General Advice to Forum Members

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Durzan
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General Advice to Forum Members

Post by Durzan »

Okay, so we have had a few new posters come onto the forum, most of whom are less familar with the culture here. What general advice would you give them to make their stay more comfortable? Also, what advice would you give to the forum membership in general?

Here are some general pieces of advice I've given:
  • Follow the Forum Rules. A bit of a no-brainer, but still worth mentioning.
  • Put some actual thought and effort into your posts, particularly if you are starting a new thread. An OP should contain your thoughts and questions regarding a specific topic. That being said, try NOT to make a really long post, as huge walls of text don't usually keep people's attention (yes, I am guilty of making long posts at times and I am a bit of a hypocrite); this is especially important as the forum doesn't currently have working spoiler tags. Keep your post short enough to where others can understand what you are getting at, or at least have a TL;DR at the beginning or end of your post. Its just common courtesy.
  • When making a thread, make sure the title is short, to the point, and actually gives readers some idea about what the intended subject actually is. I have seen several posters that try to quote entire sentences in the title, which doesn't really address the subject much
  • When posting an embedded or linked video, include a short summary about what its about... especially if the video is longer than 5 minutes. Many people find it annoying to watch a video, as videos often take 5 minutes to explain a simple point that could easily be summed up in a few sentences that take less than 30 seconds to read.
  • Develop a certain degree of thick skin; getting offended by someone isn't going to help anyone at all (save it be potential trolls and/or flamers). Not everything people say is going to be nice; that doesn't mean it is bad enough to deserve mod intervention. Sometimes people simply are trying to vent frustration, are making a slightly blunt observation, or are stating their own perceptions about you or a particular subject. This is the internet people, where it is hard to accurately convey information, intentions, and emotion than it is in real life... and like it or not, the Internet can be rather brutal at times, even on a pro-lds forum. Learn to deal with it.
  • If you think someone is breaking the rules, report it to the mods. BUT, carefully consider if it is actually something that breaks the rules or deserves mod interventions over. Half the reports we get are stuff that really shouldn't have been reported such as a report that amounts to "Much ado about nothing", a report that was probably made out of spite, an overreaction, or something that by itself doesn't warrant a mod's attention... but if combined with other actions indicates a pattern of behavior that does indeed break the rules. Mods generally speaking look for evidence before taking action, and sometimes one lone post that was reported isn't always sufficient to justify punishment.
  • If you encounter a situation where you feel unofficial mod intervention may be helpful, such as a situation where the rules may not have been broken but you can see tension rising, or someone is apparently starting to panic about something, or whatever... Don't hesitate to Shoot a PM to one or two mods, and we will respond. The report button isn't always appropriate for these kinds of situations. I for instance, am always willing to talk to someone if they are feeling sad, depressed, or someone to vent to.
  • When quoting from an offsite source, put it in a quote, and cite it. If possible, also give some commentary explaining your thoughts on the matter. If you are posting the quote in response to another user, explain how it is relevant and why you are posting it, even if the reason why seems obvious to you and/or others. Its just common courtesy, and it helps avoid confusion.
Advise from others:
  • Before creating a new thread, do a search to see if the same subject has been discussed earlier. Based on when the subject has been discussed last time and/or whether you have anything new to say, decide if you should start a new thread or not. Sometimes it might be a good idea to resurrect an old thread instead.
  • Don't take yourself too seriously.
  • Don't feed the trolls.
  • If you are responding to someone, quote them. Again, just common courtesy.
  • When applying labels, point to the behavior, not the person. Point to what a person says that you disagree with or find inappropriate and explain reasonably and with the spirit, why. Share your reasoning and spiritual perspectives so others (not just the person you’re addressing but also readers) can understand more clearly.

Blessed
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Re: What Advise would you Give to all forum members?

Post by Blessed »

Regarding spamming. I have seen a recent complaint against a poster for spamming out too many posts. I don;t think it was spamming. There was a forum poster who is now in Outer Darkness who used to put out multiple posts per day THAT WERE ESSENTIALLY THE SAME TOPIC reworded over and over and over - to my mind that was spam and was very inconsiderate to other posters. That being said, I think if you have numerous topics that you have questions about or want to start discussions on, I do not consider that spam.

