Help Me Know The Rules

[sojourner]

I am having a hard time understanding where I am allowed to post or not?

I get the 'lions den' so Im here and so far this is I guess if I get this correct the only place for christians to post that arent in a debate? is that correct?

 

thanks

 

kept

[xandermac]

Why are you here? Do you actually think you can witness to us? What is it you're hoping to get from being here? You say you're not in a debate. Are you here to spread the good news? You better have something different to offer. I hope you're smart. There are some very intelligent people here that will rip your beliefs apart. Maybe thats what you're looking for? You say under any gods "only the good one not the mean and nasty one". In the bible that god is one and the same.

[Checkmate]

 

 

READ THE FORUM MAIN PAGE AND YOU'LL KNOW WHERE TO POST.

 

(Can't get any clearer than that.)

[crazy-tiger]

I am having a hard time understanding where I am allowed to post or not?

I get the 'lions den' so Im here and so far this is I guess if I get this correct the only place for christians to post that arent in a debate? is that correct?

 

thanks

 

kept

Well, if you're here to just witness, then the Lions Den is the place to be... If you're here for a down and dirty debate/argument, again the Lions Den is best. (anywhere else and the common debate/argument is liable to be moved here, so it's best to start them here)

On the other hand, if you're here to comment in a non-witnessing way on things... feel free to post in any section around. Just because this is an ex-christian support site doesn't mean Christians have to be confined to where we can beat them up. Take a look at Open-Minded and Amanda... both Christians, respectful and respected... and able to post anywhere they like.

 

As long as the Guidelines are held to, Christians are welcome... frankly, they're as welcome as anyone else.

 

 

 

Though, we could do with a couple of new bodies in the Lions Den... my claws need a little sharpening.

[sojourner]

Why are you here? Do you actually think you can witness to us? What is it you're hoping to get from being here? You say you're not in a debate. Are you here to spread the good news? You better have something different to offer. I hope you're smart. There are some very intelligent people here that will rip your beliefs apart. Maybe thats what you're looking for? You say under any gods "only the good one not the mean and nasty one". In the bible that god is one and the same.

 

Im here cause I like much of what Ive read. Is that unbelievable to you? Do you think all folks that believe in God feel they must come evangelise you to their way of believing? Could it be possible that someone that believes like me finds nuggets of truth in posts on this forum writtten by folks that dont believe like me? Can you accept that whether you care to realise it or not to me God speaks thru many of you and that draws me to your table you have spread here?

 

Or are you all like most groups that if I dont totally dress like you , speak like you and look like you I have a hidden agenda and am here under false pretenses so you will try and run me off?

 

ps thanks for the info I

 

I have not read much on the main page

 

sojourner

[crazy-tiger]

Why are you here? Do you actually think you can witness to us? What is it you're hoping to get from being here? You say you're not in a debate. Are you here to spread the good news? You better have something different to offer. I hope you're smart. There are some very intelligent people here that will rip your beliefs apart. Maybe thats what you're looking for? You say under any gods "only the good one not the mean and nasty one". In the bible that god is one and the same.

 

Im here cause I like much of what Ive read. Is that unbelievable to you? Do you think all folks that believe in God feel they must come evangelise you to their way of believing? Could it be possible that someone that believes like me finds nuggets of truth in posts on this forum writtten by folks that dont believe like me? Can you accept that whether you care to realise it or not to me God speaks thru many of you and that draws me to your table you have spread here?

 

Or are you all like most groups that if I dont totally dress like you , speak like you and look like you I have a hidden agenda and am here under false pretenses so you will try and run me off?

 

ps thanks for the info I

 

I have not read much on the main page

 

sojourner

You must understand, we've had a lot of people show up with a sweet and innocent "face" only to turn suddenly into some of the most annoying, insulting, ugly-minded people around. Some of us are no longer willing to take the chance that the next new Christian won't do the same... it stinks, but it's simply human. (that and a lot of us get a constant barrage of "burn, evil fiend" type stuff in real life.

 

Don't take it personally... but be prepared to take some flack thanks to the actions of others. With luck, and the way you've been posting so far, you shouldn't get much (if any...) and the suspision about your motive will die off.

