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Are Forums Dead?
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Reply · Quote scooper #1
User title: Pooper Scooper
Member since Apr 2006 · 62 posts · Location: United States
Group memberships: Language Moderators, Members
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Subject: Are Forums Dead?
The web is always changing. Once upon a time, guestbooks were all the rage. Then they became so uncool that people laughed at them, spammers harvested them, and then they all but disappeared. Interactivity became the new thing - internet forums, where people could post their ideas and interact online. Then chat took off, enabling people to interact in real-time. Forums and chat seemed to co-exist, because some people wanted to think before they typed, and others didn't. Then blogs and social-networking sites (like MySpace) exploded onto the scene.

So, my question is this: Are all the people who have things to say saying them on blogs and social network sites? Have these sites made forums a thing of the past for all but special-purpose topics (like online gaming tips and tricks)? Is it still worthwhile to maintain this forum, or is it time to move on to something else? And if to something else, then what should that be?
Because there is more to Religion than pleasing your Imaginary Friend.
This post was edited on 2007-02-03, 16:23 by scooper.
poll
Poll: I want VCBC to:
(2 votes · 67%) Keep the Forum.
(0 votes ·   0%) Drop the Forum.
(0 votes ·   0%) Build a text Chat Room.
(One vote · 33%) Build a voice and video Chat Room.
(0 votes ·   0%) Get active on AIM or Jabber instant messaging.
(0 votes ·   0%) Do something like YouTube (tell us what by writing your own post to this thread).
(0 votes ·   0%) Do something else (tell us what by writing your own post to this thread).
This poll has no time limit · 3 votes
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Reply · Quote Pro. Drilla #2
User title: Drilla
Member since Sep 2006 · 3 posts · Location: Inside this body of Death! Deep-South SE U.S.
Group memberships: Members
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Subject: Absolutely Nay
I have always enjoyed this forum. Forums aren't a thing of the  past in my humble opinion. I love them to the end............a blog is just a blog, but these forums are massive for those who communicate alot, no forums will never be replaced!
Pro. Drilla
Reply · Quote all4christ #3
Member since Mar 2007 · 2 posts · Location: east coast
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Keep the forum, but please, please add more to your already fabulous website. The topics we have here are wonderful. I love the ideas that you adress with this cyber-church and the manner in which they are adressed. But, please, when i see something that says church there has to be some means to community or communion with other members. When the christian church got its start, especially in Rome, all it consisted of was people meeting together--albeit secretly--and talking about the gospel. I'm begging you to find a way that members have the choice to interact with each other in real time here. I've searched for  other cyber-churches, and there are some really interesting ways of accomplishing this goal. One way is to have audio sermons play at certain times of the week--sunday perhaps--and to have chat rooms open while those sermons are playing so people can discuss what they hear as they hear it. Another site offered Q and A time with a pastor on sundays in a very unique way. You actually get to create your own character that will walk into a virtual church (with graphics from the mid-nineties, but who cares), and the pastor basically starts talking about something (sermon-esque) and he can be interrupted by others with questions. Or members can talk to each other. I realize this cyber-church is a bit different because we dont have a "pastor" but certainly there are leaders of this site who could share their opinions and there is always the possibility of having guest speakers. Actually it wouldnt be difficult to get some very prominent figures to make guest appearances here. I've read many articles about celebrities, politicians, lobbyists, journalists, and other members of the community who have an increasing interest in on-line dialogue because many believe it will be the media forum of the future. Just some thoughts.
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Reply · Quote scooper #4
User title: Pooper Scooper
Member since Apr 2006 · 62 posts · Location: United States
Group memberships: Language Moderators, Members
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all4christ,
Thanks for the suggestions! can you point us to the URLs so we can have a look for ourselves?
Because there is more to Religion than pleasing your Imaginary Friend.
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Reply · Quote scooper #5
User title: Pooper Scooper
Member since Apr 2006 · 62 posts · Location: United States
Group memberships: Language Moderators, Members
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I've been looking at Chat solutions, and currently I'm thinking about UserPlane. Have a look, and let us know what you think about it.
Because there is more to Religion than pleasing your Imaginary Friend.
Reply · Quote zetavip@yahoo.com (Guest) #6
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Subject: Keep the forum
hello
Yes please keep the forum, a chat space will also be a good idea, I am new to this church and haven't had the opportunity of enjoying the forums
=) and sharing information
thanks
Zenaida
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Reply · Quote scooper #7
User title: Pooper Scooper
Member since Apr 2006 · 62 posts · Location: United States
Group memberships: Language Moderators, Members
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Subject: Video in the Forum
I just wanted to point out that you can put links to video in your Forum posts. Here is an example.
Because there is more to Religion than pleasing your Imaginary Friend.
Reply · Quote Wings #8
Member since Mar 2008 · 9 posts
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Subject: Forums Dead?
NO NO NO just reconnected and tracked you down...going through a bad deppression and just got my computer back...I was really a computer nubie and read more than I spoke...good children are not seen and not heard...
and I like the new lay out...and was touched to see you saved my two paintings and put them in your new gallery
Thanks for being there.....love AMR
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Reply · Quote scooper #9
User title: Pooper Scooper
Member since Apr 2006 · 62 posts · Location: United States
Group memberships: Language Moderators, Members
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Wings (AMR),
Wow, glad to see you back online. Thanks for your comment. Seems like there is more activity on our blog than our forum, though.

