Bye-Bye Baptist Board

Peace to you

 

Thank you, you will be missed.

 

Sad to hear this and want to let you know I enjoyed reading most of your posts, you're quite a good writer and knew your stuff, especially with sports and politics.. I hope you reconsider, your leaving the board is the board's loss.

 

Farewell old friend. I’m right behind you.

 

So in his final post he posted in the same way he seems to be complaining about. Namely calling people on this board racists, mysogynists, etc. Seems more like one final lashing out than a good bye.

May the Lord bless you and your family. Stay healthy.

Revmitchell

 

ok

 

InTheLight, good-bye and best wishes wherever you land.

I have a few general comments about the board, not directly to InTheLight, but related to some of his comments. Yes, I do think we could do a better job at having a better spirit and better interaction overall. Nevertheless, I don't see the board as "dying". Yes, there are lots of members versus the actual number of people who post regularly. However, I really think that you will find this on any such message board. People come, find out quickly it is not for them -- or with others over a long period of time -- and then they leave. Most of the time the accounts linger on "forever." I think that is pretty much the nature of this kind of beast. I have found it to be true in other message boards where I have joined. Most tend to develop a "dominant personality" that defines them.

I would be interested is there are any documented statistics that suggest the Baptist Board is dying. Whether it is or not, we ought all to do our best to welcome newcomers, treat others as we would like to be treated, and provide relevant, interesting, and timely discussion in our time here.

 

Agreed. I notice many regulars have left. When I got back after Tom passed away. I was surprised by the smaller number of posters. Something is up it seems to me. I also feel IntheLight is right about the vitriol we see in the politics and Calvin.v.Arminius forums. Pro Trump vs the world is a problem too.

 

I am sorry that I did not get a chance to know you InTheLight.

Traditional Forums are being replaced by sites like Facebook. It is not content of a site that is the cause of most traditional forums losing members; it is the style.

I prefer the older style of forums. I find they lead to topic based discussion, rather than small-talk.

 

One thing that each poster can do is to choose to say out of the forums that bother them. I rarely read, much less post, in the Calvinism v. Arminianism forum. I post some news in the politics forum, but usually stay out of the heated debates. I might prefer that these forums provided more light and less heat, but they are what they are and I don't see any amount of complaining changing that. Reading and replying (or not) is a choice anyone can make. (Apparently some people like the hot back and forth, or they would not engage in it.)

I think Kathleen is right on target here. This is an older traditional style that many only now see in their rear-view mirrors. That has more to do with style than content.

 

In the light is correct. This board is a dreadful place to learn ab what Baptists believe and who we are. Members telling others to shut their mouths, doubting salvation, using politics as a weapon.

I would never encourage anyone to come here to learn ab baptists. I lurk, not logged in. I see the meanness, the sly insults, the uglinessaugliness,I can promise so do others. So does He.

But carry on. I expect such a response to this statement as well. Any light here is very hard to find, and really, not worth the effort.

 

It seems like I've read this post before.

 

Perhaps this was the best move for you. I haven't been here all that long myself.

Earlier, I wrote a much longer positive response to a positive comment Roy made about you. When I tried to post it, I found my Internet connection had gone down, and it did not come back for several hours, by which time I had other duties and could not post. Because it was such an unusual occurrence, I felt God was telling me something through it, so I won't bother to try to recreate that here, but suffice it to say I have always considered you a kindred spirit and have missed you and will miss you and your perspective.

God bless and be with you, dear brother. I pray this for you and all believers here, though perhaps technically not for the women, either one of them.

 

From: T. P. Simmons, editor, The Baptist Examiner,
Marion, KY, 1931, April. (first issue):

This paper is an independent Baptist paper.

This means that the paper is under no control,
except that of the Holy Spirit.

It means that it is bound by no obligation,
except an obligation to be true to the Word of God.

It means that it owes no allegiance and loyalty to anything,
or anybody, except the Lord Jesus Christ and the Word of God.

It means that the paper will be free to print the whole truth
without fear or favor.

This paper is as independent as the first Baptist was
when he came crying in the wilderness
and calling the people to prepare the way of the Lord.

Our mission is essentially the same as his.

 

Sorry to see you go. Christ be with you.