Hello Brothers & Sisters,
Here we are once again with controversy and strife swirling around us, it was only last week when I was PM'd by a member commenting on how peaceful and edifying the Forum has been recently. My response was just wait, it won't last for long. I said that not out of a fatalistic attitude or a lack of faith in my brethren but from the experience of vicious reality.
This is more or less an open Forum, there are no pledges made or backround checks or lie detector tests administered, when people join up we take them in good faith and we as a group should be willing to patiently deal with questions and sometimes naive or immature statements without resorting to sternly admonishing the brother or sister unless this person shows beyond a doubt they have a divisive agenda.
The thing I really have a problem with in regard to antagonistic posts are the ones in which it is obvious they have not bothered to take the time to read any (or much) of the material and stridently attempt to preach here, or be contentious.
As a moderator I get advised on who to delete, warn & ban, I appreciate the input from our members but sometimes I can see my former self in the poster who offends, and it makes me all the more appreciative of the more mature members who took me aside through PM's and offered patience & wisdom I had not yet attained. I will tell you truthfully I did not always appreciate the input, I was on fire man, I had passion, I was not going to tolerate heresy!
My purpose in writing this is to ask every one of you to have patience with your brothers and sisters (and the moderators) and to privately admonish those whom you feel need it and err on the side of longsuffering, this is never going to be a perfect place, there will be wolves attempting to divide us but let us work together to attain the goal, and to always keep in mind what that goal is.
Unto perfection in Him.
Joe