In Reply to: Re: Do we need separate boards? posted by Feedback on September 30, 2006 at 12:54:24:
I have a few misgivings about separating posters into two boards. I personally like the varied spectrum of opinions all on one board, & it’s not having the different opinions that’s the issue, but the lecturing of other posters. I’ve liked the idea of a common melting pot. I think all the coordinators have felt the same way, that it should be able to work. In the Family we were only allowed one mindset & opinion, but in our post-Family experience it’s stimulating to be exposed to different viewpoints. But that can also create an uncomfortable environment where people feel in conflict.
I’ve thought about it recently & it seems that while freedom to disagree is a strong need, having a safe & inviting environment is also a need. Chat boards with common interests are what appeal to so many & help meet specific needs.
I said earlier, ‘In the past when interactions have gotten heated on Journeys, we've discussed having a spiritual board just for Christians & keeping Journeys for a more eclectic crowd. That seemed like a possible solution but every time we considered it, it didn't seem worth it. The 'still Christians' would just go post on the Eclectic board whenever they felt provoked or 'attacked', & the Eclectic crowd would go over to the Christian board when they felt provoked or 'attacked'. So what could we do? Tell posters that they can't post on the Christian board unless they're orthodox Christians? Cross-pollinating would be inevitable, so we'd be back where we started.’
Or would we? Can posters agree to post only on their board of choice & not drop in on the other board to argue? The only way I'd be for creating two separate boards would be if posters agreed to refrain from posting on boards if they held strongly opposing views. Maybe don’t even read the other boards.
And don’t copy & repost. If poster A makes a disparaging comment about Christianity on the Eclectic board & a Christian feels a need to ‘earnestly contend for the faith’ so reposts the comment on the Christian board, now the same discussion is going on two boards at once. Or if a Christian poster starts a string on witnessing & poster B copies & pastes that post on the Eclectic board & starts a parallel discussion dissing the first view, then we’re back to square one. Worse, the coordinators now have to closely read every post on two boards instead of one to follow the same discussion & see who first provoked who.
However, if we can agree ahead of time not to do this, it can work. What do we want most? To argue with others who disagree, or to have a chat board where you can safely post your views with those of like interests? If people want two separate boards, we have to agree ahead of time to avoid having inter-board wars. Otherwise we might as well just stay all on one Journeys board. Considering how much work this will be for WC to set up, I don’t want to push for two boards if we can’t make it work.