Should the Baptist Board...?

You just indicted the Baptist Board in general. Do you think hard-hitting debate and divisive comments are limited to just Calvinism vs. Arminianism? With all of 85 posts under your belt, you are a relative novice. Stick around for a while and read.

 

C&A is limited to one forum. Just one. If it is not for you, just tune it out. There are many C&A threads that I do not participate in. Why do you not just do the same?

 

Time for a Lordship Salvation versus Free Grace thread? Or should we start one on alcohol?

We've certainly had some divisive topics. But I see OP's point, in that these other topics don't generally bleed over into other discussions like the CvA divide does. Except maybe inerrancy.

 

I have to say that on a strictly emotional/feeling level, I agree with your sentiments. But, like you I'm sure, I'm torn as to whether such a drastic measure is warranted.

Thank you for an interesting, thought provoking post! It is a subject that is well worth pondering and meditating on.

 

On a strictly thinking/intellectual level, your thoughts are quite logical and rational.

Thank you for giving me "food for thought," so to speak.

 

The Calvinism/Arminianism forum was closed for quite a while in the past for the very reasons you’ve mentioned.

The discussions still happened; the threads infected other forums.

So the solution was to re-open the forum in order to limit the infection to a single forum.

The problem is not the BaptistBoard, the problem is within the Christians brothers and sisters who 1) are narrow minded and cannot see beyond their own brand of theology, 2) have a competitive faith and want to win at all costs, and 3) are immature.

Once in a while the threads present an idea that makes a person think deeper about their own faith, this is worthwhile. There are some worthwhile discussion and people worth listening to, contributors that can present a strong argument in a humble manner.

But generally the threads start and end with an, “I’m right and you’re wrong” tone,
And it’s time to burn you at the stake.

Rob

 

That is my problem. I am an infection. Thank you, Deacon.

 

What can I say, I’m a medical guy!

You, among a few others, are a reasoned thinker that I enjoy reading, even if I disagree with you occasionally.

Rob

 

I have to say it: I wasn't sure if that was a genuine, sincere, heartfelt admission of fault, or whether that was another example of sarcasm.

 

The Calvinism/Arminianism debate is, I think an important issue to all Christians, not just New Testament Christians (Baptist view point).

I am neither Calvinist nor Arminian (Free Will Baptist which I love). On the Calvinist TULIP, I hold to the T and the P. And my view on U is very similar. So my leaning is Calvinist.

 

It seems the reason the Arminian/Calvinist debate leaks over to other forum's is because the issue of salvation (soteriology) determines how a person views other attributes of Christian life.
For example: The idea of holiness and holy living gets its practical legs from the means of salvation and how salvation is maintained. So if a discussion on holiness takes place in a different forum, eventually people will dig down to the core. At the bedrock of holiness is the means by which a person is saved.
The fact that there is a forum just for Calvinist/Arminian debate helps funnel much of the discussion, but there will always be subjects where other issues are juxtaposed in the way a person views the subject. It is therefore unavoidable to keep the ideas of salvation contained to one forum. It cannot be done and still have full bodied discussion in other forums. There is too much overlap.

 

I don’t spend huge amounts of time on the C&A forum. When I do, it is targeted.

More often the B&T threads wander into the soteriology in which some think it is a chance to express a C or A view. That is fine as long as the thread isn’t derailed.

However, the C&A forum is good.

Prior to reactivating it, it seemed every thread became dislodged.

Perhaps the length of the threads in the C&A forum should be cut in half.

With shorter threads, less time for heat buildup may result in more learning.

Also, for my benefit, cut the length of words a post may contain.

There should be a medal given for anyone actually reading my lengthy posts.

 

I enjoy reading, but really, who comes to a discussion forum for essay length posts. Granted, this is just my opinion, but I feel that a conversational tone/pace is more likely to be read than a wall of text.

 

And the LS v FG threads were so interesting to me in a large part because the "teams" didn’t divide right down the C/A line. Which made me more apt to read the threads in their entirety, instead of skipping through looking for new material.

 

This isn't a new development. I've been on this board a long time. It has always been this way. Best you can do is avoid threads that bother you and leave them to others whos conscience is different from your own.

 

Sorry, I lost my focus after "is targeted."

 

This is not a fair assessment.

 

With the exception of a few, the bickering is done with the right spirit. It is an intellectual debate that does not necessitate disfellowship. There are a few who take it way too personal and way too far, but most dont.