The following guidelines-- to be distinguished from the rules-- are given in order to help avoid problems and to make the Forum run more smoothly and encourage healthy, productive exchanges:
1) Be loving. Discuss issues with Christ-like love for your brothers and sisters here. HIS truth will win in the end.
2) Speak for yourself only. Advocate strongly for your position but with love for others.
3) Recognize that others are seeking the truth just like you. And these praying, thinking Christians might come to different conclusions than your own. These members will feel just as strongly about the "rightness" of their opinion as you feel about yours. Study with them in humility -- seeking the truth, NOT just trying to convice others you are right. Go wherever the Spirit, Bible, and Spirit of Prophecy lead. HIS truth will win in the end.
4. Don't be negative towards other people... they are Christ's children. Sinners just like ourselves.
5. When disagreeing with other members, focus on the topic and ideas being discussed and not other members. Avoid addressing them directly, questioning their religious commitment. Abuse is attacking or belittling a person, their character, or their motives. Disagreement is not abuse.
6. Keep your posts to a reasonable length, and if necessary divide what would be a single long post into two or more shorter posts.
7. If you ever feel justified for being combative toward another member... see guideline #1 and DON'T."
8. If you are tempted to write to Stan, we suggest that you consider instead writing to one of the moderators. Stan is very busy with a minimum of 3 other boards to watch over.
9. Believe it or not, the moderators are your advocates. If you should find yourself in a position of needing an advocate, lean heavily upon what s/he says. S/He is showing the other moderators what you are doing, and evidence that you are teachable. If you revolt against the idea of an advocate before the moderatorial board, and your advocate steps aside, the moderators will recommend that you go somewhere else and Stan may gift you with a ban.
THE CORE RULES OF NETIQUETTE
The Core Rules of Netiquette:
http://www.albion.com/netiquette/corerules.htmlGalatians 5: 13-15--
13 For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." 15But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another. 16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
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