Evangelizing

Ginger

Inactive
Forums can be a confusing place for seekers. Information is jumbled up with confusion and misinformation.

I was just thinking about some threads that I see as very important subjects to be discussed. I was wondering if anyone had considered reposting these in an closed/information thread. Or simply posting the question with commentary from one of the moderators. That would be a two-post thread: someone asks a question and a designated person answers it.

Visitors and members could read the content without sifting thru comments that have nothing to do with the topic or that contain false information.

I would not allow one person to have absolute power in this, but instead have others review the thread and give a final approval before it is posted.

Threads would be short and to the point, but above all consistent with Scriptures and free from heretic posts.

Maybe add a place for a follow-up question (that can be reviewed before it is posted)

What do you think?
 
I'm personally ok with this. We used to have an evangelism area where this type of thing would fit in very well. Prior to that, Jeff had a completely separate forum set up for it. I wasn't around much during the transition so I'm not sure what happened to that idea. If you have some specific posts in mind, I'll see what I can do.
 
Sorry for not responding sooner. I have been very busy and couldn't remember which thread prompted this idea.

In fact, I shouldn't be spending time on forums. I have three more articles to write due on Monday and don't even have the info for one of the, yet.

I hate working weekends, but that's what happens when I goof off during the week.....

How about, I send you links to the threads I think would be good to edit and post as I come across them? Then you can discuss it with the others and see what they think.

Also, I mentioned elsewhere about a question and answer thread where One question is asked. A moderator writes and answer. A group of diverse moderators review the answer, make changes, approve the final draft and post it. One follow-up querstion is allowed.

The thread would be a maximum of four posts, very concise responses.

In either of these threads, the purpose would be to keep dialogue on topic, and eliminate the the endless posts that are either off topic or unbiblical/worldview.
 
Here is an example of a question asked in the forum I moderated:







Joy
Guest





http://lcmnumc.org/smf/index.php/topic,81.msg592.html#msg592
2 Kings 2:23-24
« on: May 31, 2008, 08:57:12 AM »
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I have always wondered about 2 Kings 2:23-24

"And he went up from thence unto Bethel: and as he was going up by the way, there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head.

And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the LORD. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them."

This seems horrendous. I've never understood why God killed these children.






Ginger
Administrator
Fleet Admiral

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2 Kings 2:23-24
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You have asked about one of the most difficult to understand Scriptures in the Old Testament.

The Hebrew word rendered “children” is na’ar. Na’ar has a very broad meaning, as do many Hebrew words. It can reference anyone from a newborn baby to an adult.

The Hebrew word rendered “little” is qatan. This word also has a broad meaning. It can mean young, small in physical size or insignificant.

So these verses are not necessarily speaking of children. There is a general consensus these were young men who mocked Elisha and not children or youth.

Furthermore, they were not simply mocking a bald-headed man.

They were mocking the messenger of God. It was like mocking God Himself. “Thou bald head,” was an expression of contempt. Baldness in the Old Testament was often the outward sign of being cursed.

Isaiah 3:24 And it shall come to pass, [that] instead of sweet smell there shall be stink; .....and instead of well set hair, baldness;

They were calling God's messenger cursed. This was not a matter of being rude or impolite. It was an act of cursing God.
 
Wow, copy and paste doesn't work so well.....
Here's one answered by our Catholic moderator:

Cloud9
I would like to know if angels exist among us today on earth or only in heavan?




andiclare
Private
Captain

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Re: Are there Angels on earth today?
« Reply #1 on: June 01, 2008, 06:01:15 PM »

Hi Cloud 9,

Scripture testifies that all angels are in the service of mankind. Are they not all ministering angels sent to minister for them who shall receive the inheritance of salvation? (Heb 1:14) The Church upholds this teaching, as stated in the Catechism of the Catholic Church:


Quote
"From its beginning until death, human life is surrounded by their watchful care and intercession. "Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading him to life." Already here on earth the Christian life shares by faith in the blessed company of angels and men united in God." (CCC 336)
So the answer to your question is yes, angels are still with us on earth. Some angels do remain always in Heaven, assisting before the throne of God and ministering to Him (see particularly the book of Revelations); some have often been sent as messengers from God to man; others are sent to earth to be our guardians and to remain with us. Each of us has an angel appointed to take care of us:

See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father. (Matt 18:10)

See, I am sending an angel before you, to guard you on the way and bring you to the place I have prepared. Be attentive to him and heed his voice. Do not rebel against him, for he will not forgive your sin. My authority resides in him. If you heed his voice and carry out all I tell you, I will be an enemy to your enemies and a foe to your foes. (Ex 23:20-23)

As the same Lord lives, his angel has been my keeper both going hence and abiding there, and returning from there here; and the Lord has not suffered me his handmaid to be defiled, but has brought me back to you without pollution of sin, rejoicing for his victory, for my escape, and for your deliverance. (Judith 13:20)

For God commands the angels to guard you in all your ways.
With their hands they shall support you, lest you strike your foot against a stone.
(Ps 91:11-13)

She was so overjoyed when she recognized Peter's voice that, instead of opening the gate, she ran in and announced that Peter was standing at the gate. They told her, "You are out of your mind," but she insisted that it was so. But they kept saying, "It is his angel." (Acts 12:14-15)
 
yeah, we had a nearly identical layout to this at one time. I honestly just don't know what happened to it, but I'll ask around. I went and browsed the site (because this is kinda hard to read as a copypasta). I'll see what I can find out.
 
