Why you shouldn't take this (place) too seriously

[MarcBee]

Originally Posted by Lacey

Alot of innocent people happen upon this forum.

It reads Apostolic along with Friends.

Maybe they are searching for the real truth of how to live for God....of how to trully be saved...

An admirable concern. But <<how to be truly saved>> is itself somewhat controversial here.

<<innocent people happen upon this >>

5 minutes of thread surfing would probably cure anyone from their lingering innocence!




Maybe Admin could devise a "Meet an Apostolic" button where a seeker could be linked to a "private line" (so to speak) with an Admin or someone(s) vetted by Admin for the purpose of personal evangelism, just for these cases (if they do exist.)

[missourimary]

Originally Posted by MarcBee

An admirable concern. But <<how to be truly saved>> is itself somewhat controversial here.

<<innocent people happen upon this >>

5 minutes of thread surfing would probably cure anyone from their lingering innocence!




Maybe Admin could devise a "Meet an Apostolic" button where a seeker could be linked to a "private line" (so to speak) with an Admin or someone(s) vetted by Admin for the purpose of personal evangelism, just for these cases (if they do exist.)

Lacey, good point. Some of us have thought about it. I cringe to think what my parents would think if they read some of the statements here. We are witnesses wherever we go, even when we don't see each other face to face.


Marcbee, "meet an Apostolic"... that is an interesting idea! Who chooses who is and isn't Apostolic? (I'd really like to use that trick I learned a few weeks ago with those [] and the word you right now, but I'll refrain... ) Really, though, if there were a panel of volunteers that would not argue and would be kind and talk to those who want to know what we are really about, it might be helpful to someone. Perhaps a link with the volunteers' pseudonyms, avatars, and locations to choose from? Then again, we could all just be nice to each other and be witnesses ourselves...

[MarcBee]

Originally Posted by missourimary

Marcbee, "meet an Apostolic"... that is an interesting idea! Who chooses who is and isn't Apostolic?.

Well, a general members' vote would be the worst possible thing, IMO. For the purposes of contact with "innocent seekers", it should be just two or three vetted by Admin, or if any Admin have the extra time for this themselves. Personally, I wouldn't care if the proposed link button said, "Meet a Christian," but AFF does imply something a little more specific. But do these "ready-for-salvation innocents" really come by here?

Originally Posted by missourimary

(I'd really like to use that trick I learned a few weeks ago with those [] and the word you right now, but I'll refrain... ).

Yep, good call.

[notofworks]

Originally Posted by MarcBee

Consider the different meanings implied merely by emphasizing different words in the following sentence. I follow each example with brackets to show the different meaning implied by merely stressing a different word in the same sentence. Stressed words are natural and understood in verbal conversations, but often don't translate online.

Template: "I never said facial hair is a sin."

1. I never said facial hair is a sin.

[But the previous poster said it.]

2. I never said facial hair is a sin.

[I keep track of everything I ever say, and I didn't say that one.]

3. I never said facial hair is a sin.

[But I strongly implied it!]

4. I never said facial hair is a sin.

[Of course, hairy legged women ought to repent.]

5. I never said facial hair is a sin.

[But it certainly was in the 70s!]

5. I never said facial hair is a sin.

[But in my church men can't sing in the choir until they look clean cut.]


a. Some people adopt nasty online spirits here toward folks they could probably love and find common ground with if they could talk to in person. Then they could have a good debate.
b. Some people never consider how their writing "comes across" but are satisfied because they know what they mean.

Zig Ziglar uses this example with sales techniques...the seven messages that can be sent when saying, "I didn't say he beat his wife."

Word emphasis...it changes a lot of things, huh?

[missourimary]

Originally Posted by MarcBee

Well, a general members' vote would be the worst possible thing, IMO. For the purposes of contact with "innocent seekers", it should be just two or three vetted by Admin, or if any Admin have the extra time for this themselves.

I agree

Originally Posted by MarcBee

But do these "ready-for-salvation innocents" really come by here?

Not many innocents, and any that there are wouldn't be innocent for long. Do people God is dealing with happen by here? I'm sure. But it would take some good searching to get to a place like this I think. They'd already have hit the cult alerts and the UPCI website and several churches before finding this forum unless they were specifically looking for this or for a forum.