I've been thinking that I would really like to find a forum for Christian homesteaders, where we wouldn't get slammed if we shared about the one thing that is most important in our lives, Jesus Christ. Not a forum for religion, but where it was okay to share what we have in common. I did find such a forum a while back, but three attempts to join it brought no response, so I am assuming it isn't operating. Does anyone know of one that is working? And if there isn't one, how would we go about starting one? Or would any of the Christian Countrysiders be interested in an e-mail group, though again, I don't know how to set one up. I'm still keeping the magazine, but am tired of the tone of a lot of the comments on this forum -- somebody in one of the threads, and I'm not even sure it was a Christian who was responding, said that it was pretty bad if people lost their rights to free speech just because they were Christians, and I have to agree. (I paraphrased a little there, but that was the gist of it.) So, anyway, anyone have any ideas?

-- Kathleen Sanderson (stonycft@worldpath.net), January 12, 2001

Answers

I do not know Kathleen, but sure would be interested in finding/starting/participating in one. God bless.

-- Lesley (martchas@bellsouth.net), January 12, 2001.

Msn or topica may have some .I think a standing rule should be , be respectful of others .I for one am glad to see pagan posts ,jewish posts ect .I beleive we should all be able to talk about are religions and such .I enjoy learning more about others .I hope no one gets offended and leaves .Just my feelings .

-- Patty (fodfarms@hotmail.com), January 12, 2001.

Kathleen, have you tried e-groups? Last time I looked there was some 1200 of them groups that are under" Christian." Don't know if they would be homesteaders are not.

-- Linda (hesscat@cot.net), January 12, 2001.

What's wrong with this forum? I think it's a pretty open forum.

-- hillbilly (internethillbilly@hotmail.com), January 12, 2001.

Here is one I sometimes go to www.pub9.ezboard.com/bchristianhomekeepers

-- teri (mrs_smurf2000@yahoo.ca), January 12, 2001.

Kathleen, I will ask my son-in-law how to set up a forum. He is a computer engineer and quite knowledgable about how all of these things work. Man, it is sooooooooooooooooo hard to bite my tongue instead of other people! God bless.

-- Lesley (martchas@bellsouth.net), January 12, 2001.

This is a discussion group, rather than a message board, but try http://www.freetechsupport.com/csr

It's called Christian Self-Reliant Living and Homesteading List.

Also, anyone can go to e-groups and start their own discussion list, if you can't find one already there to suit you. I believe you can make the groups public or private. It can't be too hard as I've known people to set up a new group in a very short time.

-- Lenette (kigervixen@webtv.net), January 12, 2001.

I used to go to the 20 century homekeepers. I haven't been there in a while.

-- Laura (gsend@hotmail.com), January 12, 2001.

Have you considered checking with greenspun? I see where they have many different forum type sites.However, if you make use of the subject tags here, you have basically the same sub group , plus you are able to spread your "message" to a diverse group with the possibility of attracting non-believers as Christian doctrine dictates. You will notice that generally, the same responders will answer on the same catagory threads, but those threads are available for all participants here to review. If you were on another forum site, you would not have the diverse base to share with, only like opinions. Something that I have noticed is that the biggest issue seems to be the lack of subject tags to indicate content. Here , our common thread started out as "homesteader", now its splintering into groups other than that.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), January 12, 2001.

...but am tired of the tone of a lot of the comments on this forum.

Well dont let them get your goat...

I used to just come here to read about chickens and such but now that the watermelons are trying to take over Im going to stay if nothing else just to try and offer a sensible and reasoned counter point to their nonsense.

You would be sorely missed...

-- William in WI (thetoebes@webtv.net), January 12, 2001.

Ok, I took the plunge.I am not suggesting at all that anyone leave this forum. I certainly am not. I find much of the material to be extremely informative. I agree with Kathleen that some form of truly Christian homesteading forum would be wonderful, and so...until i can get together with my son-in-law and start a real forum, I have started an e-group.The group will be moderated, other than embracing a Christian homesteading ideology, topics are unlimited. Any Christian who wishes to participate should go to...http://www.egroups.com/group/christianhomestead

or....christianhomestead@egroups.com

God bless.

-- Lesley (martchas@bellsouth.net), January 12, 2001.

Hey, just got through posting the above message and checked my e- mail...my son-in-law sent a message to me saying that he has set up a message board for Christian homesteaders, and that he will moderate it, removing anything that the participants find to be inappropriate for a Christian site. What a guy! So forget the e-group.....go to:

http://hermannj.stormpages.com/

God bless!

