Your Thought/Replies Welcome!

[_Jersey Girl]

At any rate, in a private conversation, because I value this person's opinion as highly as I do, I asked what their thoughts were about what I called this boards fairly recent shift to being a very toxic environment - An environment that seems to be littered with spite and angry exchanges - one where mockery and insults are becoming the daily norm - one where complete intolerance towards one another is no longer the exception, but it is the rule. An environment that, in my opinion, is starting to become a very exhausting place to hang out in.

Well I can only speak for myself (again) but it's not just the nature of some of the personal attacks that I'm thinking about. Post after post has been transferred from Paradise, for example, and hurled into Prison. I've noticed that some of the posts have been acted on by mods who edited out certain content. In any case, they put the posts where they belong, in the forum made for that purpose.

Here is the thing I noticed last night and only made brief comments about. Here's a sample of the thread I looked in on in Terrestrial:

Can't you just simply dismiss me without further argument? Are you so insecure as to have to harp on and on to bolster your sandy foundation?

When the poop hits the fierce wind please realize you are at the end of the line for any consideration from these parts.

“F” GOD and HIS STUPID USELESS damned SON and THE HOLY TOASTER!!!! What a waist of a life to seek after the approval of such EVIL idiots!

Forget God, live happy

I think zombie Jesus likes people to eat his flesh and drink his blood, whether transubstantiation or symbolically.

There are more comments there, the above was probably the worst of it last time I looked in there. The thing is, is that I can't (and I never have) post temple content in Celestial, Terrestrial or Paradise Forums in deference to LDS. Anything resembling temple content gets automatically shoved into Telestial where it belongs, as well as various graphic images.

That photo there is as offensive to me as temple content posted would be to LDS and yet there it sits, not-so-pretty as you please, totally untouched by moderators (who have regularly not only transferred posts but edited out highly offensive content) when it there is a forum here for precisely that type of thing.

Faqs got dropped to Prison partially on account of his hate speech and yet the above is left to stand in the main forum.

[_subgenius]

...snip...were to depart, the forum's "toxicity" would be improved even more. But we all know you're not really making this thread about them.
...snip...
Look in the mirror.

interesting how this post is the first post on this thread to insist upon being a prime example of the issue noted in the OP.

And ironic how the post reads "look in the mirror" when it's entire thesis was "look at me".

[_Some Schmo]

I don't come here because it's a nice place to play patty cakes and I think any board that is trying to be that would suck. Suck hard. I not only don't mind some heat in a discussion but so long as it's fueled by intelligent and informative positions I think some heat is necessary to really engage subjects in ways that burn off the B.S. in order to get into the subject matter in a way that I learn from.

I understand that some people feel like they've made actual friends on message boards, but it's not something I relate to - it's not the point of the board, AFAIC.

The good thing about board anonymity is that some people are more willing to say what they honestly think than they would otherwise. That's a great thing.

If I want pleasant, non-offensive conversation, their are plenty of in real life people to talk to that way. Thing is, I find those conversations mostly boring because they're not really real.

There's no question I sometimes need to take a break from the boards, but it's not because I think it's toxic, exactly. It's more about needing a break from what I consider the nonsense content.

[_Kevin Graham]

I understand that some people feel like they've made actual friends on message boards, but it's not something I relate to - it's not the point of the board, AFAIC.

The good thing about board anonymity is that some people are more willing to say what they honestly think than they would otherwise. That's a great thing.

If I want pleasant, non-offensive conversation, their are plenty of in real life people to talk to that way. Thing is, I find those conversations mostly boring because they're not really real.

There's no question I sometimes need to take a break from the boards, but it's not because I think it's toxic, exactly. It's more about needing a break from what I consider the nonsense content.

That's how I feel too. I have about a dozen Facebook friends from the forums. I've never sought any of them out except for maybe Kishkumen, the others sent me a friend's request because they knew my real name. Darth sent me a request some years ago and then deleted me after I annoyed him too much talking about Alabama football. LOL. I've met a few in real life and consider them friends.

[_Lemmie]

in my opinion, this particular person consistently puts their depth of wisdom on display here. Generally speaking, I think that this is a fairly rare quality and I personally think it's extremely undervalued by many of us who participate in these discussion board communities - this community being no exception.