Sorry to read that you struggle with depression. I can only say: take it seriously, get professional help to manage it (if you haven't already), and never give up. Research is continually moving forward, and new ways to deal with it are in the works. And if you have a significant other in your life, share how you're feeling and what you're thinking with your partner. "Sparing him or her your troubles" is hogwash. Life partners join together to share the good and the bad, and to handle both together.
Because there is more to Religion than pleasing your Imaginary Friend.
Reply · Quote Wings #10
Member since Mar 2008 · 9 posts
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Subject: Thanks for careing...
I do take the condition seriously   I've delt with it in  many different ways throughout the decades...I was hospitalized for it in 1963 for the first time when I was a sucisidal 16 year old....each decade brought it's unique solutions and challanges...it creeps up like an eclipse of the soul and one can feel the position of pooper scooper as a divine calling...
depression is humbling and has physical (sometimes bio-chemical) emotional ,mental , and spiritual aspects that are being adressed ;you and the forum are part of my working out some of the most painful doubts and fears centering aroud being a Christian and going for months feeling very "poor in spirit"...I find clarity and openness here and I guess I haven't figured out how to avail myself of the blog - -YET !
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Reply · Quote scooper #11
User title: Pooper Scooper
Member since Apr 2006 · 62 posts · Location: United States
Group memberships: Language Moderators, Members
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Subject: Art and Therapy
Wings,
You know, if you are getting therapy, you might try taking about 20 minutes after the session to just let your mind go blank while you sketch and color. It could be anything. Just start with a blank page and make a random squiggle. Then just let the art happen for a few minutes. Perhaps you and your therapist might discuss what the sketch gets you to think of as a way of opening the next session.

It could be a way of accessing the knowledge that the non-language using part of your brain has. The part where the art comes from, which is a very important part of you.
Because there is more to Religion than pleasing your Imaginary Friend.
Reply · Quote Wings #12
Member since Mar 2008 · 9 posts
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Subject: Mahalo
I do not have a therapst at this point...I went to a sweet pastor who has a prayer group.; but the yungian could not get the drawings as windows into my scic state(and I did a series of depression works ) and she got more interested in my son and husband ,sure she had cures for his chronic back injurys, nothing he wasn't already aware of...County Mental health is way overburdened and under staffed and don't have resourses for funtionally
depressed,we have an Ice Epidemic and it creates a culture of family crises that must have priority....
Dear Jon I am finding my voice here, and it is the best therapy for the moment. I've gone back to work and am really working on eating good food, I run a Gallery -Gift Shop in a Childrens Storybbok Theatre, and walking to work and getting gifts of banna bread,butter mochi,jars of organic honey. I am coming out in to the light,I am loved and life is indeed a gift (so's a baby,but even these little jewels can turn a grown person into snarling Chihuahua)
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