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inho
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Re: What Advise would you Give to all forum members?

Post by inho »

  • Before creating a new thread, do a search to see if the same subject has been discussed earlier. Based on when the subject has been discussed last time and/or whether you have anything new to say, decide if you should start a new thread or not. Sometimes it might be a good idea to resurrect an old thread instead.

ElizaRSkousen
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Re: What Advise would you Give to all forum members?

Post by ElizaRSkousen »

inho wrote: July 16th, 2018, 12:05 pm
  • Before creating a new thread, do a search to see if the same subject has been discussed earlier. Based on when the subject has been discussed last time and/or whether you have anything new to say, decide if you should start a new thread or not. Sometimes it might be a good idea to resurrect an old thread instead.
Is resurrecting zombie threads not a no-no here?

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Durzan
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Re: What Advise would you Give to all forum members?

Post by Durzan »

ElizaRSkousen wrote: July 16th, 2018, 12:14 pm
inho wrote: July 16th, 2018, 12:05 pm
  • Before creating a new thread, do a search to see if the same subject has been discussed earlier. Based on when the subject has been discussed last time and/or whether you have anything new to say, decide if you should start a new thread or not. Sometimes it might be a good idea to resurrect an old thread instead.
Is resurrecting zombie threads not a no-no here?
I'd probably say that there isn't a rule about it, but people probably frown on it... especially if the resurrecting thread has lots of pages and/or if the zombie post made no real contribution.

I'll add that bullet to the OP.

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ajax
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Re: General Advise to Forum Members

Post by ajax »

Don't take yourself too seriously.

setyourselffree
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Re: General Advise to Forum Members

Post by setyourselffree »

This forum is used more as a tool for Satan so make sure you have a strong testimony. Many people have fallen away because of this forum.

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The Airbender
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Re: General Advise to Forum Members

Post by The Airbender »

setyourselffree wrote: July 16th, 2018, 9:09 pm This forum is used more as a tool for Satan so make sure you have a strong testimony. Many people have fallen away because of this forum.
So, why are you here?

setyourselffree
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Re: General Advise to Forum Members

Post by setyourselffree »

The Airbender wrote: July 16th, 2018, 9:11 pm
setyourselffree wrote: July 16th, 2018, 9:09 pm This forum is used more as a tool for Satan so make sure you have a strong testimony. Many people have fallen away because of this forum.
So, why are you here?
So that I can see what apostasy looks like. It's hard to see it unless you witness it or read about it. Most people on this site fall in the apostate category.

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The Airbender
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Re: General Advise to Forum Members

Post by The Airbender »

setyourselffree wrote: July 16th, 2018, 9:22 pm
The Airbender wrote: July 16th, 2018, 9:11 pm
setyourselffree wrote: July 16th, 2018, 9:09 pm This forum is used more as a tool for Satan so make sure you have a strong testimony. Many people have fallen away because of this forum.
So, why are you here?
So that I can see what apostasy looks like. It's hard to see it unless you witness it or read about it. Most people on this site fall in the apostate category.
What does it mean to be apostate?

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Elizabeth
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Re: General Advise to Forum Members

Post by Elizabeth »

Yes indeed ...
Durzan wrote: July 16th, 2018, 11:36 am Before creating a new thread, do a search to see if the same subject has been discussed earlier. Based on when the subject has been discussed last time and/or whether you have anything new to say, decide if you should start a new thread or not. Sometimes it might be a good idea to resurrect an old thread instead.
inho wrote: July 16th, 2018, 12:05 pm Before creating a new thread, do a search to see if the same subject has been discussed earlier. Based on when the subject has been discussed last time and/or whether you have anything new to say, decide if you should start a new thread or not. Sometimes it might be a good idea to resurrect an old thread instead.
Last edited by Elizabeth on July 16th, 2018, 9:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.

setyourselffree
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Re: General Advise to Forum Members

Post by setyourselffree »

The Airbender wrote: July 16th, 2018, 9:24 pm
setyourselffree wrote: July 16th, 2018, 9:22 pm
The Airbender wrote: July 16th, 2018, 9:11 pm
setyourselffree wrote: July 16th, 2018, 9:09 pm This forum is used more as a tool for Satan so make sure you have a strong testimony. Many people have fallen away because of this forum.
So, why are you here?
So that I can see what apostasy looks like. It's hard to see it unless you witness it or read about it. Most people on this site fall in the apostate category.
What does it mean to be apostate?
I don't know what do you believe it means Zeezrom?

