Concerns about the recent quality of Posts

[timeless]

Thanks for speaking up James
[]timeless

I love this forum for just the reasons you described and would hate to lose what we have.

[James S]

Thank you Timeless.
I do feel better knowing I'm not alone in my thoughts.

The ideas and philosophies that you share are wonderful and insightful, and you don't beat anybody over the head with your opinions. Such are the kind of posts I really enjoy. They keep me thinking.

Keep posting wonderful ponderings[]
James.

[cainam_nazier]

You know its the bashing that is starting to show up that bothers me.  I am all for freedom of speech and all but there are more tactfull ways of going about things.  For the most part I am just starting to ignore posts from certain individuals.  I kinda figure, "Why waste the time?"

I know for the most part with the new people they just don't want to spend the time looking for thier answers.  I don't really like doing it myself, but I file that into the necessary evil catagory.

Ofcourse I must admite falt to a silly post every now and then.  But I have my reasons for posting them.

[Epsilon]

I agree with you too James.  I've been visiting this site almost since it was started, but have only recently started posting.  I'm one of those people that like to sit back and watch to understand more before involving myself.

I have noticed the same things stated above.  A lot more bashing and semi-useless posts.  Adrian should make a sticky at the top of each forum outlining a couple simple rules like:

1)Search first before you post
2)No flaming/bashing other members
3)Keep topics in the forums they belong in.  (i've been seeing alot of stuff in other forums that should be in the Astral Chat forum)

I dunnno, I'm sure there's other simple rules that can be stated... im just too lazy to think of more right now  []

learn, love, & enjoy
Ethan

EDIT: found a perfect example of the third rule...
why is the "BUSH IS EVIL//// GAY " thread in the Energy Development forum?

[PeacefulWarrior]

[Adrian]

Greetings everyone,

Thank you for your comments and your concerns which I agree with and share. I have been lenient thus far on this situation due mainly to the fact that it has mostly manifested in this Astral Chat forum, and which is intended to be more open and general than the other forums.

The forum description does include the following however:

Almost any subject is permissible, provided always that usual forum and Internet protocols, ethics and netiquette are strictly observed. enjoy!

It seems that the quality has been reduced by one or two individuals, and in fact I warned one of them the other day. I won't say who it was, but the warning applies generally in that anyone persistently disrespecting other members and their opinions, and/or being rude, abusive, infallamatory etc. will have their membership locked for a time, and if it happens again their membership will be terminated and IP address(s) blocked to prevent taking out another membership.

Another increasing tendency is to use the first OBE forum for any subject because it is convenient to post there. I had to move the Iraq war topic from there for example. I would be grateful if people would post topics in the most appropriate forum for that topic.

I am most grateful however that the overwhelming majority of members continue to make excellent contributions in all of the Astral Pulse forums, and I am sure this will continue in the future. It seemed only yesterday that I was able to report reaching 25,000 posts on the first anniversary of the Astral Pulse, and even now we are just a few posts away from 30,000 posts - most of which are quality contributions, and long may this continue for all of our benefits.

If anyone has any concerns at all about particular members or postings, pleae private message me with them and they will be scutinised I assure you.

With best regards,

Adrian.

[Anonymous]

I would just like to say to everyone, keep being you, and don't change for anyone but yourself. If you don't use words as weapons, continue not to. If you do, that's your decision to make. We are all here to spiritually advance in one way or another, and we will all someday see the errors of some of our ways and change them. There are always going to be people out there who insult you for what you say. The more people who join this forum, the more likely that will be. This is probably a test of our spiritual durability and strenght. One never knows. More likely, this is just one part of the test of life. It is not up to us to change those who choose the lower ways. It is only up to us to show them the existence of higher ways, and to maintain our own level of spiritual advancement, and keep advancing. Realize you have free will. You can choose not to be insulted by words which are meant to insult you. It's all how you look at it.

[MJ-12]

aaen.

[Tom]

For a while I was also concerned about a decline in the quality of the posting here. It could have been just that I was spending too much time on the forums or in a bad mood or something. It seemed reasonable that if there was an actual decline in the quality of posts then the thing to do would be to go back to the old threads and revive some of the best of them. It is a good thing to do in any case, and the process of going back made me realize that while things here have changed there really hasn't been a decline.

