On the Outside ..

[ken_sylvania]

Those with personal+immediate interest in joining are often led away from the internet right away. (There's a thread for that.) For this reason, i see no real change on the horizon - for a "majority" CM presence.

Which thread are you referring to, Temp?

The idea of Conservative Anabaptists moving away from internet use is interesting to me. I'd have said the general trend is the other direction among the conservatives I know.

[temporal1]

Those with personal+immediate interest in joining are often led away from the internet right away. (There's a thread for that.) For this reason, i see no real change on the horizon - for a "majority" CM presence.

Which thread are you referring to, Temp?

The idea of Conservative Anabaptists moving away from internet use is interesting to me.
I'd have said the general trend is the other direction among the conservatives I know.

thanks, ken.
coincidentally, i began this thread after reading one or a few of your posts.

i find this interesting, too.
i have read+read, knowing that much of CM life is not described on the internet.
the most conservative do not use internet, or to varying degrees. i respect this, i don't mean to pry or exploit, i'd rather have questions than that. if i'm meant to know, i will eventually learn.

it's not a secret, on MD, now MN, when new folks arrive who mostly already know they are most interested in the more conservative groups, there are members available to help them make contacts, begin relationships. so, naturally, these folks will leave the internet. some will give a reason and say farewell, a few will return occasionally with updates, and so on.

i consider this a good and valuable outcome, i have been privileged to read of many good experiences of others on MD-MN, not just of the more conservative, but, across the board.
it's not perfect! but many have been served.

to leave the internet is not a secret, it's a choice. a choice to leave the internet.
i will PM you with the thread, so as not to make a spectacle of it. not my goal!
thank you for your patience.

[KingdomBuilder]

Coming to MD, I didn't even know that there were different degrees of Mennonite (conservative, progressive, etc).
I came with a tattered view of Christianity; fed up, worn out, and frustrated with the evangelical, Protestant Christianity I'd been brought up around.
I'm not close enough to go to any anabaptist church. I'd love to, but right now I can't.

My point to take away is this- There seems to be a degree of pessimism and negativity about MN: it's makeup, it's posters, it's posts, etc. This frustrates me. I think some on here would do well to remember that MN is, for quite a few here I'd assume (including me), the only place to connect with those of a like-minded faith. Not all on here can just throw their hands up and retire to their comfy communities & congregations and continue to learn and grow in the anabaptist faith. While no where near ideal, this is the closest I've got to that right now.
For people like me, MN is important; it seems that for others it's just another platform for social media.

[Josh]

Those with personal+immediate interest in joining are often led away from the internet right away. (There's a thread for that.) For this reason, i see no real change on the horizon - for a "majority" CM presence.

Which thread are you referring to, Temp?

The idea of Conservative Anabaptists moving away from internet use is interesting to me. I'd have said the general trend is the other direction among the conservatives I know.

I've been wondering the same thing. There aren't many groups of Anabaptists left who don't use Internet; even Old Order Amish do now, some Nationwide people, Washington-Franklin, MWMC Old Order, Weaverland are a few very conservative groups who use Internet and the latter three had members who participated in MD.

I did hear last night about a group of New Order Amish whose bishop wants to restrict Internet / phone use, as he feels it's out of hand. But I don't think anyone who's come to MD/MN has tried to join that group.

[lesterb]

Those with personal+immediate interest in joining are often led away from the internet right away. (There's a thread for that.)

I suppose you're referring to LJones. It's true that this happened to him. But he's gone back to where he came from, or someplace similar and still hasn't come back to us.

I was thinking of who else this might refer to. Maybe OBHorst. I know there was some question as to whether MD was on the approval list for the MW conference. But he did come back, and I doubt he'll be able to stay away from MN either.

I think a bigger reason for some of the plainer people leaving is that they felt it was a waste or misuse of their time. A number of conservative people have come and gone after a trial period.

The best way to keep us on board is to maintain biblical threads with helpful discussion content. I don't mind the odd light thread -- I enjoy talking about linux or computers on occasion, or asking question along that line. KingdomBuilder like to talk about horticulture. Etc. But when it seems that people are just putting in time doing useless small talk, you wonder sometimes if it's worth it.

But I'd agree with Boot. I don't think we really need an advocate to try to smooth the road for us. Most of us conservative Mennonites have lots of experience in the school of hard knocks. It's just that we often don't see the need to be defensive. It still takes two people to fight, and it's amazing how a fight dies out when one side refuses to take up arms.

Of course, I've gotten involved in a few useless discussions too. So we all live and learn.

[temporal1]

Coming to MD, I didn't even know that there were different degrees of Mennonite (conservative, progressive, etc).

I came with a tattered view of Christianity; fed up, worn out, and frustrated with the evangelical, Protestant Christianity I'd been brought up around.

I'm not close enough to go to any anabaptist church. I'd love to, but right now I can't.

My point to take away is this-
There seems to be a degree of pessimism and negativity about MN: it's makeup, it's posters, it's posts, etc. This frustrates me.

I think some on here would do well to remember that MN is, for quite a few here I'd assume (including me), the only place to connect with those of a like-minded faith.

Not all on here can just throw their hands up and retire to their comfy communities & congregations and continue to learn and grow in the anabaptist faith. While no where near ideal, this is the closest I've got to that right now.

