First Impression

B

Bandit

Guest
1.What was your first impression(s) with CR?
Say- before you joined & right after you joined.

2.Then, what is your lasting impression after being around for a little while?
(I guess some newbies can come back later if they want to, & give there lasting impression)

For me, I was very leary of joining as in being unequally yoked. I watched for about a month before I joined. I felt it was too much at one time. Too many different beliefs to deal with & I kind of feel that way still sometimes, But I learn when I visit.

After joining, I found it to be quite sincere, outgoing & a reliable place to share beliefs without being judged & cast aside. Though that happens sometimes, especially if someone feels they need to defend there beliefs.
IN the beginning, I also found it to be very anti-Christ & felt some what attacked for believeing in the Bible, but now I just pretty much ignore it. OR, if they can dish it, be prepared to take it.:)
The Christian forum was loaded with stuff that had nothing to do with Christianity & was a bit confusing. That has gotten way better;) .

My lasting impressions are more on the lines of learning & not so much spiritually inclined. Though sometimes that happens. I have learned to love & respect others even when we don't see eye to eye & carry on in love.
Finally I think it is a very top notch site. One of the best online & the only one I post at. CR is run extremely well by the moderators & there are some very nice people here to talk to about beliefs.

Brian does a nice job keeping the peace with good ethics, making it fun & offers a tremendous amount of online sources. More than any site I have ever seen. I know we are all still learning & I think that is what CR is about.
When I log in, it reminds me kind of like going to church. Except you never know for sure what you are going to get into here.
I suppose I can say more but that is about it for now.

It Sure keeps things interesting.:)

So what do you think?
Your first & lasting impressions.
 
1.What was your first impression(s) with CR?


2.Then, what is your lasting impression after being around for a little while?

I felt the same as Bandit... it seemed to me that everyone was just arguing and trying to prove who was the more intellectual and learned. Then I saw a Christian I dont remember who it was now but they were staunchly trying to defend their faith and the bible (doing a good job btw.. despite being outnumbered) I felt like I had to step in to give him some relief and maybe some support. At that point I dont remember reading much from bible believing Christians.. it seems like we get more and more now which is promising to me.

Ive watched the site grow and mature even since December.. Brian and the moderators have structured it a bit more to where its not "anything goes" in every forum.. I believe that there is more respect now for different beliefs and faiths... and its enforced. I think the majority of the people represent their faiths well and the ones that put a bad taste in your mouth well they dont usually stay around for long. :)
 
My first impression was that this was an excellent site, with many articles and texts that I am finding useful. The forums seemed, for the most part, open and respectful to me. But then again, I am very used to debate, even passionate debate, and being around a bunch of folks with whom I disagree, so I am not easily offended. My initial reaction to the Christianity forum was a bit of frustration that some felt it necessary to preach to people already professing to follow Christ, though I was not surprised, as I've seen this happen numerous times both to me and to other Christians who are of a liberal, mystic, or non-mainstream bent. I soon found, however, that those who were disrespectful did not last long, and those who were long-timers here were respectful and loving, even when we do not agree (which is all I personally wish for). I am very supportive of everyone being free to defend their beliefs, and grateful that it is a rarity that people attack others' beliefs. My hats off to the mods for keeping up on ensuring that everyone is respectful in their dialogue and focused on the purpose of this website- to share in dialogue- rather than to convert.

