General Advice to Forum Members

For discussion of liberty, freedom, government and politics.
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creator
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Re: General Advise to Forum Members

Post by creator »

setyourselffree wrote: July 16th, 2018, 10:03 pm
Durzan wrote: July 16th, 2018, 9:58 pm
setyourselffree wrote: July 16th, 2018, 9:41 pm Is the creator of this site even a member anymore. I question that with some of his posts.
You could always ask him.
Done.
Are you telling the truth or just trolling? Because I don't see any messages from you asking me any questions.
UPDATE: Now I have received a PM and have responded. :)

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sandman45
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Re: General Advise to Forum Members

Post by sandman45 »

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?
These are some definitions of apostate that I have noticed.. anyone else have different thoughts?
Now:
If you find out the truth and try to tell others about it you are called "apostate". ie ( church history, changing doctrines, questioning leaders of church, calling out others on their foolish (LDS/Non LDS) traditions, growing a beard, not going to BYU, not going on a mission..).

Then:
back in Joseph's time if you physically fought against the saints and leadership / persecuted them / or tried to create your own church and lead others away or renounced that you were a Mormon or LDS you were called an apostate.

Wikipedia:

apostate (plural apostates)

A person who has renounced a religion or faith.
(Roman Catholicism) One who, after having received sacred orders, renounces his clerical profession.

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gigarath24
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Re: General Advise to Forum Members

Post by gigarath24 »

If you are responding to someone, quote them!

Personally it really irks me when someone responds to the points in my posts without quoting me. Even if they are directly addressing my posts and comments. This is really annoying because then I do not get a notification to continue the conversation if I feel compelled to do so. I find it unethical to address a person's comment without them having the knowledge that you did so which means that they in many cases that it occurs hasn't the ability to respond. This is intellectually dishonest.
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.
If you want to know what real apostasy looks like go over to avow (Conservative Apostasy) or exmormon.org's recovery forums (Liberal Apostasy). ldsfreedomforum has been a testimony builder for the most part, but that is just my own experience.

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Alaris
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Re: General Advice to Forum Members

Post by Alaris »

I've had a few pms of folks who were teetering who thanked me for some of my writings that helped them strengthen their testimony. This boils down to the ever-so-important, "Why are you here?" question. That may be a good poll / thread.

I've certainly never gotten any pms of "Wow the brethren are so lost, thanks Alaris!" on their way out of the church (lol) as some here may have suggested in the past.

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

Post by BeNotDeceived »

ElizaRSkousen wrote: July 16th, 2018, 9:38 pm
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
Great job!

Got me thinking OP’s (always makes me think of Andy Griffith) can edit the title that shows on the email notification. Maybe a bit more info could be included in the notification, such as sub-topic, or who was quoted to trigger the notification, etc.

subTopic prepends the original topic. In Swift programming, Classes begin with capital letters and Instances don’t. wordsStrungTogeherLikeThis are called camel case, and it works great for search keywords. I like to leave out the vowels to create unique versions, such as sbtpc for Sub Topic.

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Thinker
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Re: General Advice to Forum Members

Post by Thinker »

When applying labels: point to the behavior, not the person.
The ONLY rule on this forum is to not call names - no ad hominem attacks. Yes, this takes more work than saying, “Stupid Dummy!” but we are adults and ought to be able to handle it. So, ie, instead of saying, “apostate,” “right-wing,” “troll,” etc - point to what a person says that you disagree with or find inappropriate and explain reasonably and with the spirit, why you disagree. Share your reasoning and spiritual perspectives so others (not just the person you’re addressing but also readers) can understand more clearly.

We all have been wrong from time to time. It’s much easier to correct thinking when someone respectfully points out mistaken comments, than if someone personally attacks us.
Last edited by Thinker on July 17th, 2018, 3:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Durzan
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Re: General Advice to Forum Members

Post by Durzan »

Thinker wrote: July 17th, 2018, 3:45 pm When applying labels: point to the behavior, not the person.
The ONLY rule on this forum is to not call names - no ad hominem attacks. Yes, this takes more work than saying, “Stupid Dummy!” but we are adults and ought to be able to handle it. So, ie, instead of saying, “apostate,” “right-wing,” “troll,” etc - 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.

We all have been wrong from time to time. It’s much easier to correct thinking when someone respectfully points out mistaken comments, than if someone personally attacks us.
Actually, thats pretty good. I'll add it to the list.

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Chip
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Re: General Advice to Forum Members

Post by Chip »

Can there be an exception for me? I don't mind being called bad things. I would rather the feedback be unimpeded.

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Durzan
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Re: General Advice to Forum Members

Post by Durzan »

Chip wrote: July 24th, 2018, 4:49 pm Can there be an exception for me? I don't mind being called bad things. I would rather the feedback be unimpeded.
lol Chip. People can give you respectful feedback without being rude.

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Durzan
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Re: General Advice to Forum Members

Post by Durzan »

Got two more general pieces of advice to add to the list:

Regarding quotes from offsite sources:
  • Put the offsite quote in a quote, and cite the source.
  • Don't just post the quote. If possible, 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.

