I mean this as a caution and not to in any way criticize this forum. But I will say that I liked the software for the forum a few years ago that didn't give this rating to its members.
About a year and a half ago in one of my other incarnations of membership on this site (same name, just let my membership slide when I got busy and didn't log in so was cancelled, twice so far)...well, I got sidetracked...I discovered that two "hero members" lived only 100 miles away from me and since I'm the only 'one' I know in my small town, I contacted them and we arranged a meeting.
First the positive...one of the hero members was exactly like she represented and represents herself here -- warm, loving, and a sincere seeker of God's truth.
I was suspicious from the first of the other hero member though because when I clicked on her name after discovering she lived so close, I also discovered that she had amassed over 2000 posts in barely 3 months time while talking about her baby, husband and busy life. Well, I've had babies and I never had time to post on the internet so I questioned that.
I drove up one Sunday and had lunch with both these members, their husbands and kids. As I said, one is a loving wonderful person who was/is exactly as she represents herself. The other, well, worse than I thought and I'm pretty streetwise about people.
I found out that she had indeed amassed these posts while neglecting her child. She had actually left her child alone for hours at a time when her husband was at work to go write these posts on a neighbor's computer. When I met her she was filthy, the child was filthy and then I found out that not only did she post as a hero member on this site but she posted on a Wiccan website as well. She was Wiccan.
From reading her posts though you would not have guessed this about her. One time she told the forum she was sick and we ended up with about 3 pages of sympathy posts for her. Sincere members being deceived by a hero member.
She no longer is a member of this forum so no need to seek it out. And the great hero member who is still a member of this forum has given up trying to help this woman and doesn't associate with her anymore. She made the right choice.
I am listed as a newbie and can't even tell you how many posts I have right now. But I've actually been a member for almost 4 years and first started studying Ray's site and God's truth then. I mention this because I have noticed a tendency for "newbies" to be condescended to and I find it kind of annoying. I quit going to Weight Watchers meetings years ago because they insisted on talking to the members as if they were in kindergarten. Hmmmm....that was probably a mistake
Just be aware folks that "newbies" aren't necessarily new to God's truth and "hero members" aren't necessarily the bearers of all truth and wisdom. This is the internet guys. If I wanted to be a hero member I could simply start posting a small comment in every single thread, welcome everybody, tell a few jokes and VOILA -- a bearer of all wisdom.
Carol