[ralphm]

Sometimes i don't mind seeing the same questions asked because there always seem to be new people with new points of view to answer. Maybe a moderator could revive a good topic from the past once a week or so, maybe new and old people would have new thoughts on them.

[Tom]

Sometimes it only takes a day or a week for me to have a better answer on a topic. Usually after a few months I can think of something better to say. Repeating a subject especially if it is re-phrased is often a good thing.

My recent concern was just that a lot of the topics seemed to be getting way ahead of what the majority here is ready to try. We all have our strong areas, I know, and it is not reasonable to make conclusions just based on my own experience about what the majority can do. It is still possible to make determinations like that, however, after having discussed the matter with so many people.

[goingslow]

I was the one Adrian "warned" in private.  

And since he obviously meant me in naming one or two of the troublemakers heres just a few things.

The comments I made that adrian read where i was rude etc were in the many iraq war topics.  I personally think political topics where a person is arguing how war is evil then going on to say the soldiers chose to be there so they dont have any sympathy for them is controversial.  You never know who has a loved one there or a persons military background, and introducing war topic after war topic like it or not is going to cause bad feelings.  

I can see "how the war is effecting us as far as energy goes" or some such topic but a purely political this is wrong/bush is evil. Type of topic causes controversy and i really dont see why this place is a proper forum for that type of debate.  But if you do chose to bring in a topic which by nature has heated emotions due to many factors not to mention we're being bombarded with it 24/7 off the computer then i dont think you have any reason to complain if it gets heated and people get annoyed.  

That being said since that topic I have gone on and shared my experiences with many people on this forum.  To be added as a person with nothing to contribute is plain wrong.  This past sunday and monday I had conscious OBE's and if you take away all these topics about the evils of war and how the "dark forces are at work and winning" isn't this forum about OBE's?

I often times am harsh when i disagree or when i feel a person is preaching to everyone.  Thats how I am its the way i converse.  But what brought me here to this forum was reading Robert Bruces book on OBE and my desire to have them on a regular basis.  And in that way I have plenty to contribute even if i dont conform all the time and respond the way everyone thinks i should.

The only reason im putting up this post was because Adrian did mention me indirectly as the one or two who cause trouble with nothing to contribute ("i warned one of them").  Since I had my OBE's this week I've been staying off war topics or other topics which by NATURE bring up powerful emotions and ideas.  And i dont appreciate being mentioned as a troublemaker just because i got tired of hearing more commentary on war when it seems I cant get away from that topic no matter where I am.  Even a board on Astral projection.  

I personally know i have much to contribute.. I also dont feel topics which make people afraid to ask questions are very helpful at all.
I am here to share experiences and hopefully learn things from people going through the same things.  But by telling people only a certain way of responding is acceptable limits the people who will join this forum.  Is the path to spiritual development only limited to well mannered, even tempered people?  Should they act well mannered and even tempered even if they aren't feeling that way?  Still everyone can benefit from many of the topics on this board no matter what personality type each is.  

Many esoteric/new age type of groups are very exclusive.  I think thats why these issues are sometimes stereotyped as being flakey "im okay you're okay" type of groups.  FAce it even the local thug believes in paranormal activity sometimes.  They're just not accepted into the groups who chose to study these things more often than not its because of how they chose to get their ideas across.

I myself have read the archived posts but I feel a lot of them have been answered and to revive them with my own question underneath would probably not get responses.  Sometimes someone might decide to answer a new question because they recently had a new insight or experience.

[goingslow]

One last thing I would like to mention.. I chose not to talk about war topics not because I am for war.  However, I respect that many people on forums and other places online have family there and they're dealing with so many emotions right now. My right to vent how wrong we are in being there doesn't outweigh their right to miss their loved one in peace.

So in my above topic Im not saying its not an important issue but there are countless political boards where you can talk about that stuff.  Where people chose to go there to talk about that type of thing.  

