What Do You Regret Is Gone From MD?

[Robert]

We almost should have an "I wish..." thread. There are things on this forum that I really appreciate. And then there are things that can drive me nuts. I stick to certain sub-forums and rarely stick my head in others for that reason. I know my limits.

I have been thinking about this for the past week or two pretty heavily. As I just stated in a post to Bootstrap, I am getting a different opinion of the Current Events section. I think it is much needed to explore how we interact and respond to the events around us. The challenge is many are somewhat quiet and it magnifies people like Bootstrap and myself when we challenge one another. I do think I have returned to a more combative/confrontational personality. I am working at how to do that better, but I ain't no Appleman.

So I would just suggest one thing. Be what you want to see here. If you think something is missing, help us bring it to the surface. People like me need that. I do get tunnel vision and need the distractions to keep me out of the ditches.

[steve-in-kville]

I have been thinking about this for the past week or two pretty heavily. As I just stated in a post to Bootstrap, I am getting a different opinion of the Current Events section.

I don't frequent the Current Events forum a whole lot. And I stay away from the Political forum almost entirely, even though I am one of the few registered voters here. I'm just not that in to it.

[MaxPC]

I have been thinking about this for the past week or two pretty heavily. As I just stated in a post to Bootstrap, I am getting a different opinion of the Current Events section.

I don't frequent the Current Events forum a whole lot. And I stay away from the Political forum almost entirely, even though I am one of the few registered voters here. I'm just not that in to it.

Like Steve, I try to avoid the political thread; in my case though it’s because I find the over-generalizations to push political agendas irritating in particular and the thinly veiled lobbying for a political party in general to be antithetical to nonresistance. YMMV but I feel that to allow political events to take over the current events thread is not only redundant but also undermines the intent of the current events thread.

A suggestion: make it clear that any current event EXCEPT politics or politically related posts are for The Current Events thread. E.g. the case of the missing Amish girl would fit there. Relocations of families and fellowships; updates on non-political local and national community events, etc.

[Szdfan]

I think there was a broader range of participants on MD than on MN. There are a number of people that I’m still in contact with through FB that didn’t really make the transition to MN.

[Grace]

I have been thinking about this for the past week or two pretty heavily. As I just stated in a post to Bootstrap, I am getting a different opinion of the Current Events section. I think it is much needed to explore how we interact and respond to the events around us. The challenge is many are somewhat quiet and it magnifies people like Bootstrap and myself when we challenge one another. I do think I have returned to a more combative/confrontational personality. I am working at how to do that better, but I ain't no Appleman.

So I would just suggest one thing. Be what you want to see here. If you think something is missing, help us bring it to the surface. People like me need that. I do get tunnel vision and need the distractions to keep me out of the ditches.

Thank you Robert for being a great moderator. I do not view you as having a combative or confrontational personality. And I do not see you challenging Bootstap as much simply pointing out the obvious truth in a kind and eloquent manner.

[Bootstrap]

So I would just suggest one thing. Be what you want to see here. If you think something is missing, help us bring it to the surface.

I think that's great advice. Steve-in-kyville and AnthonyMartin seem to be doing this very intentionally right now, and I think that's very helpful. Anyone can do that.

I'm also trying to focus on what is productive, but I obviously don't always get it right.

[temporal1]

.. but I ain't no Appleman.

he’s a gift. and, so are you.

[temporal1]

I think there was a broader range of participants on MD than on MN. There are a number of people that I’m still in contact with through FB that didn’t really make the transition to MN.

i miss the numbers of conservative young voices. i joined at the end of the original MD, within a few months, they moved on. some marrying, some starting families, working (more) - and, “Facebook happened.” the forum age/mentality changed. not bad, different.

my dream was that younger siblings would move in. nope. guess they went to FB, etc., too.

i’m glad i have a bit of a memory of the original.
it was specially refreshing after caretaking two loved ones to their final rewards. life!
they were fresh, not jaded, accepting, respectful. they had depth of understanding scriptures, asking weighty questions, and enjoyed playing fun games, challenges, etc., esp on weekends. there was a good balance. most seemed to know each other IRL, or were related. this added trust and intimacy.

MD was originally an internet experiment by Anabaptist teens.
Their early posts reflected, they had no idea it would carry on for years+years.

[gcdonner]

For those who have been around since near the beginning of MD, you will realize, which many of the more newbies don't understand, that this whole adventure was started by an 18 +/- young man and it appealed mostly to very young Mennonites at the time, many/most unmarried. I was invited by a co-worker who fit into those parameters even though I was not strictly speaking a Mennonite and definitely was not in my teen/twenties even then. He thought I would enjoy the banter and suggested I get involved in the eschatology side of things, even before there was the setting up of topics. It was pretty much wide open and the threads could easily float from one topic to another.
All of that is to say it was a very fluid site in those days of wide-eyed optimism and even naivete. The characters of more than one young person was molded, challenged and even hurt in those days of innocence.

Having said all that, I am somewhat surprised that there hasn't been someone espousing last days theologies with all the turmoil going on in our country at the moment. Perhaps we have all matured since those early days, eh?

[gcdonner]

I notice that in MN there is no set aside thread for eschatology. Perhaps by design???