I disagree with you, simply because this is, for many people, myself included a place where anonymity is important. I have shared my identity with SOME people, most people probably only have a vague idea, and if I tell something personal about myself under an anonymous identity, then I should NOT be required to prove it to you by providing real information about myself. That is a violation of privacy.
Will I be asked to produce photos to prove I have three children? Or their birth certificates to prove they're really mine?
This is silly, if you ask me. You don't really NEED to know whether Dr. V is actually a doctor. You just WANT to know. Big difference.
Abi, it's a matter of credibility. It's not just him using DR in his username. He's made claims of his educational status that makes him an authority on issues he's posted about. That's being dishonest.
If you posted info about children claiming to be a parent and therefore, having a certain level of authority, yet someone finds out that you lied about having children, yes, it's YOUR responsibility to set the record straight. One wonders why you would lie about being a parent and therefore, wonders what else you have lied about.
He's claimed having a brain tumor, having lots of money, and such like. Not that I care, but if he lied about his education, is he also lying about having a brain tumor, perhaps using that to gain sympathy from those of us who might otherwise care?
Remember what I went through on the other forum with a sick forum member who eventually 'died'. Getting your heart stomped on isn't fun, even if this is a virtual world here.
If he's truly got credentials, he should back them up when making claims that, so far, haven't been substantiated.
I'm a nurse. I graduated from college with a degree. I've been asked by other forum members nursing questions because they trust my education. If anyone wanted that info, I'd gladly provide it. Why? Because I made a claim about my education that, if it was important to someone, I'd provide evidence of that claim.
If I wanted that info to be secret, I wouldn't make the claim in the first place.
Understand that Dr. Vaughn hasn't made any attempts to remain anonymous on this forum. He's posted lots of info about himself and when people ask questions about the validity of his claims, he continues trying to cover up his lies instead of coming clean.
We depend on people here to speak the truth. We have no choice but to believe someone when they make a claim. But when we find out that claim isn't valid, it's up to the individual making the claim to come clean about it.
It's about credibility.
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I've gone and done it now! I'm on Facebook!!!
Difference here is he wasn't trying to hide who he was. He has posted his myspace link here with all his family photos, etc.
We would never ask someone to reveal WHO they are that hasn't already made that privy to the board.
Not only that, the names of his grandparents, extensive family history, information on his health, Youtube videos of himself, the list goes on.
There are people that I met on this forum, who, from my perspective at least, have become true friends. I have shared more information on myself to them than what I would put on the forum. the thing is, I haven't told them nearly as much as what (Dr) Vaughn laid out on open forum.
That is what makes this all extremely troubling. And there are people who know of him in real life, I cannot understand why he would damage his reputation like this.
And the real crux of the issue IMO, is that he used this alleged degree to bolster his arguments on multiple occasions.
I, of all people, understand the need for anonymity. But, I had very valid reasons for wanting anonymity and nothing I ever said caused people to wonder if I was what I stated I was. If, for example, I had come on here and asked wierd questions about the UPC....people would become suspect. It is the whole picture people are looking at, not just one thing. And when things don't add up, a little reassurance is nice. Bucking that just makes more questions, whether the credentials are there or not.
Again, I UNDERSTAND why all of you WANT to know if Dr. V is truly credible. I want to know, too. LOL!!!!!
I just don't think it's my right--or yours--to demand it.
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"God, send me anywhere, only go with me. Lay any burden on me, only sustain me. And sever any tie in my heart except the tie that binds my heart to Yours."
--David Livingstone
"To see no being, not God’s or any, but you also go thither,
To see no possession but you may possess it—enjoying all without labor or purchase—
abstracting the feast, yet not abstracting one particle of it;…."
--Walt Whitman, Leaves of Grass, Song of the Open Road
I know I shouldn't - but I am gonna wade in here on this one.
I think too many people make everyone else's business their own when they have way too much to deal with in their own house.
Dr. Vaughn, If you want to be a Dr. (and I have followed you on this forum and several others for several years) that is your business. I don't care what you call yourself.
I was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Divinity from Christian Theological Institute about 15 years ago and have no idea where the certificate even is today. I was honored that they awarded it to me. I have never in anyway used the title Dr. on anything at anytime.
There are many men and women that are awarded Doctorates every year. There are many that I know that have honorary doctorates and use the title Dr. on just about everything. Dr. Oral Roberts, Dr. Marilyn Hickey, Dr. Kenneth Copeland.....
