals or groups**

I realize Christianity these days is an easy target, but it would be nice for someone to provide a clear and concise reason as to why that thread does not violate the Guideline cited above.

Perhaps it comes down to this.....if anyone challenges certain of the new age beliefs, they are immediately criticized. However, it's perfectly ok to bash Christianity because that's politically correct and because Christianity happens to be the target de jour. 

In any case, let's all recognize that there are flaws in ANY belief system.  Yes, there are some good and worthwhile things in the new age literature.  But let's also admit that there is a fair share of misrepresentation and outright fraud as well.  If, by bringing examples of that to the attention of the board is considered offensive, let's just say so and thereby avoid a double standard of what is ok and what is not.

whos Roger? Replying to Rondele here the title of the thread "ungodly lie" was attempted by the original poster to change (title only, as it was agreed the title incites) however due to our forum technological set up, we are only able, (some of us I suppose, as Allan, our tech guy has said) to modify our posts within a set period of time, as the next day, we it occurs to us we should like to rephrase something, our delete and modify button has disappeared.

I don't know if this is due to certain differences in browsers capabilities, as I know when I use Safari browser my modify button is completely not there, ever, but when I use Mozilla browser I can modify within the hour.

Lets give credit to the poster for expressing the wish to modify the title as he did say that he tried. and it wasn't his intention to bash Christianity so much as it was to rid himself of the fear of going to hell, whereas there appears on this board a wish to bash new agers in much more blatant and rude manner, my opinion, so you see counter forces at work here.

so it's all interpretation guys. my interpretation of "ungodly" is anything unlike love which makes another "less than." 

it becomes necessary to choose our words well then and re-read the signal we are sending out there, so that we don't send the wrong signal and get back unto us something we weren't expecting.  there was a fellow here recently who asked "whats the point of posting if you can't say something good about whatever?"

thats where I stand today. there's no point to return to a board where we all live in a glass house and yet throw stones at each other, and at those who are not on the board whom we might like to say something catty about. generally an author or channelled material some words worthless are bantered about, and the intention for posting by the original poster is completely not seen or appreciated for their effort at understanding and progressing and their gift to the board is their time and caring of trying to put in words and share something that is precious to them, but wordless in some cases to express.

we got the tabloids for gossip should we want some gossip.  we each have a piece of the truth and I dislike seeing people saying my dog is bigger than your dog. lets see if we can get back to basics of tolerance and kindness and open sharing and nonjudgmental and genuine exploring and that kind of sharing.

I see this board as a place for people to come and get ideas. we may be the only place of it's kind. of this size anyway. Somebody has to keep a vision for it to stay healthy.
each person does that.

love, alysia

Off Course!! That's what we need here...MORE CENSORSHIP!..Well done Laffinrain!.Throw
out freedom of speech and lets bring back the New Age Thought Police in service, commonly
called the peer moderators on this forum....Debate, no matter how spirited or inflamed it
becomes should be banned, right?! ...Let's all paste those big smiles on our faces, throw out
our arms and pace around the room; "HUGS ANYONE? I RECEIVING SOME GROOVY PUL FROM
MY GUIDES,".... Give us a break. Gman.

I believe Rondelle makes a good point. If somebody is going to be a moderator he or she can't pick sides.

It is also important to keep in mind that it is one thing to point out the faults of a source of information, and another thing to get into the name calling mode. If things developed to the point where people couldn't even question the validity of something, that would be sad.

I have invoked the Peer Moderator system a few times to delete vicious anti-Christian screed but have been ignored.   It is precisely because of the double standard in censorship that I am as bluntly honest as I am.  I will not ignore snide and smug New Age winks and nods in support of bigotry, even if that means I get banned from this site.   For example, I don't mind B-man's anti-Christian critiques.  What I mind are the insults in which they are couched and, worse, the smirky applause he receives with impunity.  You teach people how to treat you and my blunt replies are just what this site deserves.  What makes my blunt replies unique is that I almost always address the key issues.

In any case, I do not post for the site's New Age audience.  I get many PMs from visitors around the world cheering my exposure of what New Age "spirituality" is really about; so I post for their benefit.   By the way, most of these are non-Christian seekers.  I never ramp up my own sarcasm until anti-Christian sarcasm is both posted and then reinforced by winks and nods from unctious New Agers.  Diligently moderate this bigotry and you'll find my posts excruciatingly polite.  Otherwise, I intend to continue posting in the same tone, regardless of the consequences.  

In any case, I am thoroughly immersed in new Age thought and seldom derive any benefit from the posts here.  Recent posts on NDE research are a welcome exception and are the main reason why I continue to post.

Don

Gman wrote on Apr 23^rd, 2007 at 5:49pm:


well nobody has censored you mr moonface now have they? far be it from me to censor anybody. u been eatin our crumpets and drinking our tea for years and I never saw you once pick up your dirty socks.
I simply come along and ask for what I'd like to receive. respect. is that so hard? now, we have freedom in life or here to ask for what we want. But you have to be willing to accept that we don't always get what we ask for do we?

just thought I'd ask. pardon me. pull your pants up. simple request, thats all.