[Anonymous]

I've got a couple friends overseas right now. I can't say I'm happy about it. You bring up some interesting points Goingslow. I myself have decided that if I don't like the way someone responds, I'm not going to get angry about it or even say anything to them. If they make an invalid point, I will point it out and why it's invalid, but that's it. I will state my opinion on something, but I won't go so far as to call anything or anyone stupid or foolish, or good or wise. One needs a point of reference to state such things, which makes them relative. I think rather than complaining about topics that are posted (which is something we cannot individually control, as it is outside of ourselves), I would rather post a topic that I feel should be discussed. If you don't see something there that you think should be, why not post it? Astral chat seems to be a more general room for forums that cannot be posted anywhere else due to the nature of their topics. Whatever someone does, it's their business to do it. I cannot control it. I choose to no longer be insulted by anyone's comments, whether they mean to insult me or not. The way I see it, they are in a different place spiritually than I am.

I can understand the controversy over the posts about the war- there were like five or six different subjects, which is quite redundant in my opinion. I could understand one or two. But five or six is a lot. It would be no different than six different people posting the same discussion about OBEs. I think that if a subject is already posted, why not just post your question in the already-posted subject instead of taking up all that space? Look at how many of these "Downgrade in topics" discussions there are already. I think that shows we're not thinking differently enough.

[timeless]

Dear Goingslow,

I guess my perspective is that when new people are arriving at the forum they feel a bit insecure.  I certainly did.  I think we want to provide a nice environment for new people and we don't want them feeling like they cannot share for fear of ridicule.

People who have been at the forum longer could likely pick on each other without it really bothering them.  It really helps when you know each other.  I think it was David who pointed that out.

I know there is a lot of ridicule in this world and that we need to get use to this but I think a lot of us sort of wanted to have a more open, less defensive atmosphere in order to explore things that normally are not explored anywhere else.  

I don't think you have to feel like you must fit into a cookie cutter mold.  You most certainly do not have to believe even a small percentage of what is posted.  You can pick and chose and question and most importantly think and ask us to think. But as another person has said...It is not so much what one says but how one says it or asks it.  This is especially important with new comers.  Even if they are looking at other posts where ridicule is occurring they may feel less inclined to ask questions they very much want to ask.  

A balance needs to be struck and I don't think it would be an easy one to make as administrator.  I do like the questions you ask and enjoy answering your posts.  However, I can also understand why some people might feel a bit defensive with how you ask.  So you are right we are asking for a small change (but not a cookie cutter one where you have to agree in order to be accepted).  More just to be sensitive to other peoples feelings when you don't accept something or disagree.  

Deepest Respect,
timeless

[PeacefulWarrior]

THE BOTTOM LINE

I think this whole "problem" can be solved by remembering 3 things when you post:
1) Be respectful
2) Be thoughtful
3) Be yourself

Am I right?

I have had many heated discussions with people in this forum and, although we didn't end up agreeing with one another, we usually had a stronger/more positive relationship simply because we maintained respect and love for one another.

[Anonymous]

Well said. I'm sure there's at least one other element in there but I can't think of it/them right now. But generally speaking, I agree with you.

[Frank]

FWIW: I think the posts are just fine as they are.

If people want to try and use their voice to - in some way - throw a spoke in the works, then what the heck. Anyone who is anyone in this world have their critics. Some have openly critised me, for instance. Well so what?

The only matter I feel of relevance is of restricting the subject broadly to an on-topic thread. After all, if you take the opposite to an extreme, and all of us were to begin chatting on every forum about the first thing that entered our heads... then we may as well start packing.

So what I'm getting at is, if you really feel so strongly against either a member of this forum, or against a thread in particular, then by all means start a thread "in anti". Then the response, either for or against, will be made plain for subscribers as a whole to make their own judgement.

I say this because I feel it is grossly unfair that we should expect Adrian to take the brunt. Especially in respect of the fact that, ultimately, he is in a position where it could so easily become such that he is damned if he does: and damned if he doesn't.

Yours,
Frank

[Anonymous]

Ah, but if a thread was posted about something, without being for or against it, then we save room for other threads to be seen, as we would not need two seperate threads for the same topic. One could post the thread neutrally, but state their opinion in their reply.

[James S]

Wow...I go away for a couple of days and this becomes a hot topic!

In my opinion (note the emphasis on that word???), I feel that PeacefulWarrior & Timeless really have caught on to my thoughts about this. It is very much about respecting others, and about helping people who have questions that are difficult to ask, even behind the cloak of anonimity that forums afford.

