Facebook rises. AFF declines.
 

I think it’s helpful to examine why AFF is on life support.

The cause isn’t the ex-apostolics or the ever rehashed doctrinal debates. Instead the problem is much more fundamental. Facebook started to slowly siphon off the users that contributed things other than doctrinal debates, politics and conspiracy theories.

So slowly we have seen a great amount of diverse content dry up which snow balled into what we find today - where none of that content and none of those users primarily focused on that kind of content post here anymore. Instead they post on Facebook and all that we have left are the universals of politics, conspiracy theories and occasionally some doctrinal debate.

Re: Facebook rises. AFF declines.
 

All message boards/discussion forums have dwindled into insignificance over the last 10-15 years. Across all subjects and interest groups.

Most people prefer twits, faceborg snippets, memes, instagram shout-outs, etc. So those platforms are ideal for them: short simple soundbite blurbs. Those primarily interested in long, reasoned, descriptive posts requiring critical detailed analysis, debate, research, etc usually don't bother with the meme platforms. They are a minority. They either lurk around such antiquarian ancient ruins like discussion boards, or they drop off the net altogether.

It is a sign o the timez.

Re: Facebook rises. AFF declines.
 

:highfive

Re: Facebook rises. AFF declines.
 

I'll give you a good reason for the decline of AFF

A certain poster was allowed to run wild a few years ago and ran off all of the good discussion on the board.
So, a new discussion board was set up to allow those that left to have a refuge.
Then (as usually happens) the poster went so out of control that a ban was enacted.
But, it was like "shutting the barn door after the cows had all escaped".

You "old-timers" will know what I mean.

Re: Facebook rises. AFF declines.
 

I agree this was the initial cause for the great decline at AFF but since then the other poster's explanation is also true. FB and other social media have largely displaced forums.

Re: Facebook rises. AFF declines.
 

Facebook is very low quality in apostolic discussions. It has some decent groups like Patristics for Protestants, where the posts are reasonably high quality. We recently discussed a debate on the date of Revelation (that video aspect can be helpful.)

CARM as a bulletin board is coming back pretty decently after their vBulletin disaster (I also moved my www.purebibleforum.com to Xenforo). AFF seems solid in terms of stability even with vBulletin. However, we may have to stay stable and avoid upgrades.

It is true that AFF could use more doctrinal meat. More interest in politics than whether the virgin birth is connected to the sinlessness of the Lord Jesus Christ. Or whether yahweh is the devil jupiter. (Two issues that I believe are fundamental.) Granted, the sabbath and MADR (marriage-adultery-divorce-remarriage) are examples of good discussions. And a little bit on oneness doctrines.

Granted the 'covid' and jab discussions are important, and the fascism a-bubbling. Legit discussions.

And I would not complain, unless the admins express their concern.

Re: Facebook rises. AFF declines.
 

I'm in a few Apostolic-orientated groups on Facebook. The discussions on there aren't terribly different from what I see here. It's just in a different format.

Re: Facebook rises. AFF declines.
 

The ones I know offhand:

Apostolic Doctrine
Apostolic Theological Seminary and Bible College
Apostolic From All Over The World ~ 2020 (Community 2018-2020)
Discussion Board on Oneness Pentecostalism

Also:
Oneness and Trinity Debate Forum
Trinity v. Oneness v. Unitarian v. Arianism v. Binitarian Discussion group
Oneness V Trinity

And I rarely watch or post on any of these groups.

Re: Facebook rises. AFF declines.
 

I know I'm in the Apostolics From All Over The World one, and I'm in a Oneness vs. Trinity one, but I cannot remind which one exactly.

I was apart of Apostolic Singles for a while until I met my soulmate who is now my wife.

Re: Facebook rises. AFF declines.
 

Im on several of the Facebook groups but dont post much. I dont like the "cramped" layout.

Re: Facebook rises. AFF declines.
 

What I generally like about Facebook is that more people tend to reply.

Re: Facebook rises. AFF declines.
 

I joined FB after being a holdout for a long time. I joined in 2014. My reasons were that I was tired of rehashing doctrine here and I needed to branch out. Many people that I know are on FB...old classmates, co-workers, extended family. FB definitely has it's limitations. Discussions are usually very touch and go and have little real depth. I miss that. There are tons of propaganda memes. AFF is a good place for a "hold out" against all that.

Re: Facebook rises. AFF declines.
 

And I do a lot on Facebook, but what you say above is spot-on. I have rarely posted on any oneness or apostolic groups. Too much echo chamber.

Re: Facebook rises. AFF declines.
 

Lol, I guess I'm more of a lurker than a poster on both AFF and the Facebook groups. IMO Facebook has more wackos than AFF.

Re: Facebook rises. AFF declines.
 

Jesus, the God of Two Testaments

A bit more edgy and without the noise. The description uses the dark-side name 'Yahweh'. David Martin is the admin.

Jerry Lynn Hayes is one of the posters, and has a series called Modalistic Trinity vs Societal Trinity. Put up in the last week. Three parts. Tertullian, Karl Barth and Alister McGrath, about 30 minutes each on Youtube.

Also Mark August.

=========================================

This next group is admin by Mark August:

Academy of Christian Theological Studies (A.C.T.S.)

He uses writing from Dr. Wilson and says the David Bernard oneness is Marcellusian Modalism rather than Modalistic Monarchianism.

Named after:

Marcellus of Ancyra (d. 374)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcellus_of_Ancyra

Eusebius has a very interesting quote about "three are one" in a letter to Marcellus, where he is discomfited that it is too Sabellian. The heavenly witnesses verse would trigger such conversations.

=========================================

Mark August

Re: Facebook rises. AFF declines.
 

I engage with Mark August some on Facebook. When he says:
What he means is the position Dr. Bernard teaches that the Logos was in the mind of God until the incarnation is a weak position. That rather the Logos was manifest from the beginning being the angel of the Lord, visible image, or form of the omnipresent, invisible Spirit.

Mark teaches that most believers early on had a position that the Logos was the personal Creator rather than a "plan" resident in the mind of God until the incarnation.

Re: Facebook rises. AFF declines.
 

Thanks.

David Bernard and David Norris in a discussion forum tomorrow.
https://www.facebook.com/upci.org/po...08245049213917

Wed 3PM Central time.

Re: Facebook rises. AFF declines.
 

What you refer to certainly sped up the process. However, I’d say the end result was inevitable.

Re: Facebook rises. AFF declines.
 

Tried to start a facebook account, for business related stuff. Got my account disabled by Facebook 3 times in 3 days. First time occurred 37 minutes after starting the account. Second time occurred 2 minutes after re-enabling it, then it was re-enabled a couple minutes later, then disabled the next morning. Was told no review possible because COVID19 was creating a shortage of reviewers working for Facebook. Literally did nothing except join several groups and post on my business page about upcoming projects.

I gave up and wouldn't go back if Zuckerberg himself wrote me a handwritten invitation. Zero customer support, totally random deactivations of accounts, and not actually all that useful. Worst. Company. Ever.

Can't figure out why anybody would even find it advantageous, business wise or otherwise.

Re: Facebook rises. AFF declines.
 

I've been with Facebook for over ten years and I've had no issues whatsoever. That's very odd that your account was simply deactivated like that.

Re: Facebook rises. AFF declines.
 

It has happened to tons of people, businesses, artists, etc. It's run by "algorithms" not people. And there is LITERALLY no such thing as "customer support" at Facebook. It makes zero business sense to try to do business with such an entity.

Re: Facebook rises. AFF declines.
 

Like I said, I've never had an issue, so I've never come across anything like this whatsoever.

I'm sorry to hear it.