I also enjoy that it is a reasonably small forum, which I noticed immediately (and was partially why I chose this site, as opposed to something like beliefnet) so I feel like I can "get to know" regulars here and have at least a vague idea of who they are, where they're coming from (so to speak), and what their basic beliefs are. It's kind of fun to ponder a question and think- I bet I have a clue how so-and-so will answer this... It's like a community of virtual friends who, though often with quite different ideas, get together in mutual respect and interest in learning to discuss. I know few people in my immediate circle of friends, family, and collegues who have the extensive interest I do in discussing all matters relating to religion, so I find this to be a nice respite at various points of the day as I am doing research or writing.
All in all, this is the best comparative religion site in my opinion, and the only one in which I post. As in the tale of Goldilocks- it's not too big, not too small- just right! Not too politically correct, not too abrasive- just right! I find that this site helps tremendously in my learning, and even in my spirituality, as I am often given cause to attempt to express that which I normally would not, which forms a sort of journal for my own thoughts and experiences. Thanks to everyone for an excellent website and forum. :)
 
Faithfulservant said:
1.What was your first impression(s) with CR?


2.Then, what is your lasting impression after being around for a little while?

I felt the same as Bandit... it seemed to me that everyone was just arguing and trying to prove who was the more intellectual and learned. Then I saw a Christian I dont remember who it was now but they were staunchly trying to defend their faith and the bible (doing a good job btw.. despite being outnumbered) I felt like I had to step in to give him some relief and maybe some support. At that point I dont remember reading much from bible believing Christians.. it seems like we get more and more now which is promising to me.

Ive watched the site grow and mature even since December.. Brian and the moderators have structured it a bit more to where its not "anything goes" in every forum.. I believe that there is more respect now for different beliefs and faiths... and its enforced. I think the majority of the people represent their faiths well and the ones that put a bad taste in your mouth well they dont usually stay around for long. :)
Click to expand...
That first couple of months was a hard road to travel. Kind of like cruising I 80 just west of Reno with 20 feet of snow on both sides.
I am glad you were there when I joined Faithful.:)
 
path_of_one said:
I also enjoy that it is a reasonably small forum, which I noticed immediately (and was partially why I chose this site, as opposed to something like beliefnet) so I feel like I can "get to know" regulars here and have at least a vague idea of who they are, where they're coming from (so to speak), and what their basic beliefs are. It's kind of fun to ponder a question and think- I bet I have a clue how so-and-so will answer this... It's like a community of virtual friends who, though often with quite different ideas, get together in mutual respect and interest in learning to discuss. I know few people in my immediate circle of friends, family, and collegues who have the extensive interest I do in discussing all matters relating to religion, so I find this to be a nice respite at various points of the day as I am doing research or writing.
Click to expand...
that is how i see it too Path. it looks big from the outside, but inside it is quite warm & cozy. not too big, not too small-JUST RIGHT:)
& there are nice regulars too. mutual learning to discuss says it well too.
i guess the rest either hit the road jack or Admin gives a free bus ticket. I noticed that from the start too. Stop lights serve for a good purpose. IMO
There is a lot of tolerance here, but the ones who are too 'smart' to begin with...well you know the rest.:)
Glad you joined & stayed too.
 
Hello, and Peace to All Here--

I am still fairly new here, but I have a feeling I am going to be around a while. I came here out of a need for a peaceful, mature, and ongoing discussion of a cross section of beliefs. The fact that it is well-mediated is one thing that makes the experience a good one for me. I have used the analogy of a backyard barbecue a few times because (okay, I'm from Texas and that is what we tend to do here:) ) that is where these types of discussions kept coming up. Ha! I nearly got "banned from bbq" because whenever I was around, the conversation tended to turn toward comparative religion, for some reason:) . Inevitably, someone's feathers would get ruffled--sometimes even mine--or someone's feelings would get hurt. People would think I was proselytizing, but mostly I just enjoy the subject. So, realizing I was in danger of alienating good friends and family and never tasting good brisket again, I decided to go in search of an outlet, and wound up here. Funny--at least one of my bbq buddies has joined, and I have a sneaky suspicion there are maybe a couple of others watching from a distance now. ;) Ah...see, maybe all we needed was a bbq moderator.:D

Considering that I only joined in April, and have already posted over 200 times, I have realized that, indeed, I must have been talking too much at the backyard gatherings.

