Robert wrote: ↑Sat Dec 17, 2022 11:14 pm
ontariomartin wrote: ↑Sat Dec 17, 2022 9:50 pm
But sitting down over a meal or coffee to graciously discuss one's differences would not seem like a conflict of conscience for me.
I think Robert is right when he says these things are not best handled on an open internet forum. It's so hard to see facial expressions and hear the tone of voice.
Another challenge is many from a more conservative Mennonite/Anabaptist foundation already separate themselves from others that do not see things as they do.
It is easy to project that into this forum because it is populated with a lot of cMs.
The challenge is that it is not limited to cM discussion.
It is open to all people that are respectful and are sincerely seeking a place to connect in a small way with others that are interested in a similar faith. Yet, that faith is often practiced in a very different way.
It is okay of nett does not want to "fellowship" with others he perceives as too tolerant with gender issues. This would mean he would have to limit or not come to MN to post since this forum always has and will continue to allow differing voices on issues as long as it is respectful.
What often happens is those whoa re more conservative do not want those voices and fight to remove/limit them from a space already set up to allow them.
Both camps start building walls and allies to increase the fight/pressure. This shuts down discussion and open honest expression.
Then these factions start going at each other, often in passive aggressive ways. Then it falls to the Moderators to parent adults.
i see all of this. with one more observation/thought. (none of this is “new.”)
where ever they come from, the majority of new members arrive interested in cMs. most quite optimistic and hopeful.
if initial forum entry posts are looked at, most active posters arrived interested in cMs, or conservative Anabaptists.
yet, most new members do not post beyond their entry post, many post once, or under 10 times, then disappear.
(i have no idea if admin/mods can see who is reading-only, or reading without signing in.)
in the past, on MD, it was fairly clear, many would read-only.
originally, the forum was cMs, not restricted to cMs, members began on CENTRALLY LOCATED FAMILY DESK TOP COMPUTERS.
(it was great!) i wasn’t original, but i joined before the family computer aspect changed.
today, there are active posters who not only do not have an interest in cMs, they have axes to grind, or criticisms.
of course that colors tone.
questions are good! even honest criticisms. they’re vital to have an active forum.
snide jabs, sweeping criticisms, are hard to take. even for outsiders looking in.
i miss the interested tone of response to those arriving with fresh questions about conservative Anabaptism, esp how it might offer approaches to life+faith not commonly found in the world, not in other schools or churches - many long for “better” than the (gov as god) world is presenting. often, gov as god is offered IN churches!
some would arrive with specific personal questions they wanted CM help with. (one i recall was a woman whose husband refused to go to church with the family.) she got a lot of encouraging feedback about how she might respond to it. i recall that one, because there was unusual unanimity in suggestions! i believe she may have found encouraging, helpful, practical help. (that was not unusual.) lots of new members received personal response, maybe quite a lot privately? MD was a place where lots found personal and practical response. It makes sense that lots of folks arrive with “something weighing on their minds.”
one more (not new) thing.
i’ve wondered if the former MD way of inviting new members to share an Introduction thread to (say anything they want about themselves) would help get more new members engaged? i.e., a thread open for discussion with existing members?
(i imagine) it might be daunting to enter, only to get the idea the forum is .. not cM-inhabited, not welcoming to new members?
maybe an open Intro thread or personal invitation to discuss would help new folks get started?
Mrs. Nisly has an Intro thread (not used enough!)
http://forum.mennonet.com/viewtopic.php ... p=207#p207
of course i realize i’m part of the problem.
i appreciate the long-suffering involved.