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iWriteStuff
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Re: General Advice to Forum Members

Post by iWriteStuff »

I'd like to add my own personal piece of advice to this thread. Its adoption is tied directly to improved quality of life:

Say-What-You-Meme.jpg
Say-What-You-Meme.jpg (142.6 KiB) Viewed 6004 times

Whenever possible, use a clever meme.

That is all.

eddie
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Re: General Advice to Forum Members

Post by eddie »

best-trump-memes.jpg
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BeNotDeceived
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Praise Me!

Post by BeNotDeceived »

Chip wrote: July 24th, 2018, 4:49 pm Can there be an exception for me? I don't mind being called bad things. I would rather the feedback be unimpeded.
Image

Praise Me!

So said the southern winds; which way did he go?

Bird memes rule. :P

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oxbloodangel
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Re: General Advice to Forum Members

Post by oxbloodangel »

This is the best advice for newbies! When I was brand new several years ago, I called someone out for being against the Church by referring to them as apostate. Not only is this hurtful, but it really doesn't help any case I might have been making at the time. People don't generally respond well to being individually called to repentance anyway. Christ changes hearts, and those hearts must be soft to be penetrated. Name-calling hardens all the hearts, the name-thrower and its intended recipient.
Thinker wrote: July 17th, 2018, 3:45 pm When applying labels: point to the behavior, not the person.
The ONLY rule on this forum is to not call names - no ad hominem attacks. Yes, this takes more work than saying, “Stupid Dummy!” but we are adults and ought to be able to handle it. So, ie, instead of saying, “apostate,” “right-wing,” “troll,” etc - point to what a person says that you disagree with or find inappropriate and explain reasonably and with the spirit, why you disagree. Share your reasoning and spiritual perspectives so others (not just the person you’re addressing but also readers) can understand more clearly.

We all have been wrong from time to time. It’s much easier to correct thinking when someone respectfully points out mistaken comments, than if someone personally attacks us.

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righteousrepublic
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Re: General Advice to Forum Members

Post by righteousrepublic »

I have experienced a situation where someone, in their posts, somehow attribute a post to the wrong person. I don't know how they do it, but it is quite unnerving. It wouldn't be so bad, however, when something is said that is against the way I think and is attributed to me, well, you now know.
Could posters please leave quotes where they belong according to who actually wrote them?

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Chip
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Re: General Advice to Forum Members

Post by Chip »

What if some devious character wrote a post that said something that a bunch of people 'liked', then he edited it to say the opposite? What would happen to that person if their diabolic rascality and nefarious imposition were detected?

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righteousrepublic
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Re: General Advice to Forum Members

Post by righteousrepublic »

Chip wrote: September 17th, 2018, 7:05 pm What if some devious character wrote a post that said something that a bunch of people 'liked', then he edited it to say the opposite? What would happen to that person if their diabolic rascality and nefarious imposition were detected?
Get ticked off?

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WildOliveBranch
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Re: General Advice to Forum Members

Post by WildOliveBranch »

Chip wrote: September 17th, 2018, 7:05 pm What if some devious character wrote a post that said something that a bunch of people 'liked', then he edited it to say the opposite? What would happen to that person if their diabolic rascality and nefarious imposition were detected?
Love that. Super troubling... but clever.

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Primary Outcast
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Re: General Advice to Forum Members

Post by Primary Outcast »

I can't figure out how to embed youtube videos. Please help, I've been trying to post this one:

https://youtu.be/dQw4w9WgXcQ

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righteousrepublic
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Re: General Advice to Forum Members

Post by righteousrepublic »

Primary Outcast wrote: October 18th, 2018, 12:01 pm I can't figure out how to embed youtube videos. Please help, I've been trying to post this one:

https://youtu.be/dQw4w9WgXcQ
First press the Youtube link. Copy the last digits beyond the = sign in the URL and then place it in between the Youtube sign. Something Like....[youtube]dQw4w9WgXcQ[/youtube
I removed the last bracket for effect. Note, too, that some URL's are not easy to post because of a different pattern of digits. In that case, try to find a different link for the same video. I had to for this one of Rick Astley

Thus, we have:


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brlenox
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Re: General Advice to Forum Members

Post by brlenox »

Durzan wrote: July 16th, 2018, 11:36 am 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.
:(

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

Post by Silver Pie »

ElizaRSkousen wrote: July 16th, 2018, 12:14 pmIs resurrecting zombie threads not a no-no here?
Sometimes resurrecting a dead thread is useful.

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

Post by Silver Pie »

BeNotDeceived wrote: July 16th, 2018, 9:35 pm Zombie threads rock. :P
Amen! I've resurrected a few under my former nom de plume.

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Rose Garden
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Re: General Advice to Forum Members

Post by Rose Garden »

Chip wrote: September 17th, 2018, 7:05 pm What if some devious character wrote a post that said something that a bunch of people 'liked', then he edited it to say the opposite? What would happen to that person if their diabolic rascality and nefarious imposition were detected?
Thanks for the idea. ;)

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Silver Pie
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Re: General Advice to Forum Members

Post by Silver Pie »

Meili wrote: January 11th, 2019, 3:22 pm
Chip wrote: September 17th, 2018, 7:05 pm What if some devious character wrote a post that said something that a bunch of people 'liked', then he edited it to say the opposite? What would happen to that person if their diabolic rascality and nefarious imposition were detected?
Thanks for the idea. ;)
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