i wanted to join in with a few comments on the recent sunshinePraise adventure.
her posts were a tad erratic. to me, she came across as being almost manic. so getting her into a focused, reasonable discussion was probably never going to happen, but making fun of her spelling doesn't really help things either. i think that was rather immature.
and please, as i've said many times, avoid getting into arguments about who is being more assembly-like. i am never going to come down on someone as a moderator for something as vague and subjective as being too assembly-like. when someone accuses someone else of being too assembly on here, they are already completely on the wrong track, in my opinion. its a convenient label for anything someone does that bothers you or pushes your buttons. so whenever one of us finds ourselves about to come out with something like that, lets stop for a moment and think about what is really bothering us about this person or situation, specifically. i think it will help some of our tenser discussions be more productive. and it might be helpful if you find yourself reacting that way in other areas of your life as well.
just my .02,
brian
Thanks Brian,
I have already posted my apology to Sunshine_Praise on the WP thread. Yes, she locked her own posts' and I tried to unlock them. By talking with Marcia I was able to discover what I could not by reading her posts and that is that she is a real person who posted in sincerity.
I don't know who you are exactly addressing re. the last paragraph quoted above in the calling someone "Assembly like." I did mention to her the error of the promotion of a teaching of GG regarding "working for salvation" which was not intended as an insult, rather it was an attempt to point out to her that "forgetting GG and just pursuing God" will not work if the former Assembly member carries with them GG's toxic theology.
"Making fun" of her was never my goal and I do believe that those that have ridiculed her should post an apology. I did lose my patience because she refused to respond, and I became confrontational as a result. I doubted her sincerity, due to the two modes of expression she used: one was very unsophisticated and the other one was a completely different style of rhetoric and tone.
Some have called this BB "a sick place" and charged the Moderators as being insensitive, arrogant, controlling, etc. This may be as bad as calling someone "Assembly like"
, and it does sound like a charge of being cultish, but it is such unspecific critcism it is not very helpful.
What would constitute a "healthy BB?" It would depend on one's view of the term "health/sickness".
1.) To me the very first criteria for health is a spiritual one: This is defined by me as a simple faith in the Gospel of the Grace of God. This is where God gives us the free gift of eternal life and relationship with him.
Sickness in the spiritual would be a false belief that changes the above into a system of merit relationship with God.
2.) The next criteria would be the kind of place where the value of one's humanity is very highly esteemed. Or we could narrow it down to one word "love" (This is the expression of true spiritual belief).
This is not such an easy thing to accomplish, and as result every single BB, group, church, family, and relationship will fall short often as a result. Those that expect perfection with others will be disappointed and should recognize that they cannot live up to their own expectations for themselves as well.
I can guarantee as a Moderator/human I will fail often, but what I hope is healthy about my involvement here (and in all of life) is that I recognize my failures and am quick to admit my mistakes; trying to make things right with those I misunderstand, or otherwise offend. Trying to take the authoritarian position as a Moderator of one who refuses entreaty, and just can't say they're sorry is counter productive for sure. The needy were attracted to the lowly Jesus, but not to the high and mighty Pharisee.
This does not mean we have to agree with the outlandish, or obviously disruptive poster, by being some kind of doormat for every drive-by poster. Due to the nature of a BB a Moderator cannot guarantee a "healthy" place all the time. It is a public sphere and all kinds will wander in.
I can truly say that I care very deeply for those hurt in the Assembly and hope from the bottom of my heart that I can help those who have suffered as a result of their involement in the group. The "health" I hope to communicate is the truth of a gift based relationship with God and the resulting blessing to one's life that this can bring.
God Bless, Mark C.