The site is all but dead because we allowed people who wanted to debate in a way that condemned and insulted other members. Eventually all we had we people who wanted to argue.

Once in a while someone posts something and I respond. The administrator doesn't even respond anymore, altho, a while ago he asked me to, so he still sees the posts.

I suggested we let it go, because I couldn't find a way to get things back under control.

But, I frequently use tis to look up old info. It's kind of like a filing system for me. lol
I use CAF the same way. CAF is a very hostle forum to non-RC.
 
The site is all but dead because we allowed people who wanted to debate in a way that condemned and insulted other members. Eventually all we had we people who wanted to argue.

Once in a while someone posts something and I respond. The administrator doesn't even respond anymore, altho, a while ago he asked me to, so he still sees the posts.

I suggested we let it go, because I couldn't find a way to get things back under control.

But, I frequently use tis to look up old info. It's kind of like a filing system for me. lol
I use CAF the same way. CAF is a very hostle forum to non-RC.

Same issue we end up with when we allow debates. I have been on other Christian sites, and it's mostly the same story, but I'm convinced there is a way to do it. When we had our evangelism forum, the posts all had to be approved before being visible. It was good for controlling it, but put a lot of work on us and made the whole thing very sluggish.
 
I understand completely. Reading through long winded posts and trying to determine whether to leave or delete borderline comments. And being accused of bias. I seldom deleted posts, but inserted a "deleted for uncharitable content) messege in it's place. I saved the content in case a complaint was made and then sent it to the Catholic moderator (or other moderator) to make a decision. Two Catholics were very good at accusing me.

Only one time did I re-insert a deleted post. But that was my own decision.

What I really hated was when the thread started going in circles repeating the same arguments over and over. We had/have a post limit of either 100 or 150 posts. Moderators close threads when they pass that point, unless we feel it is worth keeping open. Of course since it was done manually none were ever consistently closed at a specific number of posts. And if I was closing one, I never closed it without giving the opposing view final say.

It's not only the uncharitable comments, we were also being overrun with non-christians, altho most of them claimed to be Christian, they denied all the basics of Christianity. It makes descussions unpleasant when everytime you start a discussion someone jumps in and starts spouting out some outrageous doctrine.....It wasn't always nasty comments, but just the constant heresy. When you have to deal with that at every turn, you never have a chance to share in an edifying conversation - everything becomes a debate....

Uh oh, I'm rambling. Sorry.
 
I understand completely. Reading through long winded posts and trying to determine whether to leave or delete borderline comments. And being accused of bias. I seldom deleted posts, but inserted a "deleted for uncharitable content) messege in it's place. I saved the content in case a complaint was made and then sent it to the Catholic moderator (or other moderator) to make a decision. Two Catholics were very good at accusing me.

Only one time did I re-insert a deleted post. But that was my own decision.

What I really hated was when the thread started going in circles repeating the same arguments over and over. We had/have a post limit of either 100 or 150 posts. Moderators close threads when they pass that point, unless we feel it is worth keeping open. Of course since it was done manually none were ever consistently closed at a specific number of posts. And if I was closing one, I never closed it without giving the opposing view final say.

It's not only the uncharitable comments, we were also being overrun with non-christians, altho most of them claimed to be Christian, they denied all the basics of Christianity. It makes descussions unpleasant when everytime you start a discussion someone jumps in and starts spouting out some outrageous doctrine.....It wasn't always nasty comments, but just the constant heresy. When you have to deal with that at every turn, you never have a chance to share in an edifying conversation - everything becomes a debate....

Uh oh, I'm rambling. Sorry.

We don't technically delete anything. We really just hide it from public view, or when it is an entire topic, move it to another private area. We keep a record of every post, and I've undeleted some myself due to misunderstandings. Some people are willing to approach me and ask politely what they did wrong. We discuss it, and I review it and on rare occasions, restore their post/topic. There are others who chose instead to attack me, and even though I realized after looking at their topic that I probably shouldn't have deleted it, I do not respond so well to threats and insults. It's sad. If they had simply approached me appropriately, they would have actually gotten somewhere.
 
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