Fresh Air?

StevePame

StevePame

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I think we've all noticed that things have been pretty quiet 'round these parts lately. I also understand that IO has its ebbs and flows and we appear firmly in an ebb. All of that being said, does anyone have thoughts on what we can/should do to get some new members or more discussion? Obviously, I don't want to inundate us with people who will do nothing but flame or spam (18 users in the last five days have spammed and been banned), but I am always open to ideas of getting more engaged and illuminating discussion going. We have some very passionate and knowledgeable members here, so I'm all for us reaching as wide of an audience as possible.
 
What attracted me to the forum in the first place was the lack of spam and the like. Just keep doing what you're doing mate. Enforce the rules and bounce those who need bounced. That'll go a long way toward making this the kind of environment good folks want to be in.
 
Steve, what's your position on posts that some people may find offensive (to themselves or others)?
 
Steve it occurred to me that it was the .org that was keeping people from finding us. But there is an Interfaith.com which doesn't seem to get that much traffic either. I suspect that in this age of religious hardening of the arteries around the world, there aren't that many people predisposed to the concept of Interfaith.
 
You should do what you want with the site, Steve, but I think there is a place for it as it is. There will always be things to discuss or rehash and the tempo being low can be a good thing for some people. But if you want to tweak things you have my support...just don't break things, I'll ruin all your lives!
 
StevePame said:
I think we've all noticed that things have been pretty quiet 'round these parts lately. I also understand that IO has its ebbs and flows and we appear firmly in an ebb. All of that being said, does anyone have thoughts on what we can/should do to get some new members or more discussion?
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I'm of the camp, if it ain't broke don't fix it. Sure, the same group of people seem to do most of the posting, but our regulars are a cornerstone of the forum. We have a lot of knowledgeable members among us. I think a lot of folks just choose to listen rather than interrupt the flow. Don't worry about the lulls. They will occur from time to time no matter what you do. Just show the malcontents the door when needed and ride it out. Worse comes to worse we'll sic Cup of Tea on 'em!;)
 
I can't believe that I am gonna say this but I agree with NJ.;) Call this the summer lull. I feel sure that it will pick up.
 
I appreciate everyone who weighed in. I don't mind the lull, as having seen how things play out over almost 1.5 years, I know this is generally a slow time. I'd just seen a number of comments in passing lately about how slow everything has gotten and how we need new 'blood'. I want to keep things going as is, but as you're the regulars, I do respect your insights and contributions about what we can do differently. ACOT, I'll see if I can create a moderator-like status for you as bouncer/disciplinarian/enforcer. We keep soldiering on.

Dan0813 said:
Steve, what's your position on posts that some people may find offensive (to themselves or others)?
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Dan, I have mixed feelings. I understand there used to be an approach of a walled garden that some members liked and some didn't like. We are no longer that way, though. I don't want to make a blanket statement on something that may be offensive. If it is posted because it can help generate discussion and progress toward the interfaith viewpoints we're here to provide, I'm probably okay with it. If it is posted simply to offend without any constructive dialogue to follow, it won't stay up long.
 
I've been browsing this forum for quite some time, learned quite abit, and also had a few good laughs as I got to know the 'regulars' through the various forum discussions. Feel quite privelidge at times in having this opportunity to be among you scholars. Thomas has definitely made me conscious of semantics and being concise . Perhaps a bit guilty of low contribution level to discussion ... but thought it to be appropriate to say here you all often been my fresh air.
 
Hi Steve, and all –

I tend to agree with the consensus here. I do think IO is probably the best forum around, I've been on the bigger/more active/more famous(?) and the degree of nonsense and offence is mind-numbing.

I used to be on a few forums dedicated to the Sophia Perennis as presented by Guenon, Schuon etc., which is interfaith, but as far as I know only one is still going, and that is hardly active at all, and the members are all Trads, and mostly Moslem/Sufi, as many of the 'big names' of the Sophia Perennis were.

I've lamented the fact that the lack of orthodox believers exploring amongst their own faiths misses a huge trick. I'd love the opportunity to 'go deep' over topics with other Christians. Or discuss matters of doctrine with other orthodoxies – the nature of 'the person' with a Buddhist, for example ... but hey-ho ... maybe it's just not that interesting if it's not your bag.

Generally, I think if there's a lack of interes' it's 'a sign of the times'.

I stay at IO because every now and then someone throws up a question that makes me think, and sets me looking into textbooks, sources, etc. The latest is BigJoeNobody's comments about 'the son of man' and formulating a response I see that my thinking is a bit out-dated, so I'm still looking into that one.

So as long as things like that keep happening, I'll stick around. There's nothing at IO that needs putting right or doing differently, as far as I see it.
 
Elfiet said:
Religion is big taboo subject with many I know.
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Taboo in the sense that a lot of people won't discuss religion with others outside their own faith because they know the other person's religion is WRONG. To all too many people, there is nothing to discuss. If you're not doing religion 'my' way you are doing it wrong. Period. End of discussion.

Or worse, they will eschew discussion and just rant at you endlessly, quoting the words of their God, pointing out why you are wrong and if only you would open your eyes you would see that they are right.

It has always seemed rather ironic to me that beliefs backed by faith are more true to people than beliefs backed by fact.
 
Devils' Advocate said:
Or worse, they will eschew discussion and just rant at you endlessly, quoting the words of their God, pointing out why you are wrong and if only you would open your eyes you would see that they are right.

It has always seemed rather ironic to me that beliefs backed by faith are more true to people than beliefs backed by fact.
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It's and endless Merry-Go-Round. The exact same thing can be said of those who base their beliefs on presumed facts. They spew them at believers endlessly hoping to open eyes as these things are more true to them then faith based beliefs.
A Cup Of Tea said:
I promise to not let power corrupt. On an unrelated note, will I have the power to ban you?
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Ut oh Steve, with over 100 likes under his belt there's no stopping him now!:eek:
 
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