[Deva]

Im here cause I like much of what Ive read. Is that unbelievable to you? Do you think all folks that believe in God feel they must come evangelise you to their way of believing? Could it be possible that someone that believes like me finds nuggets of truth in posts on this forum writtten by folks that dont believe like me? Can you accept that whether you care to realise it or not to me God speaks thru many of you and that draws me to your table you have spread here?

 

Or are you all like most groups that if I dont totally dress like you , speak like you and look like you I have a hidden agenda and am here under false pretenses so you will try and run me off?

 

ps thanks for the info I

 

I have not read much on the main page

 

sojourner

 

Sojourner, I have read some of your posts. You are a universalist. Since you believe in Christ I suppose some would classify you as Christian, some maybe not. Sorry to just stick you in a category, but you don't believe in a judgmental god or hell. You are not what I would call an "orthodox" Christian because of these postions you have expressed. You are certainly welcome here. Please understand that some of us still believe in god, but maybe defined differently from what you do. I advise you to go to the main page and read the titles of the different forums. See the one called "Ex-Christian Theism and Spirituality". Some of us are pagans and theists of various kinds.

 

One piece of advice, please don't preach to us how much you love the Bible. You are entitled to your own opinion, but a lot us here have been hurt by Christianity and the Bible.

[Japedo]

Or are you all like most groups that if I dont totally dress like you , speak like you and look like you I have a hidden agenda and am here under false pretenses so you will try and run me off?

 

Ex-C is not like most groups. It is as different and unique as the individuals that post here. Everyone is welcome here altho Christians are for warned there are no kid gloves here, This is our safe haven on the great WWW, we aren't required to embrace cults for the sake of saving feelings. Ideology's will be challenged with the gloves off. Everyone is very open and there are no holds barred pretty much. It is a place where freedom of expression is our way of life, even if that makes some uncomfortable.

 

Their are gentle souls, just as there are abrasive ones, then there's all of those in between. I think the only place really off limits to you is the Testimonies of Former Christians sections, and maybe also ex-C life (???) altho I'm not sure if there are requirements for xtians there or not? You can always ask one of the mods which you can access by clicking the My assistant there at the top. There are also usually guidelines posted at the top of each forum if there are any certain criteria.

 

Welcome to Ex-C in any case..

[GraphicsGuy]

Do you think all folks that believe in God feel they must come evangelise you to their way of believing?

 

Unfortunately that's been our general experience. Our apologies if you don't fit the norm.

 

Could it be possible that someone that believes like me finds nuggets of truth in posts on this forum writtten by folks that dont believe like me?

 

Possible, absolutely. You'd be surprised that most believers won't admit it though. They typically never admit when we're right. They typically require us to reconcile our experiences with their belief instead of the other way around.

 

Can you accept that whether you care to realise it or not to me God speaks thru many of you and that draws me to your table you have spread here?

 

We can accept that something speaks to you, but we'll debate as to whether it's God or just logic.

 

Or are you all like most groups that if I dont totally dress like you , speak like you and look like you I have a hidden agenda and am here under false pretenses so you will try and run me off?

 

Hmmm...I don't think we judge on appearance and we certainly relish indiviualism, but in our mind any Xian represents the enemy. The thing we've escaped from and what most of us are very, VERY angry at (I speak of religion, not of God). We tend to bite first and clarify later. Like I said, I'm certain we apologize if you are NOT the typically believer, but you're guilty until proven innocent here...

[xandermac]

I didn't mean you weren't welcome here. Yes it has been MY experience that believers do want to evangelize and have hidden agendas. I don't own this forum. I don't speak for anyone here except myself. That said you won't hear god speaking through me.

[Robbobrob]

That said you won't hear god speaking through me.

One night I thought I heard God speaking through me. Tehn I remembered I had eaten a pepperoni pizza for supper.

[sojourner]

Thanks everyone for just being real with me and guiding me where to read and look, its a big place.

 

I dont read on any other forums but two that I have so much in common with, where we are universalists. I dont go posting on forums to evangelise or whatever, avoide all christian forums that are not universalist cause I dont relish being sliced and diced in the name of Jesus.

 

Listen, I will be totally honest, when I first began reading I got all excited because many of you dislike the same things I do in religion. You must understand that as a 'universalist' I am a heretic as you all are to most christians and as soon as the cat is out of the bag I am a leper that is to be first off witnessed to so they can live with themselves about my going to hell, they told me afterall, now they are off the hook, then when I dont bite, Im cut off except by the rare rare few. I have however, found many others that are where I am currently at in their lives and have bonded with them over the internet, and they are universalists.

