Who Besides a Christian has Tried to Convert You?

[summer007]

Just my 50$ to add-in. If people had anthing significant to say, they would say it and not care what TM or anyone else thinks. David you say all these people want to post,yet in your next sentance you say they refuse to post so it's really contradictory. Which is it? Tom is on vacation and posted a joke from the library,plus he was gone awhile finishing school, and none of these people you know waiting in the wings contributed to the board, abeit you say they read here. I agree the fighting that went on was terrible, and at times I would rather do anything then go on this board or read it for that matter. Yet why would they care what anyone else thinks ?They should be able to stand on their own two feet don't ya think. And Tom is usuallly fair in an argument ( his bark is usually bigger then his bite) I know I'm a little off topic here, so yes someone did try to convert me to Judism ,a real soft-sell I said I would if I did'nt think Jesus was the Messiah...got to love my Jewish friends.  Summer.

[David Mauldin]

On another bb where I post there seems to be a lot more room for discussion going on all the time.  They have a window for people who want to debate religion, politics etc... they have a window for people who want to discuss art, books, movies, sex,  etc...  wish this bb would have been open to more people and their views. It could of had a "believers" window,  "an unbelievers" window, a "vent" window  (place where people could take out their frustrations)  A "forgiveness" window, a "memories" window a place where pictures could be posted. etc...  I think that it had that potential at one time but now the 496 other registered have moved on!!!  When we first started this bb it was an opportunity to reach people from the assembly. After a few months Tom showed up. Not long afterwards I began noticing some really arrogant condesending post from him. He came accross like he was this know-it-all theologin.  Funny thing he had nothing to do with the start of this bb. He had nothing to do with the Rick Ross bb or any of the articles on the Rick Ross site. Yet??? He is "moderator"  A moderator who doesn't do anything to Brent yet jumps all over Shin at the mention of his being gay!  The truth is this bb would be barely alive if I didn't prod discussion from you 4! can't we do better?

[Joe Sperling]

David---

I think you might be surprised if when you first enter the BB you scroll down to where
it says "Users online". Sometimes there may only be a couple of members, but sometimes
you'll see several "guests" and some "members" who don't post very often. It's true there
are only a few regular posters. But a great many "guests" visit this board. When you check
who's on line you can also see what thread they are reading, etc.  Believe me, you are not
the only thing keeping the BB alive. Visitors seem to come and go--sometimes there is a
lot more traffic than other times, and usually the guests are reading older threads, and
catching up on things they haven't read before.

Also, if you go back and visit threads, there are a variety of discussions going on that don't
necessarily have to do with belief or unbelief. I just thought I'd mention this, because I have
been visiting the BB virtually since it started.

Thanks, Joe

[summer007]

David, It sounds like you could start your own bb, your ideas are good and you do start most of the threads here. Personally  I've read enough assm stories to last a lifetime, but maybe your old friends could vent on your board with-out fear, they could even use a psedonom if they want to keep their privacy personally and professioally. I've pretty much lost interest here after reading and posting and then all the arguments it's not really worth the effort. If I do post it's because something catches my attention I can't stand how some people here just re-peat the past over and over, so the other topics like Iraq and this one have been the only ones of interest to me. Thanks David.  Summer.

[outdeep]

This BB dwindled from 500 to 10 because it went through a natural cycle.  When I left the Assembly, there was a big group of us who often got together because we had a strong need to discuss what happened, what we were involved in, and how to look at the church outside the Assembly.  We didn't have the internet back then, but we got together whever we could, visited other churches, talked late into the night at restaurants, etc.

Over, time, we began to get involved in new churches (or new activities if church wasn't a part) and we all gradually drifted apart.  In short, we got on with our lives.  A few would get together and talk about Assembly issues, but that was rare.  Either we developed a friendship based upon commonalities apart from the Assembly, or we simply drifted apart.

This is what happened with this BB.  When George's empire fell, there was a need to compare notes, discuss, process our feelings, discuss issues.  People rushed here and particiapated actively because these happenings were vital and raw.  It is now over two years later.  Most folks have moved on.  They are settled in new churches or have left the church completly.  There isn't a need to hop on the board to "find out the latest" or to discuss headcoverings.

The few that remain probably do so for reasons other than our Assembly past.  Some may want to sharpten their debating skills.  Others may want to convert others to their cause or perspective.  Another may want to jerk folk's chain and get a lively argument going.  Another may just want someone to talk to.  Another may have a genuine desire to shepherd.

But most people stay away because there is no longer a strong need to process our Assembly past anymore.  The majority of these people do not have a need in their life to build relationships online or discuss issues in cyberspace.  Most people still do these interpersonal things face-to-face.

I can think of several people who relate to others on the board in such a way that causes others to take offence and leave (this person is too gruff, this person is too confrontational,  this person hogs all the posts with boring stuff, etc.)  At times, I would stop posting for a week or too if things got too annoying.  But, there is no substantial argument that few post here due to the actions of any one individual.  I believe that folks are not posting here primarily for reasons explained above.

[summer007]

Really well said Dave. (like Brent said when I found this board people get bored, lose interest and move-on.) Except for those of us who like to practice writing and voicing our strong opinions. And remember God was never meant to be your Lucky Rabbits foot! Although he is Faithful he will not be manipulated by those who are actively puttting Him to the test! Matt 4:7" It is wriiten again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God." Jesus speaking to the Devil!   Summer.

[Oscar]

Dave,

You said,

Tom deleted the first guy who tried to share about his experience because he shared he was gay.

This is a falsehood David.

I made two requiests of Shin:

1. Don't start attacking and accusing the folks who post here.
2. Observe the social convention that we do not discuss our sex lives in public.

