Your Behaviour: Time to calm it down

[Faithfulservant]

Tao..

I like you. I stopped taking things you said personally and now I just see a colorful individual that this forum is a better place for having.

Let me throw one last thing at you.

Remember.. Jesus loves you

[citizenzen]

Originally Posted by Faithfulservant

Remember.. Jesus loves you

But he does think you're a brown nose.

[Nick_A]

Originally Posted by citizenzen

But he does think you're a brown nose.

More racism. Now people are judged by the color of their nose. Where will it end?

[citizenzen]

Jesus is a racist?

No wonder I don't follow him!

[Faithfulservant]

Ive been accused of being a brown nose before ... Doesnt bother me.. I can think of worse things to be called.

[17th Angel]

Originally Posted by Nick_A

More racism. Now people are judged by the color of their nose. Where will it end?

Hows brown nose racist? It isn't speaking of the tone it's speaking of where you been shoving your nose..... However thinking about it, if that was a joke, lol how quaint.

[Nick_A]

Originally Posted by citizenzen

Jesus is a racist?

No wonder I don't follow him!

Instead You follow the deity Nostrilitus who judged the truth by the shape and color of the nose. He was outed as a racist and his writings are hidden but available to those like you that have sought them out.

Why not concern yourself with world peace and love and abandon this outdated and racist belief.

[juantoo3]

Originally Posted by lunamoth

Tao, I really don't get this post.

First, as others have said you are a part of this community and the fact that you've been here so long shows that we all value your input, when it is not outright abusive and flamebait.

Second, yes, the moderation here is sometimes spotty, but I would not put that at the feet of Brian. We have the unusual combination of a close-knit core of long-time members (who sometimes push the rules but we try not to be too hardcore on them) and then we get the drive-bys and trolls who really here just to disrupt and add nothing to the conversation. It is no easy task to allow robust and challenging dialogue, be understanding and lenient when tempers flare among citizens, but then also prevent disruption and abuse when things start to get out of hand.

This is getting to be a long post for me, but I'll go on a bit more.

Brian has asked us to be very tolerant and light-handed in moderating this forum for the last couple of years. Some people like that, and some don't. For some any moderation at all is too much. As mods we respond to reported posts and even then we follow the CoC carefully, trying to moderate abuse of the forum, not the views being expressed.

You can call me a brown-nose if you wish. I like this forum and appreciate that it is here, and the only reason it is here is because Brian continues to support it.

I second this.

[wil]

I'm sorry but folks that badmouth Brian for trying to create the place that he wishes to create with folks he wishes to create it with and attitudes he wishes to engender and those he wishes to squelch crack me up.


"I like your booze brother, but the meat was a too tough, and the veggies overcooked...next time do better, when is the next party?"

Face it, he's the host, he's in charge of supply and cleanup. We've done nothing but come as guests and enjoy his party. I've referred to it as his sandbox, which he has let us come play in, and it has some rules...a basic one, don't kick sand in others eyes.

As a party it has another rule, don't get so drunk on your own ego, you let the euphoria flood your system with righteousness. And don't puke on the carpet.

Call me a brown noser if you wish, but whiners and complainers, folks that think he/we doesn't/don't treat all equally...I'd say it isn't the easiest thing to do, and I'd say this place overall does a darn good job.

And I'll say it again, to all those that think they can do better, get off your duff and build your own sandbox and invite folks to your party...then you'll discover the actual physical, mental, emotional, monetary and time costs this all presents.

Ask not what CR/IO can do for you, but what you can do for this forum.

crap, just twisted my knee getting down off my soapbox.

[citizenzen]

I had no idea that this forum was the brain-child of I,Brian. That doesn't change my opinion on this matter, but it will change how I act towards him.
That dude has administrative powers and I don't want to log-in one day and find my avatar wearing a tutu.

That said, any attempt to control the content of the forum should be done sparingly and with the lightest of touches.

TRANSFORMATIONS ACCORDING TO CIRCUMSTANCES
When the hand of the ruler is light,
the people do not contrive,
but when the country is severely ruled,
the people grow in cunning.
The actions of the sage are sharp,
but they are never cutting,
they are pointed, though never piercing,
they are straightforward, not contrived,
and not without restraint,
brilliant but not blinding.
This is the action of the sage,
because he is aware
that where happiness exists,
there is also misery and strife;
that where honesty may be found,
there is occasion for dishonesty,
and that men may be beguiled.
The sage knows that no-one can foretell
just what the future holds.