 

The reason I thought to post here is to let you know that there really are some christians out there that actually agree more than disagree with much of what you all share. Id hate for you all to think all christians believe in a mean God, eternal torment and that this same God has determined that you all will burn in hell forever.

 

Also, I want any religion that is in me out! I know many of you dont think thats possible without letting go of a belief in God altogether but I disagree with that. If anyone will challange religion that is hiding in me Im sure it would be you all, and I am here for just that as well.

 

I will be me, I really dont get all mean and nasty and am wearing some nice face for now. I do pms however, but if Im really struggling I dont post much on forums lol

 

sojourner

[SWIM]

 

READ THE FORUM MAIN PAGE AND YOU'LL KNOW WHERE TO POST.

 

(Can't get any clearer than that.)

 

 

Captain Obvious, LOL I love hearing that show on the radio... hehe

[R. S. Martin]

The reason I thought to post here is to let you know that there really are some christians out there that actually agree more than disagree with much of what you all share. Id hate for you all to think all christians believe in a mean God, eternal torment and that this same God has determined that you all will burn in hell forever.

 

Sojourner, I read all your posts in this thread and I think mostly you're okay. Mostly I think you're just confused and unsure and scared because of past hurts. However, this one paragraph has me a bit wary. The bolded sentence smacks of the "I know you really left Christianity because you got hurt" excuse Christians so often plaster onto us. That is NOT TRUE!

 

We deconverted because the theology disagrees with our deepest convictions. Many of us have been very seriously hurt by Christians and we may have lifelong psychological scars because of it, but we did not deconvert because of the abuse. Thus, I feel it is an insult to my intelligence to be told, "Not all Christians are like that church," or something similar. As though I had not thought things through deeply enough.

[Grandpa Harley]

I tend to regard Christians coming here pedalling their snake oils as welcome as a Smirnoff seller pushing free samples at an AA meeting.

 

However, as Universalist, you're technically a philosophical Christian. If you fancy a church that won't have too hard a go at a Universalist, try Episcopalian... you can probably find one that is more liberal than you can countenance...

[sojourner]

The reason I thought to post here is to let you know that there really are some christians out there that actually agree more than disagree with much of what you all share. Id hate for you all to think all christians believe in a mean God, eternal torment and that this same God has determined that you all will burn in hell forever.

 

Sojourner, I read all your posts in this thread and I think mostly you're okay. Mostly I think you're just confused and unsure and scared because of past hurts. However, this one paragraph has me a bit wary. The bolded sentence smacks of the "I know you really left Christianity because you got hurt" excuse Christians so often plaster onto us. That is NOT TRUE!

 

We deconverted because the theology disagrees with our deepest convictions. Many of us have been very seriously hurt by Christians and we may have lifelong psychological scars because of it, but we did not deconvert because of the abuse. Thus, I feel it is an insult to my intelligence to be told, "Not all Christians are like that church," or something similar. As though I had not thought things through deeply enough.

 

Hi RubySera

 

well thanks, I guess lol as in Im mostly ok, that reminds me of Princess Bride, he is just mostly dead.....

 

I dont know if Im confused, dont think so but could very well appear confused to you and others. Im unsure of some things and very sure of others. But one thing I definately am not is scared........that one I deny holding at all.

 

I have no clue why many of you left christianity, however, if it were me I would have left over the hell and damnation thing. Im sure there are a miriad of reasons as unique as each person here, unless you can say you all left for the same reason, which I highly doubt.

 

anyhoo, sorry that I made you puke, or that was repuke, how does one repuke anyways? lol

 

please dont think I think you are shallow and ignorant cause I dont, I dont know you well enough to have an opinion of who you are or why you left

 

sojourner

[white_raven23]

Or are you all like most groups that if I dont totally dress like you , speak like you and look like you I have a hidden agenda and am here under false pretenses so you will try and run me off?

 

 

If it were like that here, then I would NOT be here. This is the only online forum I've stuck with for so long as a continually active member. And it's certainly the only one I've donated money to.

 

I don't do cliques.