Another thing that is cool about this place is that there are actually people here practicing a myriad of faiths, and so rather than sitting around debating the belief systems of any given one, I can actually go to the appropriate board and ask people who actually know the answers! Outstanding.

And then, beyond bbq, there is the church I attend. I subscribe to the basic doctrine there, but in my heart, I sometimes feel like a bit of an outsider because I do not share all of the dominant viewpoints there. I love the people there, and I am involved in ministries that I will not walk away from. So CR is an outlet in this way also--I do not feel so lonely now that I see there are others here that share some of these "wayward" convictions (sorry--don't know exactly how to express what I am trying to say.)

I am glad I found CR, or it found me. Either way, I now have a list of reading materials a mile long, and I have been able to assess what areas I need to research in depth, as well as which areas I am most able to contribute.

Not only all this, but CR's design is really wonderful. One of the best I have seen.

These were my first impressions, and my reasons for joining (I am really not much of a "joiner" most of the time):) .

InPeace,
InLove
 
InLove said:
Hello, and Peace to All Here--

And then, beyond bbq, there is the church I attend. I subscribe to the basic doctrine there, but in my heart, I sometimes feel like a bit of an outsider because I do not share all of the dominant viewpoints there. I love the people there, and I am involved in ministries that I will not walk away from. So CR is an outlet in this way also--I do not feel so lonely now that I see there are others here that share some of these "wayward" convictions (sorry--don't know exactly how to express what I am trying to say.)
InPeace,
InLove
Click to expand...
It is like that for me too. A reliable place to share some of the beliefs & convictions that others may never understand. It feels good to be able to express it, even if it is not the general dominant viewpoint.
I do not feel so lonely now also & glad you joined & feel that way too InLove.
 
I came to CR because I felt I needed (a lot) more info...a lot of the time I just read....mainly because I don't have enough knowledge to contribute significantly (I don't even know which questions to ask! :p )...I do enjoy the debates, even the heated ones, because I get a looooot of info from them...I really hate it when people are disrispectful but, for the most part, the moderators remove the posts before I even see them! ...I must confess that I look in during work hours, that is another reason why I mostly read and not post...most of the time I have enough trouble trying to speed-read and gain some understanding on what is being discussed, let alone try to compose an articulate answer/contribution...I have learned a lot in the short time I've been there...I really look forward to my "visits" here...

Peace to all!
 
I found the link to this joint while doing a Google search for religious material. The title "Comapative-Religion", immediately caught my eye (and curiosity). The next thing I know, I'm in the thick of debates and conversations much deeper than my peers at work or in the neighborhood even dream of.

I also realize that I had a lot to say about faith and people (as well as a lot to learn).

A couple of times I thought I was going to be booted (which would've served me right), but instead Brian (recognising a potential pyro-maniac), made me a fire fighter instead. He did me a tremendous favor, and forced me to learn to be more flexible, more tolerant.

The effect this place has on people goes way beyond the computer screen (and the one sitting in front of it). I've made friends, met people from here, and my wife got "religion" (or spirituality and a sense of purpose).

It IS like going to church. And I find self thinking about God, daily, as well as using what I've learned here during everyday encounters with people.

Funny thing. I used to keep my Bible and other religious books on the book shelf gathering dust. Now they surround my computer hutch, and are opened and read every day.

I also pray a lot more (at least once in the morning and once at night), wherein before I might have prayed once every six months or so.

I never thought a virtual place could be holy ground...but Comparative-Religion is a place of holy ground.

my two cents.

v/r

Q
 
Bandit said:
1.What was your first impression(s) with CR?
Say- before you joined & right after you joined.

2.Then, what is your lasting impression after being around for a little while?
(I guess some newbies can come back later if they want to, & give there lasting impression)
Click to expand...
As for #1....

I've been struggling to put into the written word my impressions of this place, which has left me a little forlorn since nothing seems to capture it. As my title suggests, I'm self-taught for the most part, although, not strictly since I look to other people to help me learn. But since I am self-taught in many ways, I hope you'll forgive anything that I might write which seems out of place.