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BeNotDeceived
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Re: What Advise would you Give to all forum members?

Post by BeNotDeceived »

ElizaRSkousen wrote: July 16th, 2018, 12:14 pm
inho wrote: July 16th, 2018, 12:05 pm
  • Before creating a new thread, do a search to see if the same subject has been discussed earlier. Based on when the subject has been discussed last time and/or whether you have anything new to say, decide if you should start a new thread or not. Sometimes it might be a good idea to resurrect an old thread instead.
Is resurrecting zombie threads not a no-no here?
Zombie threads rock. :P

All the posters may get an email notification, depending on their preference settings. Many don’t visit anymore, but may for a topic they found interesting enough to select notification.

ElizaRSkousen
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Re: What Advise would you Give to all forum members?

Post by ElizaRSkousen »

BeNotDeceived wrote: July 16th, 2018, 9:35 pm
ElizaRSkousen wrote: July 16th, 2018, 12:14 pm
inho wrote: July 16th, 2018, 12:05 pm
  • Before creating a new thread, do a search to see if the same subject has been discussed earlier. Based on when the subject has been discussed last time and/or whether you have anything new to say, decide if you should start a new thread or not. Sometimes it might be a good idea to resurrect an old thread instead.
Is resurrecting zombie threads not a no-no here?
Zombie threads rock. :P

All the posters may get an email notification, depending on their preference settings. Many don’t visit anymore, but may for a topic they found interesting enough to select notification.
Okay I'll go comment on one :D

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Durzan
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Re: General Advise to Forum Members

Post by Durzan »

setyourselffree wrote: July 16th, 2018, 9:09 pm This forum is used more as a tool for Satan so make sure you have a strong testimony. Many people have fallen away because of this forum.
It isn't a tool specifically for satan. Sure, satan uses it for his own ends at times, but so does God. I have actually found that coming here has actually helped strengthened my testimony.

setyourselffree
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Re: General Advise to Forum Members

Post by setyourselffree »

Durzan wrote: July 16th, 2018, 9:39 pm
setyourselffree wrote: July 16th, 2018, 9:09 pm This forum is used more as a tool for Satan so make sure you have a strong testimony. Many people have fallen away because of this forum.
It isn't a tool specifically for satan. Sure, satan uses it for his own ends at times, but so does God. I have actually found that coming here has actually helped strengthened my testimony.
Is the creator of this site even a member anymore. I question that with some of his posts.

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Durzan
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Re: General Advise to Forum Members

Post by Durzan »

setyourselffree wrote: July 16th, 2018, 9:41 pm
Durzan wrote: July 16th, 2018, 9:39 pm
setyourselffree wrote: July 16th, 2018, 9:09 pm This forum is used more as a tool for Satan so make sure you have a strong testimony. Many people have fallen away because of this forum.
It isn't a tool specifically for satan. Sure, satan uses it for his own ends at times, but so does God. I have actually found that coming here has actually helped strengthened my testimony.
Is the creator of this site even a member anymore. I question that with some of his posts.
You could always ask him.

setyourselffree
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Re: General Advise to Forum Members

Post by setyourselffree »

Durzan wrote: July 16th, 2018, 9:58 pm
setyourselffree wrote: July 16th, 2018, 9:41 pm
Durzan wrote: July 16th, 2018, 9:39 pm
setyourselffree wrote: July 16th, 2018, 9:09 pm This forum is used more as a tool for Satan so make sure you have a strong testimony. Many people have fallen away because of this forum.
It isn't a tool specifically for satan. Sure, satan uses it for his own ends at times, but so does God. I have actually found that coming here has actually helped strengthened my testimony.
Is the creator of this site even a member anymore. I question that with some of his posts.
You could always ask him.
Done.

