Hello Everyone,
In the time I have been participating in the Forum I have seen it swing from extemely edifying, encouraging and loving and then slip into debate, strife and overly sensitive and emotional attitudes. It has been the hope of many who come here to have an oasis of likeminded people to fellowship with. Often we are just that, but at other times our personalities and egos tend to get in the way.
The following posts are in response to a rather stressfull period our Forum experienced, I am reviving them not to accuse or point fingers at anyone but to be a gentle reminder to all the reason we all came here in the first place. We are all at different stages of our walks with Him but we should all be able to show patience and understanding with the brethren. There are times when we see that it is obvious total agreement is not forthcoming that is when we should let some topics cool down, pray together and agree to disagree as Brothers and Sisters in the Body of Christ.
Again, this post is not in response to any one thing or any one person but for all of us to consider, I would like to see more of our members sharing with us and feeling secure in the fact that they are more than welcome to ask questions and participate in fellowship without having to worry about having their words or motives being misinterpreted.
His Love and Peace to all of you,
Joe
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For the most part the forum has many good folks asking honest questions, there are also those who will try and teach things which they have no understanding of. Religious hobbyists, and self appointed scholars are those that can confuse us little children. Answers are given and twenty different views are added in and in the end the strongest personalities win out and it leaves the silent majority, the new people, the non posters, the babes in Christ, who have had their eyes opened to the truth, more confused than ever. I become confused and I have had more experience than most.
Yes, Ray Smith is the teacher who without, the website and forum would not exist. I believe he is called of God to teach. Does he have all the answers?. Of course not.
So what tools do the moderators have to try and keep things on track? (Remember we are not teachers and don't have the time to keep the truths taught on Bible Truths on track) The tool we use is the thing that brought us all to the forum, the writings of Ray and the scriptures he uses to provide some answers to people. When we do this, then we are accused of only letting Ray's views be the boundry of discussion.....Well H-E-L-L-O, that is why the questions are generated in the first place. Remember the forum rules "If you come here to teach us, please take your teaching elsewhere" This applies even if your teaching is correct, because none of the moderators have the time to study what you are teaching or believe, we have a hard enough time within the confines of the rules of the forum.
I wish the site would just become a place to fellowship and spritiual resting place. Many are coming out of the wilderness and need a place of sanctuary, instead of coming out of babylon into another babylon. We need to lift each other up in fellowship, many of us here have lost the fellowship with others and are now shunned. When this site becomes a forum of confusion we are failing each other. Too many here try very hard to be teachers, preachers and leaders. The fact is very few will ever be called to do that job, the majority of us are to be diligent students and all of us are to let Christ be a witness through us, not by speaking or writing a thousand words but by the actions of Him in our lives.
Blessings!
Craig
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(Craig was asked why ideas cannot be debated)
I'll say this again, debate is not the purpose of the forum. The questions the forum where meant to address are questions that come up when reading Ray's material. If you have trouble understanding what Ray is trying to convey in an article, then you should be able to ask this question and have someone who understands what Ray is trying to say answer for him, if no one can then we as mods can ask him the question. The problem is people do not answer the question as it pertains to Ray's message, I dare say most have not even read some of his writings, but they will attempt to answer according to their own ideas. Throw a dozen scriptures at the question and leave people more confused than ever.
The forum and members here are often branded as followers of Ray rather than Christ. This is so untrue and I'm not going to waste time defending this statement except to say this. There is truth, not half truth, mostly truth, or 99% truth, but only truth. If Ray makes the statement that the grass is green and I see that he is correct in saying this, I don't need to listen to someone who says "well but it is white when it is covered in snow or brown if it doesn't get enough rain" and I sure as heck don't need to debate with these people. I read and study the bible and what Ray writes, I compare with scripture, I pray for guidance and I either agree with him or not. If I do not, I might email asking for clarification. If I still don't agree I continue on and do not bring it up to the forum. None of us will ever agree with each other in this age so leave it alone, agree to disagree and move on. This is NOT a DEBATE forum.
The forum must change to survive, we as moderator's have let you down, because we have not formulated the rules clearly and have not even enforced them the way we should, perhaps the burden is too great. Within the following month we will make needed changes, and I'm sure we will (sadly) dissapoint some in the process. I ask for your prayers of guidance for the future of this forum.
Craig
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(Chris responds to another statement)
Not all can be teachers, very few indeed are given insight, while some believe they are chosen to move on to maturity, still others are not given this ability as of yet.
I should say this forum is designed to help folks move forward, but is by no means i final stop for those who feel they have out-grown the teachings on Rays site.
To your question: "just how many times can you talk about Tithing , free will , The Trinity and so on.?"
Is this all that is written?... and you added "and so on?" your post "reeks" of pride... as if you have read everything, understand it, and are now ready to move on.
There is also an "air" of unforgivness , in your post for other members that have written you in private...I think for the most part, it is posts like this one you wrote, that cause confusion.
Chris R
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Great posts Craig & Chris,
It is my feeling that we all need to moderate ourselves and that will take care of the problems we seem to veer into all too often. Why are any of us here in the first place?
Searching Christ's Words for a deeper understanding brought us to Bible Truths and Ray's articles gave us food (milk & meat) for spiritual thought, many of us sought out likeminded believers to fellowship with online as it is rare indeed to find others in our neighborhoods, even cities. There are those though that enter this Forum with other ideas, either to dispute or debate or to teach, I agree with Craig that there are plenty of places online to do that but that is not the purpose of this site.
Yes, there will be times we fail to come to full agreement on certain subjects, we must strive to be mature, patient and agree to disagree, leaving behind (for a time) that particular subject and move on.
I know I have not been as vigilant as I could or should have been in keeping posts and threads truer to the purpose of this Forum, I have let some things go deciding to err on the side of caution rather than the letter of the law so to speak, but when I am inconsisitant it hurts the members and especially the other moderators. I sincerely apologize to all of you for that. Craig is right on with the formulation of new and clearer rules or even to strictly enforce the existing ones.
Peace to all,
Joe
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Folks, please take this in the spirit it is given and let all of us strive to display the fruits of His Spirit, patience, longsuffering and charity (love) will go a long way in making our Forum become an oasis of fellowship. Where else can any of us go for this?