For people like me, MN is important; it seems that for others it's just another platform for social media.

o., KB. so true.
i was just thinking of lester's recent thread, "Where do you fit?" -
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=160
i was reading+thinking, if this thread had been available on my first day, i might have chosen his option 5, "i'm just curious about Mennonites." / but, even then, i wasn't "just curious," i was interested in learning more, especially about certain things i found in common (understanding scriptures) which is more than .. (idle) curiosity.

but, i found so much more.

it was never a "pure" site (i had found encyclopediac-type resources) .. but here was a living, organic site with real people with real insights and real experiences, and real varying views on what Anabaptist faith and life meant to them.

like you, i began with no notion of conferences or even variations between fellowships.
i am slower learner than you, but, God willing, i get there.

i recall a time when lester explained (to me) how many Anabaptists prefer to use the word, "fellowship," over "church." i really started at the beginning. today, i still have much to learn.

unlike you, i was not weary in faith; our mutual faith was core to how my husband and i endured his lengthy illness and death; we had been isolated from the world, so, the world was little on my mind.

i was weary in may ways, but strengthened in faith.

(for me) lester's thread reflects MN is, indeed, a place to seek Anabaptist interaction -
as you say, a single place for many. KB, in the past, MD had active posters from many places outside the U.S., with little possibility of ever visiting an Anabaptist fellowship. this could happen again.

it has changed my life, helped me better understand, as i read scriptures, and it's changed how i interact with my family; there is a ripple effect that cannot be measured. of course, this is the Holy Spirit working, it's the Holy Spirit that determines outcomes.

as my father told (an incredulous me, as a child) the Bible is "the" book that cannot be outgrown. we grow into it over our lives, learning does not end. now i'm "here" and, he-was-correct!
thanks, dad.

MD-MN has increased with new members in recent years, adding+adding to the experience.
members beginning, like you, and those more mature in their walk, each adding valuable new perspective.

i pray MN will help you become less weary. i really do.
read seeking Light, Light sustains, as the rest falls away.

[KingdomBuilder]

The best way to keep us on board is to maintain biblical threads with helpful discussion content.

I agree. But are many on here willing to truly participate in such threads? Perhaps I'm going about it wrong, but I've had two attempts since the MD crash at creating biblically-based discussions; both have failed.
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=149

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=37

[lesterb]

The best way to keep us on board is to maintain biblical threads with helpful discussion content.

I agree. But are many on here willing to truly participate in such threads? Perhaps I'm going about it wrong, but I've had two attempts since the MD crash at creating biblically-based discussions; both have failed.
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=149

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=37

I know. I went through the same back on MD. Seems that most threads peter out after a bit. They mostly stay going if the subject is pretty controversial.

Sort of a shame, really.

[silentreader]

The best way to keep us on board is to maintain biblical threads with helpful discussion content.

I agree. But are many on here willing to truly participate in such threads? Perhaps I'm going about it wrong, but I've had two attempts since the MD crash at creating biblically-based discussions; both have failed.
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=149

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=37

I would have gotten involved in either or both of those threads if I would not be trying to do justice to the MentorLink thread. Until I'm done with that I won't feel comfortable getting deeply involved in any other discussion. I may make comments but will avoid anything in-depth.
The truth of the matter is, evidence suggests that most people on here are uncomfortable discussing Scripture.
Doesn't make them 'less' or 'worse' than anyone else.

[temporal1]

KB, i agree with responses above.
i'm so glad when new members do not "just leave" when they don't receive immediate feedback, or see things they don't agree with.

when i was a (nervous) new member, Robert was not admin, he was an active and "most-encouraging" member, he and george were frequently posting, having a lot of fun, in addition to adding to the more edifying threads. KB, i wasn't sure i would be allowed to post, being a woman. i noticed, not many women posted. i did not know.

MD was my first forum. i have not strayed far.

as i originally came to MD in hopes of finding women friends, this was an adjustment.
i recall asking george, privately, "is it ok for me to post? where are the women?!"
he responded, something-like, "they are there! keep posting, they will get to know you."

well, by now, i know and value MD-MN women posters .. most are busy raising their families.
naturally. when i had a busy family, an internet forum would have not worked at all!
i sort of think, as these women's families grow up and they have more time, MN will have plenty of women posting. there are many with valuable things to share, and every ability to do so.

i digress.

early on, i asked Robert about "no responses?"
he explained, as lester is saying above, when people are in agreement, they often will just read and nod. when in disagreement, they write! ..

one other thing - simple timing.
if you begin a thread when interested parties happen to be available, you will get responses.
if not, unless the thread is "refreshed," it has a good chance of being overlooked.
i noticed you refreshed one of your threads above - yes! do that.

i have seen threads get "no response," then, after refreshing, receive pages of responses.
that's an internet-thing. not a personal thing.

i agree, too, fewer members will engage in "scholarly" scriptural study.
for these, "quality, not quantity" is key.

as well, look at the "number of views." that's a hint about interest.
some threads may receive few posts, but hundreds-or-thousands of views.
MD-MN has lots of read-only folks.

if i can get through this winter, maybe my life will change sufficiently to get me away from MN and with my real life family. "this winter" may be a turning point for me. i am seeking God's will on it.