You think it's rare that people put their depth of wisdom on display here?

I call complete and utter B.S. on that.

So do I. The depth and breadth of wisdom, knowledge, and talent expressed by individuals on this board is really quite amazing. The fact that we have as many threads as we do that have resulted in people sharing that depth and breadth is a true gift. A Hall of Fame thread where people nominate their favorites and explain why would be a welcome respite from these Judgment threads.

[_Dr. Shades]

____ GOD and HIS STUPID USELESS ____ SON and THE HOLY TOASTER!!!! What a waist of a life to seek after the approval of such EVIL ____!

Forget God, live happy

I think zombie Jesus likes people to eat his flesh and drink his blood, whether transubstantiation or symbolically.

That photo there is as offensive to me as temple content posted would be to LDS and yet there it sits, not-so-pretty as you please, totally untouched by moderators (who have regularly not only transferred posts but edited out highly offensive content) when it there is a forum here for precisely that type of thing.

Faqs got ____ to Prison partially on account of his hate speech and yet the above is left to stand in the main forum.

That's because Jesus isn't a registered user here.

[_Jersey Girl]

That's because Jesus isn't a registered user here.

I'm not sure I know what you mean. I asked you about a similar image/rant a while ago and you moved the whole piece to Telestial.

[_Dr. Shades]

I understand that some people feel like they've made actual friends on message boards, but it's not something I relate to - it's not the point of the board, AFAIC.

"AFAIC" = As Far As I Cnow?

[_beastie]

I don't think the tone of this board has changed over the years overall.

I used to moderate Zion's Lighthouse, and members there also complained periodically about the tone of the board deteriorating. But I remembered very well many heated and ugly exchanges from the so-called halcyon days. It's all personal, in the end. It feels worse to us if we have some particularly ugly exchanges, but that doesn't mean the overall quality has declined.

I once participated on a very small board of mo's and exmo's that eventually became friends, some in real life. I loved those people, and yet it became boring. We were so invested in our emotional connection than we just avoided conflict, and conflict/debate is what keeps these sort of boards interesting in the first place.

For me, personally, there are a couple of posters that, as their posting increases, the quality of the discussions decrease for me. (the LDSFAQS of the board, using that as a generic descriptor rather than one person) But I don't blame the board, overall, for that. I just accept that certain posters irritate me, and I try to step back at those times. But I always come back, because this board is full of extremely intelligent and articulate thinkers.

Years ago I was one of those posters who complained about the overall tone of the board. I left it for a brief spell. It's too long ago for me to remember what caused my moment (perhaps fleeting) of self-awareness, but I eventually realized that if everyone were polite it would be boring. I guess I like the little shot of adrenaline now and then. Othewise I'd participate solely on the Celestial Forum.

Speaking of which, ceeboo, if the overall tone of the board bothers you, why not try limiting yourself to the Celestial Kingdom? (and if the participation there is lower, then I'd guess that I'm not the only one that likes the adrenaline shot now and then)

[_Kevin Graham]

I don't think the tone of this board has changed over the years overall.

I used to moderate Zion's Lighthouse, and members there also complained periodically about the tone of the board deteriorating. But I remembered very well many heated and ugly exchanges from the so-called halcyon days. It's all personal, in the end. It feels worse to us if we have some particularly ugly exchanges, but that doesn't mean the overall quality has declined.

Yes, ZLMB was a mess. Not nearly as bad as other boards dominated by ex-Mormons, but it was pretty crazy when FAIR was sending their top apologists at the time to do battle.

Speaking of which, ceeboo, if the overall tone of the board bothers you, why not try limiting yourself to the Celestial Kingdom? (and if the participation there is lower, then I'd guess that I'm not the only one that likes the adrenaline shot now and then)

That was supposed to be the main thing that set this forum apart from the rest. You could pretty much choose the level of discourse you want by picking your own forum. But I think the problem is the same groups tend to gravitate to the same forums. I haven't so much as clicked on the Celestial/Telestial forums in years. Terrestrial used to be the only one I'd visit but I really don't have that much interest in discussing Mormonism anymore.