Anyway, if you have ever seen the movie of "The Miracle Worker" with Anne Bancroft and Patti Duke after the scene where Helen stands at the water pump with water flowing over one hand and Annie forming letters under Helen's other hand, and she realizes the connection between the two. Helen wants to know what everything is, she races to touch things and have Annie tell her, she can't drink the knowledge in fast enough. In a way, that's how I feel about about being here. This place is my water pump and each one of you is my Annie.

But it's a bit of a paradox as well because along with the excitement of learning more about all these spiritual paths there is also a peacefulness that I have while I'm here. That feeling of peacefulness and, I guess, of safety comes from the attitude of the members that come here.

I'm not sure if any of that comes anywhere near what I want to convey but in essence what I want to say is that I feel this is a good place.

As for #2...
Time will tell.

Oh and just as an FYI, my writings tend to go from the one extreme of being very serious to the other extreme of being pretty light-hearted. Much like my personality in the "real world". :)

Thanks for reading if you gotten this far,
zeekur
 
#1a. Lots of well-read and intelligent folks here; very civil. Excellent moderating. I wonder if they would put up with a newbie like me and my unenlightened musings.

#1b. Wow--they are putting up with a newbie like me with my unenlightened musings!

#2. Wow--they are still putting up with me and my ramblings! And the people here continue to be very pleasant, interesting, and friendly.

Thank you all, and hats off to I, Brian and his team of moderators.

lunamoth

Oh yeah, I also wanted to say great post, Q. This place is like a community for me as well. I'm a stay home Mom and this is one of my only outlets for adult conversation and intellectual stimulation (unless you count Blues Clues). My hub thinks I'm a bit obsessesed, and I may be, but then again he interacts with adults all day long at his job, while all I get is nap time and after the kids go to bed at night to have some thinking and reading time for myself. This forum is perfect for me because I am interested in learning about differerent religions, but you can't really get it all from books. The personal persepectives really help give a feel for what the different religions are about. And there's no one place for all the non-mainstream beliefs one can learn and ask questions about here. So, add to that the excellent moderating and the great members, and it makes a wonderful virtual community to hang out in. I've appreciated the growing fellowship I've found here. As Path of One said somewhere else, you all know me in some ways better than anyone else does. My spiritual life is a huge part of me that no one else knows because, well, they don't ask!

peace again,
lunamoth
 
I hope you don't feel a newbie any more, lunamoth. I remember when you've shyly joined me and juantoo3 in our saga about morality. :D

I have periods when I read a lot about religion and spirituality and periods when I let them behind me, caught in the struggle of the daily life.

My first impression. I came in here after being a member on beliefnet.com and find the site refreshing and easy to post and get answers to the subjects I was interested in. I joined the site and than I waited for a few months. When I realised the place was safe I began to post. I don't like quarrels, so whenever the thread tends to be too hot, I find myself another subject. I'm not a coward, but I know myself well enough to know I can be really tough when I'm pissed off. I don't see the interest to be angry with someone I don't even know, just because we don't have the same standards or interests.

If I look back to the moment I joined this site, I realize I have changed a lot. I learned to keep my mouth shut and think twice before posting.
 
alexa said:
I hope you don't feel a newbie any more, lunamoth. I remember when you've shyly joined me and juantoo3 in our saga about morality. :D
.
Click to expand...


Hi alexa, no I can't claim to be a newbie anymore; I must take full responsibility for my actions now. :D Actually, I could learn a lot from you about staying out of hot threads...but sometimes I just can't help myself. And yes, that thread on morality in evolution was a lot of fun. Someday we'll hit on another topic and run with it.

peace,
lunamoth
 
Hi lunamoth,

Don't worry. Sometimes I cannot help myself either. :D

And you are right. One day we'll hit another topic to find ourselves out of strenght. :D
 
Quahom1 said:
It IS like going to church. And I find self thinking about God, daily, as well as using what I've learned here during everyday encounters with people.