-- Lesley (martchas@bellsouth.net), January 12, 2001.

Wonderful news. There may be a God after all.

-- JLS in NW AZ (stalkingbull007@AOL.com), January 12, 2001.

Congratulations on setting up your segregated Christian site. Don't forget the old neighborhood when you have the need of an open forum.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), January 12, 2001.

This is really sad. I think that each of you know full well that that is not what I was suggesting. God Bless you and keep you.

-- diane (gardiacaprines@yahoo.com), January 12, 2001.

I am so glad you are all now able to go and talk amongst youselves,you know you did not need to leave,your still MISSING the point!!!!!

-- renee oneill (oneillsr@home.com), January 12, 2001.

Who said anything about leaving??????????? I specifically said that I was not encouraging anyone to leave this forum and I meant it. Don't any of you visit other forums or websites of interest????? The Christian message board is just another venue for homesteaders who happen to have deep faith and wish to express it without nasty comments from those who do not understand. If I were to post a topic right now on this forum stating my overwhelming sense of devotion to Christ when we had six ex-inmates over tonight for dinner and how thrilled I was that they will all be over tomorrow to help my husband with the barn, I would be the recipient of comments such as "I am sick and tired of you Jesus freaks bringing God into every thread", or,why can't you just talk about the barn and leave your personal ministry out of it?" With THIS forum, I can feel free to post about the barn project..with a Christian message board, I already know that the folks on there would understand exactly how I feel about the ministry we have and how homesteading is the format for our work.As I see it,since all are in an uproar, this gives the Christian homesteaders a different format, for when they feel they need it..NOT to the detriment of this forum. Again, I am not going anywhere and I hope no one else does either. As far as homesteading expertise, everyone benefits from everyone's input. God bless.

-- Lesley (martchas@bellsouth.net), January 12, 2001.

Sorry for intruding, non-Christian here with a suggestion, although it looks like you won't need it.

Anyway, it is EXTREMELY easy to set up a forum/bulletin board using EZBoard, its free, you can "hide" your board from searches (or not, as you prefer), and you can set it up so you need a password to get into the board period or just to certain sections or no password for anything. It even has "templates" for setting up pre-designed color schemes, and all sorts of help features.

You do need an administrator, but most any one of you could do it. I would suggest a 2nd co-administrator because I read posts (they have board for problems too) where the administrator did something in error and locked themselves out of the "control center". With a co- administrator, you could probably get back in. The people who run EZBoard can also get you back in, eventually, but they're very busy and it takes awhile.

The URL for EZBoard is http://www.ezboard.com/. If you want to see examples of EZBoard set ups, here is a very small one: http://pub5.ezboard.com/bprudentliving and here is a much more complex one: http://pub42.ezboard.com/babundantliving They have moderators, but that really isn't necessary unless you have a very large number of people posting!

I know people who also have EZBoard forums for groups of friends and/or families to keep in touch, if anyone thinks that would be a good idea for themselves.

-- Joy Froelich (dragnfly@chorus.net), January 12, 2001.

Kathleen, this is the best forum I have ever run across, even when it has problems. and if you will pardon my saying so, we are meant to be the 'salt of the earth', and a lamp on a hill. I can understand how you might feel frustrated, but what good is salt if it stays in a bag, and what good is a whole room full of lamps in the daytime? On the other hand, too much salt in one place isn't always a good thing, but just a little can be essential. Just my thoughts, for what they're worth, with love.

-- Rebekah (daniel1@itss.net), January 12, 2001.

Kathleen: Ditto what the others have said. I too would miss your contributions but I think I understand why you feel the way you do. Sometimes its nice to let your hair down amongst likeminded friends without having to prepare your cyber armor for the immanent onslaught of the heathens.

-- john leake (natlivent@pcpros.net), January 12, 2001.

Since this is clearly marked as Christian and there have been a few less than kind remarks from those who are not Christian, I feel free to do a little "witnessing" here. No matter where you fall on the Biblical interpretation of the "rapture of the Church", there will come a time (we Christians believe) when those who chose Christ will be removed from a sinful and fallen world. The "restrainer" will be removed when the Church is raptured, the restrainer being the Holy Spirit that dwells in us, and evil will be allowed to do what it wants for a while. So then, at that time, the "fence sitters" who can not chose will have pieces of fence in some very uncomfortable places.