When I first came on to this forum, I had questions to ask that if I think about them now, I would say they were stupid. Back then, I didn't know any better. It was the openness and helpfulness of members here that gave me insight. It was the friendliness of replies that made me feel like I could ask questions that I could not put to others around me, else I be labelled a nutcase. It was finding out that others here had experienced similar things and were happy to tell me of what they had found.

This has all added up to being a positive experience for me. I have made friends here. I have learned much, and I have been given much to think about.

Had I been personally criticised about my thoughts as I have seen others criticised, I would most likely have left long ago.  Criticisms of opinions (there's that word again) is a perfectly healthy way to discuss a topic, and can often lead to seing things from another point of view. I believe personal criticisms however, are just not on. You do not have to respect someone's opinion (have I beaten this word to death yet?), but if you wish to hold any credibility or respect, criticising or insulting others personally is no way to go about it. I don't mean having a harmless dig at someone in good fun, that's what friends do. I mean getting hot under the collar and flaming someone. Anger is a dark and destructive energy.

This is the main gripe that I have, and what really lead me to post this topic. The repeating of topics? well, it was a thought, and I can see now how such repetitions can be useful, within reason of course.

Thank you all for you views, and thank you to those who wish to be known as a friend.
James.

[goingslow]

Ideas and opinions will sometimes be criticized.  Again this is a public messageboard and unless you make a sign which says only a certain personality is allowed there will be disagreements.

I think peacefulwarrior hit on something when he said sometimes respect and friendship come out of people having a heated debate.  I dont really understand why people say "this is only my opinion" each of these are our opinions who's to say opinions which differ cant be voiced.

I have no desire to be fake or show how i can agree with everyone.  But I was happy to see most people's message was about the same as my own:  Be yourself, its variety which makes messageboards worth reading.  If its all going to be holding hands and saying how beautiful each post was its not worth it. you learn more by thinking about your position because perhaps it was questioned than with people thanking you for giving it because they want to be polite and fit in.

Im not going to say "this is just my opinion" because i think its obvious we're all stating opinions here.  I find the whole "well thats your opinion and you're entitled to it" condescending.  It speaks nothing of any issue and its stating the obvious.  I prefer to deal more with the actual topics than being so fixated on how the person presented it.

Thanks for your honesty timeless,
we all have things we can work on and i find it a lot more helpful when someone says things to a me directly instead of what seems like an attempt to rally people against another group.
In fact an honest "i felt you were rude" usually gets me thinking more than people talking about me indirectly.  

Sometimes its better to just come out and say things instead of in an attempt to be polite come off as more passive agressive than anything else.

I feel though that something good came out of this topic from the replies I saw which did recognize its more important to allow people to be themselves; rather than try to criticize people indirectly for not being nice and fluffy enough.  

Respect is important but who's to say you're showing more respect by being more concerned with how you come off in a post than dealing with the issue the person is presenting.

[MJ-12]

Ta

[jilola]

FWIW, considering the number of people and the huge amount of posts this site is by far the without question the best and most thoughtful of any I've ever seen on the net. The occasional flame or perceived insult aside the quality of the site, the people and the posts are beyond excellent.
A big hand, applause and kudos to all of us, past and present.

2cents & L&L
jouni

[Anonymous]

hmm, I don't think that's what Goingslow was trying to imply. I think what he meant was that people should not be afraid to post something how they post it.

On the other hand, getting all uptight about the way someone posts something isn't helping anything either. You can't force someone to keep a cool head. But you can keep a cool head yourself. Just make sure that however you decide to post, you're using rational thought and not speaking out of rage or anger.

Just another one of my contributions.

[goingslow]

quote:Originally posted by MJ-12


Goingslow are you saying that respecting someone's opinion is somehow too "fluffy" for you? Whoever said that this forum is like you describe? Why do others have to conform to YOUR standards of respect and civil discussion?

Who's asking anyone to conform?  Im stating people should be themselves and not criticize others for not meeting standards of respect.  Thats the opposite of conforming.
What standards of respect and civil discussion did i state?  except dont get angry just because a person doesn't respond how everyone else wants.  Those aren't standards theyre about being tolerant.  

I guess your response kinda doesn't make sense to me since i thought i was obviously posting about acceptance not posting any "rules".

I dont really want to argue this point though, but my posts were in response to the topic.  So in context i think it makes sense.  

Enderwiggen i agree with that completely and thats what i was trying to state.