Abm0raz's Journal: s@+@n luv U!!!

Ok, I just finished reading this article (required reading to participate in the discussion), and I have some questions for whoever cares to answer:
      1. Is it possible to have an online forum devoid of trolls?
      2. On the lines of question 1, is it possible to have an on-line forum with complete controlled speech (not necessarily in the US or other 'western nations')?
      3. Can people with views and opinions that are controversial or confrontational ever expect to have a society of their own, no matter how small, that is free from harrassment or detractors?
      4. Does the design and evolution of the internet as we know it prevent a church from having an interactive forum that would be respected as if it were a house of god itself?

Some of my opinions:
      10 years ago (maybe even 5) I would've done the same thing. To me, it's funny. Now, I still think it's funny, but I myself would not do it because I have a greater respect for other people's views, but more importantly, their right to have their views. I do not think that the internet as we know it allows for them to have a 'sanctified' place and that somehow, someway, someone will get in and fuck with them "just cause they can."
      I also believe that the internet is the beginning of the end for organized religions as we know them.
      There has been a steady decline in belief/membership in the past 50 years. My belief is that this all started in the 50s with improvements in mass communications. The internet is almost like the final[1] evolution of this communicae. It feeds people information that was previously unreachable. It opens doors that were previously closed. In my mind, this stabs at one's ability to have blind faith. To those that do, I am not knocking you or calling you dimwitted. I fully respect your right to believe what you wish, even if I don't.

      The right of religious freedom without persecution is as fundamental of a right as freedom of speech or the right to bear arms, but that does not mean I, or anyone else, has to agree with your religion, just that we shouldn't and cannot persecute you for it. Likewise, you may not treat us worse for being non-believers.

-Ab

[1] Even though the internet will still grow and change, I'm using the word final for emphases.

Re:

[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

Hrm.

[Zeriel]

I don't necessarily agree with your idea that religions are declining. It seems to me that belief and spirituality are as much as they ever were, but the idea of organized religion is going downhill to be replaced with quieter organized religion and more personal faiths/beliefs/practices.

I think you'll not so much see a reduction in belief as a redistribution of people towards the smaller, quieter, more introspective faiths. Stuff that's dedicated to growth of the individual/congregation, not growth of t

Re:Hrm.

[Abm0raz]

That's kinda what I meant. I meant that organized religions are on a downfall and that you see a lot of: "I'm $RELIGION, but I don't believe in $FUNDAMENTAL_TENET_OF_RELIGION." If one does not believe in all the religion, then may one still call oneself that religion. I think this is leading to the shift from large organized religions to smaller localized self-beliefs. Some examples (I'll pick on the catholics cause I used to be one, not cause I think they deserve it):

1. Abortion: There are a lot o

Re:Hrm.

[Red Warrior]

Well, you can call yourself anything you want. I'll call you "Sally" ;->

However, to be part of an organized group that believes in X,Y, and Z, you need to believe in X,Y, and Z. Else, you are part of some group similar to, but different from, the origional group. Hence, the fact that there is more than one sect that thinks Jesus was a spiffy guy. Pro-Abortion Roman Catholic is a tautology.

Re:Hrm.

[KshGoddess]

If you only pay lipservice and/or follow only the most easy/simple/basic of tenets, does that alone allow you claim to call yourself a member of that religion?

If you don't believe all of the tenets of your "chosen" religion, no.

As to your original question: There will always be trolls. Because there are always dumbass kids (even 40+ year old ones) who think crap like that is funny.