I do not now, or have I, or do I think I ever will suggest that the Christians leave this forum. I do think it is rather strange that the ones who have been most abusive and disrespectful to family values and the Christian viewpoint seem to think we should not leave.

Perhaps, in fact, we should. It might be an interesting experiment, the removal of the "Restrainer", to see just what does happen. Just some thoughts I had while milking this morning.

-- diane (gardiacaprines@yahoo.com), January 13, 2001.

Woops-I guess I did suggest it-darn, should have proofread one more time!!!

-- diane (gardiacaprines@yahoo.com), January 13, 2001.

Kathleen, This will pass, the forum will settle down! I understand your desire to meet with like minds, but remember, we are still the same people that you appreciated before with knowledge to share and comfort to give. This is just one aspect brought to light that will blend in again. Just as your faith is an inseperable part of you bursting forth, so it is for others. I don't understand how Christians lost their freedom of speech on this forum. You may have been asked to temper it, but no one has wished you to leave or told you you cannot express your faith and joy in it. Did Jesus flee when he was dissagreed with? No, he stayed with his people to the point of being murdered, having to listen to dissent even amongst his disciples (remember when they argued over who would be greatest and when they complained because someone who did not follow him was using his name and he told them it would be better to hang a grindstone around their neck and cast themselves into the sea than to stumble one of the little ones?) The point is that others have faith and it's not always going to fit our picture of how and who to worship, but stumbling others is not what Christ had in mind. Blessings to you. May you gain strength and peace in your convictions.

-- Epona (crystalepona2000@yahoo.com), January 13, 2001.

Epona is correct. I have many threads filed according to subject/date and response. The heated list is diminishing. A lot is probally cabin fever setting in. It'll get better with the Spring. No one can ever change a person. We all just look for like interests. So far we have been through political and religeous, next will come spring planting and once again , we won't all agree, but the chill of winter will be gone. In looking back in the archives, I noticed tart posts appear more prevalent during the winter. Hang in there and do what helps the fever for now.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), January 13, 2001.

Just wanted to say that I use to vistit the "Spiritual" board on the Y2K news forum, and the Discussions got heated there, too. There is as much diversity among Christians as there is amongst any people. (Sad, but true). I think it's nice to fellowship where there is not a problem with comments about your faith, love, etc....in God. That is where a few here have overreacted instead of accepting it as the way the commentor is. I would ask that people carefully REREAD a post that they are feeling a reaction, too. A lot of time something isn't said or even implied that they respond to. This forum isn't the front line of our service to God. It's a place to share information. We do so willingly and receive help from others. But, it's also a place where we are not looking at each other face to face and then say things we wouldn't otherwise. You'd think this might be of benefit since we have time to think over and refine our answers. "BE YE KIND ONE TO ANOTHER". God bless,

-- Nancy in CA (sonflower35@icqmail.com), January 13, 2001.

I am sorry to see some of these comments .To many religion is a part of them such as there arm .I am not affended by anyone speaking there mind politly .I wish everyone felt they could do it here .We will never agree on everything even us of the same religion .My GOD is one of love and understanding and tolerance and respect .You don't have to agree with me or anyone else .I don't care if you believe in a monkey as your god as long as you are a good person .I hope everyone stays and also hope everyone enjoys there new forum .

-- Patty (fodfarms@slic.com), January 13, 2001.

Just to clarify, I'm not leaving this forum totally, just want a place where I can talk about Jesus Christ without worrying about *offending* someone.

-- Kathleen Sanderson (stonycft@worldpath.net), January 15, 2001.

I am new to the group, as I usually keep busy just reading Q&A here. I think that if the attidudes (as yet I haven't seen them)on a NG such as this are enough to drive a child of Christ away, then they are not honoring the Father, and are actually taking the easy way out. Of course you can participate in both types of groups, but your input here is needed, if only for me.

You see I am still seeking God, as are many others.

Since developing and practicing beliefs is a part of homesteading, sharing them in specific topics, and having those beliefs reflected in you contributions in general should be a vital part of your witness.

Acts:3:25: Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.

Acts:7:6: And God spake on this wise, That his seed should sojourn in a strange land; and that they should bring them into bondage, and entreat them evil four hundred years.

Manna for thought.

-- Rick_K (Rick_122@hotmail.com), January 18, 2001.