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The Airbender
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Re: General Advise to Forum Members

Post by The Airbender »

setyourselffree wrote: July 16th, 2018, 9:27 pm
The Airbender wrote: July 16th, 2018, 9:24 pm
setyourselffree wrote: July 16th, 2018, 9:22 pm
The Airbender wrote: July 16th, 2018, 9:11 pm

So, why are you here?
So that I can see what apostasy looks like. It's hard to see it unless you witness it or read about it. Most people on this site fall in the apostate category.
What does it mean to be apostate?
I don't know what do you believe it means Zeezrom?
Zeezrom isn't here to ask, but I see apostasy as believing something that isn't true.

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Durzan
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Re: General Advise to Forum Members

Post by Durzan »

Alright guys, can we get back to discussing actual advice instead of talking about what it exactly means to be apostate? Thats a subject for another thread.

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creator
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Re: General Advise to Forum Members

Post by creator »

setyourselffree wrote: July 16th, 2018, 9:09 pm This forum is used more as a tool for Satan so make sure you have a strong testimony. Many people have fallen away because of this forum.
Another piece of advice is "don't feed the trolls".

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Durzan
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Re: General Advise to Forum Members

Post by Durzan »

BrianM wrote: July 17th, 2018, 11:05 am
setyourselffree wrote: July 16th, 2018, 9:09 pm This forum is used more as a tool for Satan so make sure you have a strong testimony. Many people have fallen away because of this forum.
Another piece of advice is "don't feed the trolls".
Added. May decide to organize the advice by topic, however, lets get a nice list of stuff proposed and discussed.

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Alaris
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Re: General Advise to Forum Members

Post by Alaris »

Durzan wrote: July 17th, 2018, 11:19 am
BrianM wrote: July 17th, 2018, 11:05 am
setyourselffree wrote: July 16th, 2018, 9:09 pm This forum is used more as a tool for Satan so make sure you have a strong testimony. Many people have fallen away because of this forum.
Another piece of advice is "don't feed the trolls".
Added. May decide to organize the advice by topic, however, lets get a nice list of stuff proposed and discussed.
I appreciate that one. Sometimes I whip out a bag of seeds and start throwing them around.

I was actually thinking of an etiquette thread - nothing official, as I think the forum rules are fine. Something to help people, like me, who sometimes struggle to keep the spirit of contention out of a discussion. I may create a thread ... or maybe revive an old one ... after I read the advice in this thread
Last edited by Alaris on July 17th, 2018, 3:50 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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creator
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Re: General Advise to Forum Members

Post by creator »

"Don't feed the trolls" is definitely a good piece of advice but my comment was more directed at setyourselffree for the troll-ish nature of his/her comment.

The forum is a tool and each person uses it in such a wide variety of ways that it would be inaccurate to say that it's a "tool for Satan" or that "Many people have fallen away because of this forum". Zero people have fallen away because of the forum. If someone has fallen away it's because of themselves. The forum is simply a tool - a tool cannot be blamed for an action it cannot itself commit.

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Durzan
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Re: General Advise to Forum Members

Post by Durzan »

Ha ha, I figured as much. Still worth adding to the list.
Alaris wrote: July 17th, 2018, 11:49 am
Durzan wrote: July 17th, 2018, 11:19 am
BrianM wrote: July 17th, 2018, 11:05 am
setyourselffree wrote: July 16th, 2018, 9:09 pm This forum is used more as a tool for Satan so make sure you have a strong testimony. Many people have fallen away because of this forum.
Another piece of advice is "don't feed the trolls".
Added. May decide to organize the advice by topic, however, lets get a nice list of stuff proposed and discussed.
I appreciate that one. Sometimes I whip out a bag of seeds and start throwing them around.

I was actually thinking of an etiquette thread - nothing official, as I think the forum rules are fine. Something to help people, like me, who sometimes struggle to keep the spirit of contention out of a discussion. I may create a thread ... or maybe revive an old one ... after I read the advice in this thread (you may want to change the spelling in the forum title - advice)
Strange, I was thinking of something like that as well. Thats very well what this thread might become at some point. But for now, lets gather good advice.

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