In his first post Shin did both.  So...I deleted most of what he said, and warned him.

He then started complaining about his "rights" being abused.  And, as far as I know, (I am out of touch most of the time right now), he hasn't been back.

Apparently those were the things he wanted to do.

Thomas Maddux

"Once we got rid of God, we could do anything."  Herman Goering, quoted by Albert Sheer.

[Oscar]

Folks,

On the subject of this board "dying" or "dwindling."

Check the stats for the number of hits.

It seems to me that one might use different adjectives for  a BB that has had over 100,000 hits for three months in a row.

Flourishing, perhaps?   

Thomas Maddux

[summer007]

Well according to David M you Tom have scared away 511 people from posting. Hilarious!

[David Mauldin]

Summer, I am being honest when I tell you that two former workers said they couldn't post because of the venemous crap going on at this bb. I never said 511 people e-mailed me.  I simply asked the question where are they? I can't buy that this is what a bb should look like. You have a handful of "friends" who stick by each other and gang up on anyone who threatens you. "Oh my God a Homosexual"  "A democrat"  "A libral" "A Welfare recipiant " "Pre-mid-post tribulationist" Get em!!!!  You think I am making this crap up???  Just scroll back and read it.  Do you want to see a real bb???

http://zapatopi.net/afdb.html

Dave,  I modified your post.  The guys who run this site get more hits than we do.  They really know what they are doing.  Pass this info on to your worker friends

  Hope this helps.

[David Mauldin]

O.K.  I can hear people saying things like "There are more people on that site because!!!!"  The truth is these people know what they are doing. If you think I am full of s#$# then let me have control over this board. If I can't turtn it around in 6 months then I will concede I am full of s$#$.

[David Mauldin]

Tom how do you explain so many lurkers "100,000 hits" but only 5 no 7  posters???  Sounds like the saints at Grace Bible Chapel.  "We only have 30 people at this church but 100,000 people drive by every day!: Tom how many threads have you started in the last three months??   ZERO! How many did you contribute to in a positive way???  ZERO!


O.K. folks I am gone for awhile. Vacationing to Yosemite and Caveing moaning Cavern Adventure tour!!  I know you wont take me up on the challange so I will probably move on. Maybe I will start my own bb. Who knows??? The asssembly was more than just a f%$$%^ up time we all went through. we deserve much more than what this bb has offerred. I feel I have made some lifelong friends through this bb.To this I am grateful  Shin I am really sorry how you were treated!  Hope we can get together soon. To my yeah, yeah, yeah friend hope we can hook up next time!  To my Just-Me friend please stay in chat! To my Washington friend "Keep working at it! That goes for any other lurkers out there!    GAWD BLESS YOU REAL GOOD!!!

[summer007]

David, Have fun on your vacation. I never meant to imply you had 511 people em you. I was kind of joking, guess you did'nt get it! Anyway let your former worker friends suit themselves. I can't say I blame them for not wanting to post here if they're uncomfortable with it. Thanks for the other sites but I'm not interested this one has been enough and I don't really have the time for it now. Take-Care. Summer.

[outdeep]

This is another case where David M is raising an arbatrary standard and then chastising us because we are not rising up to it.

I, personally, was never interested in a general-theme "let's talk about anything that pops into our head" board.  If I wanted that, I would have found one of the successful boards David M is talking about.

I came here to talk about the Assembly, related theological issues, etc.  I saw a year ago that this is dying down because (like I explained about) there isn't a great need anymore. 

1.  The fact that David is trying to convert this into a vibrant general-interest board and is failing isn't the community's fault.  It just means there isn't a demand for his product.

2.  The fact that two people don't like Tom isn't big news.   People don't post for lots of reasons (certain member's tyraids, boring posts from post-hogs, etc...)  I don't like the posts and actions of everyone on the board.  Welcome to Cyberspace.  To say that Tom is the only one out of line (and it is still debatable that he had done anything that is way out of line) is rediculous.

3.  It has been pointed out to David M that Tom had been gone for long periods (seminary, vacations - he was taking finals during the Brent tyraid, for example) and his secret friends still don't post.  Yet, he continues to repeat his same invalidated accusation.

4.  Most of the people who have left the Assembly, still tend to be closer to conservative values and still consider themselves people of faith.  There are much fewer who have gone to the liberal/secular camp.  This is why the latter is in the minority.  The fact is, people tend to post where they feel they are in the majority and their ideas will be relatively accepted.  If I were to go to a gay site and post "homosexuality is demonstratably biologically inconvenient and is a result of some sort of chemical imbalance or psycological deficiency that needs to be addressed", I would be agressively resisted - this board would look like the politeness of an British tea compared to how I would be treated. 

If one of David's secret friends wants to post on why they believe God doesn't exists, those of us who have put just as much thought into why it is evident that God does exist will post, too.  They are welcome to post and I will be polite.  But, the sentiment of this board still tends to be Christian-centric.

(This is a hard concept for Liberals, by the way, who still want to appoint judges even though they lost the elections that give them that right).

5.  The fact that David keeps posting contrary theme in the face that they are continually contradicted and invalidated tells me that David M has a kind of "missionary spirit" where he feels strongly that he wants to change the culture of this board according to his values.  He is welcome to do that and may even succeed if he convinces enough secret friends to start posting.  But, most people don't have that kind of determination.  Most people have a life and job where we make a difference and merely see the BB as a kind of side-hobby.  As a result, most tend to post on boards that are in keeping with their core beliefs.

[matthew r. sciaini]

Dave Mauldin:

Have fun on your vacation.  Hope you can have your own party and your own followers somewhere.

Matt Sciaini