~ Tao Te Ching

[I, Brian]

Originally Posted by NewDawn

Well had'nt you all better behave!! Our great and sagacious leader has rumbled down the command from on high!! We must all be honoured to have heard his voice!! His £'s (not dollars), are so generous!! He has several sites and since he started this has cost him only at the very most about $100 but this is offset, (as part of a 'bundle package'), by the business ones where he does charge people for poor advice. But lets not question Master Brian!! As he says, it is his site.... it does not belong to those that fill its pages!! And if you dont behave as commanded you might even have the rules changed without warning just for you!! (Re tao).

This is the kind of sad drivel we've unfortunately had to expect from you recently, and why you ended up suspended from the forums in the first place.

When you first came, you were a constructive part of the forum - but over the past year or so you couldn't enter a discussion without getting angry and making personal attacks against others.

Often it looked like you were just posting drunk - clumsy, intolerant, and simply aggressive for the hell of it.

You made it clear you had no interest in discussing faith issues excepting to kick out against other people, their religion, and the world in general.

I made various private pleas to try and get you to calm things down, but you just ignored what I said and continued as normal - then wondered why you got kicked out for continuing your personal attacks.

It's typical of the value you perceive in this community that you'd think it costs nothing. I guess that's why you disrespect it so much.

The domain name interfaith.org cost $8,000 alone, plus we've had nearly 6 years webhosting, the software licences, etc. Contrary to what you may believe, I do not have any websites that sell any advice - so if you feel any advice posted elsewhere hasn't benefited you, it's never cost anything in the first place.

Of course, I do have a business to run and my time costs - so having to come to IO to babysit adults who can't even follow basic rules adds additional costs. Still, I'm always happy to continue to develop this site and devote time and money to it. I still believe Interfaith.org has value and worth, obviously contrary to your own opinion.

The tragedy is that you could have contributed, been a constructive member here - but in the end, you are so consumed with anger you couldn't even sit among friends without striking out at them. I'd like to think your leaving the community is our loss, but unfortunately, it is yours.

In the meantime, anyone else who thinks agreeing with me somehow constitutes "brown-nosing" is really living with very small perceptions.

[I, Brian]

Originally Posted by citizenzen

That dude has administrative powers and I don't want to log-in one day and find my avatar wearing a tutu.

That said, any attempt to control the content of the forum should be done sparingly and with the lightest of touches.

The only time I've ever changed avatars is when people have tried to sneak adult content in them.

And there's no control over the content - as I constantly iterate, all I ask for is civility. It shouldn't be that difficult.

[citizenzen]

Originally Posted by I, Brian

The domain name interfaith.org cost $8,000 alone...

Dude! You coulda called it interfaith888 or inter_faith or whatEVER!

I know I'd have found some way to get around giving away $8,000.

Webhosting? $4.95 per month—less with an extended contract. Anything more and you are paying too much!

And thanks for not adding the tutu... but now, I'm just brown-nosing.

[seattlegal]

Originally Posted by citizenzen

Dude! You coulda called it interfaith888 or inter_faith or whatEVER!

I know I'd have found some way to get around giving away $8,000.

Webhosting? $4.95 per month—less with an extended contract. Anything more and you are paying too much!

And thanks for not adding the tutu... but now, I'm just brown-nosing.

And I thought you said you'd be wearing a cute little black dress when you met God...

[Nick_A]

Originally Posted by I, Brian

The only time I've ever changed avatars is when people have tried to sneak adult content in them.

And there's no control over the content - as I constantly iterate, all I ask for is civility. It shouldn't be that difficult.

It shouldn't be but it is. Remember when I began the thread: "Right Speech vs. Poliically correct Speech." Right speech wasn't celebrated.

We learned recently that all the anger and righteous indignation only results in ignorance for example in no one knowing what to say to a fourteen year old girl about sex and her body. We get caught up with righteous indignation and condemnation which feels good but leads to nothing.

It seems that when we can't hold thoughts in controversial matters, we denerate into anger. It does feel good and you know IRL how attractive mob rule becomes.

I can see admitting that we fall victim to nastiness but it seems that there is a need to feel that we are entitled to be nasty because something psychologically is gained by it. We may gain financially through nastiness in the media, but inwardly I believe we lose much more then this finacial gain is worth.

But if it is any help, I appreciate your intent.