Funny thing. I used to keep my Bible and other religious books on the book shelf gathering dust. Now they surround my computer hutch, and are opened and read every day.

I also pray a lot more (at least once in the morning and once at night), wherein before I might have prayed once every six months or so.

I never thought a virtual place could be holy ground...but Comparative-Religion is a place of holy ground.

my two cents.

v/r

Q
Click to expand...
Hey Q:)
i remember when i first came here, you & i had a prayer together & agreed together. the answer we got was not what either of us was expecting I dont think, but there it goes again...if any two gathered together should ask & agree in my name...

so even in different parts of the world, we can be gathered together.
You do a nice job putting out the fires;)
 
lunamoth said:
#1a. Lots of well-read and intelligent folks here; very civil. Excellent moderating. I wonder if they would put up with a newbie like me and my unenlightened musings.

#1b. Wow--they are putting up with a newbie like me with my unenlightened musings!

#2. Wow--they are still putting up with me and my ramblings! And the people here continue to be very pleasant, interesting, and friendly.

Thank you all, and hats off to I, Brian and his team of moderators.

lunamoth
My spiritual life is a huge part of me that no one else knows because, well, they don't ask!

peace again,
lunamoth
Click to expand...
hey Lunamoth,
i remember when we first met & we were talking about Noahs Ark & how the bugs went into the cracks of the ark. LOL:D (probably two by two)

i will try to ask more about your spiritual life once in awhile. i like your jokes even though i may not say so. but i think i would be laughing pretty hard if you told them to me in real life. Baa Baa

one of the things i noticed when i joined & like very much here is how the 'know it all' gets a fair warning, but since they already know it all, they dont get it.
 
Bandit said:
hey Lunamoth,
i remember when we first met & we were talking about Noahs Ark & how the bugs went into the cracks of the ark. LOL:D (probably two by two)

i will try to ask more about your spiritual life once in awhile. i like your jokes even though i may not say so. but i think i would be laughing pretty hard if you told them to me in real life. Baa Baa

one of the things i noticed when i joined & like very much here is how the 'know it all' gets a fair warning, but since they already know it all, they dont get it.
Click to expand...

And here I was starting to think you didn't love me anymore, Bandit. ;)

I hope you are not putting me in the class of those who think they know it all. I for sure feel humbled by the knowledgable members here.

peace,
lunamoth
 
zeekur said:
As for #1....

I've been struggling to put into the written word my impressions of this place, which has left me a little forlorn since nothing seems to capture it. As my title suggests, I'm self-taught for the most part, although, not strictly since I look to other people to help me learn. But since I am self-taught in many ways, I hope you'll forgive anything that I might write which seems out of place.


As for #2...
Time will tell.

Oh and just as an FYI, my writings tend to go from the one extreme of being very serious to the other extreme of being pretty light-hearted. Much like my personality in the "real world". :)

Thanks for reading if you gotten this far,
zeekur
Click to expand...
The Miracle Worker sounds like a good first impression to me & welcome to CR zeekur:) .
i do the same thing, go from serious to light hearted. i think some have had a hard time understanding that because we cannot see facial expressions & body language. while in person we can be having a very serious conversation but be laughing at the same time;)
 
lunamoth said:
And here I was starting to think you didn't love me anymore, Bandit. ;)

I hope you are not putting me in the class of those who think they know it all. I for sure feel humbled by the knowledgable members here.

peace,
lunamoth
Click to expand...
not at all Luna. I love you more than you know:) & appreciate you even more.
i know you would be awesome to get together with & have some intelligent converse with & we would be laughing like goofy maniacs at the same time.;)


i was meaning the ones who get that free bus ticket to 'know it all land'
which makes me think of another thread to start.
 
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