There is a UPC pastor in Conyers, GA that uses the title Dr. because he took some on line courses and got a piece of paper that says he is a Dr. He is a Dr. just like I am with my certificate (that I cannot find)! It is funny to me when I hear people call him - Dr. So and So! LOL One day - that is gonna bite him in the rear end and his piece of paper that says he is a Doctor - won't help him!
Anybody anywhere can find a diploma mill and send in $100 and get any kind of degree they want - that is their business if they want to do that - but it is not recognized by the state or by other learning institutions.
If Dr. Vaughn wants to be a Dr. - so be it - I will address him as Dr. Vaughn. If you don't like it and don't want to call him that - I am sure he will answer to Brother Vaughn and will not be offended.
I am also a Consecrated Bishop and my consecration is recognized in most of the predominately black church (PAW, COGIC, Bibleway, National Baptist, FGB and others) organizations. I am a white Bishop in the Black Church. I did not call myself Bishop and did not ask to be consecrated to the office. Many call me BISHOP and many do not - it don't matter to me one way or the other.
I just preached in Puerto Rico in a Presbyterian church and the pastor - (who has THREE earned Doctorates - one in Medicine and is an MD, and one in theology and one in business) introduced me as Reverend Pugh - as "we do not have Bishop's in the Presbyterian Church). I had no problem with that at all. The people all called me Bishop and the Senior Pastor did not - I could care less - I was there to bless and minister to people.
We can all be detoured from our destiny by being distracted by little things that don't matter to a hill of beans to God or anyone else.
Why on earth would somebody feel that they have to FORCE Dr. Vaughn to PROVE he is a Dr.? Do we not know of PASTORS - that we may call PASTOR ____ that are NOT Pastors? Have we not ALL OUR LIVES - called people Brother and Sister - that we KNEW were NOT Brothers and Sisters?
It all seems SILLY when you begin to think about it - Give a guy a break and don't be so controlling. If he wants to be a Dr. - let him be a Dr.!
I have a very close friend - several years ago - he came up with this Doctorate of Divinity and started calling himself - Dr. So and So. Every time I get his cell phone message - This is Dr. So and So - Please leave a message - I scream - MY GOD - WHERE IS A DOCTOR WHEN YOU NEED ONE - I NEED HELP and I CAN"T FIND THE DOCTOR!!!!!!!!!!! HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ROFL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Maybe I should be called - The Right Reverend Doctor Bishop Senior Pastor - Head and High Potentate, Chief Apostle, Prolific Prophet and International General Overseer and Pentecostal POPE - of MY FOUR AND NO MORE!!
Really - the longer I live - the more I enjoy just being Wayne to my friends - True friends don't care about all the titles and labels and certificates and degrees anyway - they love you for who you are!
JMHO! ;-)
That is soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo funny and so AB and the truth.
For $50 I could be a doctor of something. Which means zip today. If he thinks he is a doctor so be it I hope he does't try to treat himself.
Shocking though it may be, I'm going to side with Dr. Vaughn and AB this time. I understand that we all want to know for SURE if he's a DR., but I feel that this forum is overstepping boundaries by making a member provide documentation to prevent termination of membership.
Let's not forget what this is: It's an online internet forum created for discussion purposes, and MANY people have anonymous usernames for the protection of their true identity. It doesn't matter if I share everything except my social security number--I STILL retain the right to protect whatever information I wish to protect.
I would take the same tact if someone questioned whether I was ACTUALLY a music director at our church. There is no WAY I would provide proof, even though it would be easy to do, simply because no one here has the right to demand it.
I understand that you want Dr. V to back up his claims, but I really don't think it is the right of anyone on this forum, including admin, to force him to do so. I don't think anyone should have even picked up the phone or written an email to "check" his story.
I think this is very Gestapo.
I have a tendency to agree with you on this, Miss B.
There might be times when the admin needs to work behind the scenes and find out about people, but to ask for public proof of the membership here just seems wrong to me. If we start this, anybody might have to offer proof for anything!
In my opinion. the good doc has already hung himself.
Oh, OK - I just had some time on my hands and thought I would dispense some of my prolific wisdom today! ROFL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
With all these schools having the on line learning and all - who is to know who has a REAL degree and who does not?
Like I said - I should not have waded in but .......... sometimes crazy gets the best of me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am REALLY GONNA TRY TO STOP POSTING ON THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That is soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo funny and so AB and the truth.
For $50 I could be a doctor of something. Which means zip today. If he thinks he is a doctor so be it I hope he does't try to treat himself.
Elder - You made me LAUGH SO HARD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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