After reading all the posts on the “What’s wrong with these forums” thread and finding myself in tears, I decided to start a new thread about what is Right with this forum.

I am sure someone just coming in to our little “intentional community” could come to all sorts of conclusions; some perhaps less than flattering and not based on the long-term reality.

When I was invited to participate here at the beginning, I was shocked. In fact I thought maybe Jim had me confused with someone else since I had been involved in some pretty controversial “religious discussions”, and, contrary to some statements regarding who got invited, I had not EVER posted to any of the pagan discussions (in all honestly I was never sure what pagan even meant).

We have been able to discuss things together that I would never have thought possible for such a diverse group. It has really been about RESPECT and TRUST. If you were to search the archives, you would find that no one of the original posters was wanting to post a general invitation to our forum, but to not exclude either……..which is what we did. Some people stumbled in and asked if it was o.k. if they participated. Some never introduced themselves formally, others did. Rules were simple and always followed; some needed clarification and defining but there were no big problems.

Since I never did any inviting without asking, I am not sure who was originally invited. Several from the Freedom forum showed up here and posted and were, IMHO, welcomed. One came and left angry under two different names but was never called to task here when she came back, even though she bad- mouthed us on the other forum. I seem to be the most confrontational one on this forum and I am really trying hard to modify my behavior. None of the beginning participants posted open invitations to this forum. The people who did never even asked us or respected that we really didn’t want to do that. No one, to my knowledge, got nasty with them for doing it and we have just lived with the results and, other than mouthy me, have done quite well with it.

When I got ouchy with Elizabeth a friend I have made here on the forum e-mailed me and asked me what was up, and what had she said that had triggered my reaction, and would I re-read her post and tell her (my friend) what was upsetting me. I re-read and realized I had had a knee-jerk reaction and apologized to Elizabeth both on the forum and privately by e-mail. There have been one or two other incidences where people have gotten ouchy, but amends have been made and we continued to love and support each other here. (yes I feel there is a HUGE amount of LOVE and SUPPORT here)

This has been a truly wonderful experience for me personally. Unlike most other areas of my life, I have found peace and joy here among my cyber friends and have become TERRIBLY territorial about it. Realizing that, I have taken a few days off to shell peas and reflect.

This little forum is like my Home Town in a great big cyber world that I don’t understand particularly well. It has been a rather intentionally small town that has experienced an explosion of growth. I am not the only one uneasy about our ability to stay what we intended it to be. This is not a “homestead” community, although most of us homestead. For me it has been a “spiritual” community, the likes of which I feel would solve many world type problems if it could work on a larger scale.

So, every one is welcome here; but please don’t try and change us too fast or turn us into something that we are not. I can in no way speak for all my friends here, but I think we want to love you for who you are just as we love each other for who we are. We just need time to get to know you and your cooperation in that endeavor would make that process much easier. Laugh with us; cry with us; reason with us…………….but please no gossip or criticism. What you read here, why not let it stay here. If you don’t agree with us, that’s o.k., we don’t always agree with each other, but we can say so with respect and love. Some of us check in on other forums, some don’t. You don’t need to bring the problems of other forums here; perhaps we should check them at the door. Blessings to all, and I thank everyone who has tolerated my foibles and still loved me.

-- Anonymous, July 12, 2001

Answers

Very, very well said Diane. Bravo!

Feel the same, in fact, when I think of BTS, I hum that "We Are The World" song (remember that thread!).

Also, "What the World needs now, is love, sweet love. It's the only thing that there's just too little of."

I'll get the words for the other thread just started. You know what, you're a pretty smart cookie too Diane!

-- Anonymous, July 12, 2001

You go girl, Diane you are a lovely lady and a true inspiration. To me, you have shown how a true Christian should be.

I was surprised when I was invited to join this forum, never imagining that my response to that pagan qustionaire would lead me to this wonderful and caring place. Diane, you have completely covered the nuances of this forum and I wholeheartedly agree with you. Don't be a stranger.

Namaste,

-- Anonymous, July 12, 2001

Thanks for the warm fuzzies, Diane!! Back at ya!!!

-- Anonymous, July 12, 2001

Diane, go more easy on yourself girl!!! I'm sure even the Dali Lama would react inappropriately if someone "pushed" enough of the right "buttons", in the right sequence and frequency!!!

But, to have the courage to ADMIT our foilbles, and face them, and make an honest attempt at a change, that is what makes our little island of "Peace and Harmony" here at BTS so different than ALL the other forums out there in cyberland!!!

I even had my bad days back at CSF, if a Buddhist can get "bitchy", anyone can! But, in retropest, like you, I always appeased the ruffled feathers of the recipient of my tirade.

Peace and harmony always to you, Diane, remember, we humans are a fragile species and tend to over-react at times, it is our nature, I guess, and not always a fault!

-- Anonymous, July 12, 2001

Thanks for all that Diane. As far as I'm concerned you don't have anything to apologize for because when you disagree, you do so with respect. Thats all anyone can do while still remaining true to themselves and the higher laws that require respect of us.

So don't stay away for long or Joys gonna overtake you!

-- Anonymous, July 12, 2001

Sure is great to know that you're back, Diane. Like you, I was really surprised that I was invited to be a part of this forum as I was not much of a "poster" to CS, but I feel really honored to have been invited here. I am very comfortable here and hope that I will be welcome for sometime to come! I think that I am the only Webtv poster and I have found that even though there are some other specific Webtv groups (homesteading) that I post to, this group truly feels like family to me. Again...welcome back Diane!!!!!

-- Anonymous, July 12, 2001

Glad to see you back, Diane!

Sadly, John, I passed Diane up awhile back there. :-O

-- Anonymous, July 12, 2001

Aaaaaa Diane! Welcome back you sweet thang!!.....Love Ya...Kirk

-- Anonymous, July 13, 2001

I agree with everything you said, Diane. Now that you're back (Sharon too), the other thread kind of loses it's relevence. It drifted pretty negatively, more through misunderstanding than anything else, IMO. What's right with this forum is that I hadn't looked at another forum for several weeks before I saw the thread on Countryside that prompted me to post "what's wrong", saw your and Joy's reasoned and informed responses ignored or blasted. In fact, I haven't been back over there since! This is home.

-- Anonymous, July 13, 2001