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3:10 PM

Newish user who thinks BH is a Christian site - FYI. Pointing that out because AFAIK he came to that conclusion on his own, so something he saw here probably gave him that impression.

2 hours later…

John Martin

5:38 PM

@MonicaCellio
When there’s a disagreement like this, does it start an exchange of e-mails between BH & someone like Simons? (e.g. Does a BH moderator further explain via some e-mail what we’d rather have happening at BH)?

Monica Cellio

@JohnMartin that's very rare. Mods can send private messages to users, but that's for serious problems (usually ones that could lead to suspension if not fixed). Almost everything on Stack Exchange happens in public, by design.

Extended comment threads are bad, so if something were to go on for a while there'd be a push to move it to chat. But a handful of comments like this will generally stay there (maybe get cleaned up when obsolete).

John Martin

Okay. Thanks.

I'd previously noticed, with others including myself, what might be considered doctrine. Thanks. Take care.

Monica Cellio

If you see things that you think don't fit, please feel free to comment (or bring it up in here, with a link, if you don't want to talk to the person directly).

The doctrine problem is tricky; people define the word differently and some get so hung up on definitions that they get paralyzed and can't do anything about even the cases everyone would agree on. You don't have to fix everything to make things better. Please help make things better.

Preaching, or language that assumes we're all in the same church and follow Jesus, or that asserts things that aren't actually found in the text (or even if found, not supported)... those are problems.

If you disagree with any parts of my edit on that answer, BTW, I'd be happy to discuss. I did it because I thought I could make it better; that doesn't mean I did a perfect job or that someone else couldn't do a better edit.

John Martin

6:47 PM

@MonicaCellio
I see what you mean re: trickiness. Personally, someone suggested to me that I edit my first question here at BH, and in retrospect I needed to.
I’ve since read some things others have written. In some cases I wish I could remind them that BH is a Q & A site for everyone, not a place where the users are asking for a new professor to give them his teachings, from his perspective based on his beliefs.
I could say I don’t greatly appreciate someone’s answer or comment to include his personal set of exclamation points, capitalized letters &/or his own Q & A session within his re…

Monica Cellio

@JohnMartin yeah. There's a learning curve to the site; a lot of people think it's a Christian forum (and even the ones who learn it's not a forum often persist in thinking it's Christian). So there's a learning curve and some new users are receptive (like you), and others... just never seem to get it, and the community is slow to respond. [cont]

John Martin

I left something out of the message above. It was an ";-)"

Monica Cellio

It's only been in the last few months that edits to fix problems like this have been tolerated at all, and comments were always dicey (one mod has what I consider to be a habit of selective deletions in comments and chat).

@JohnMartin I thought you might be talking about the shouting and preaching we sometimes get from, e.g., John U (to pick someone who showed up around the same time you did but has been, um, less receptive).

John Martin

No.

Monica Cellio

Or rhetorician's ultra-long rambles and sermons -- if it were just rambles then meh, but sometimes it feels like he's practicing on us for Sunday mornings. :-)

John Martin

6:54 PM

No one in particular...

Monica Cellio

Not trying to pick on people -- just reaching for examples of what I thought you were describing. Sorry for misunderstanding.

John Martin

I'm talking about the/(we ;-) newer people who have yet to get through the curve.

Monica Cellio

Anyway, you do seem to be sensitive to the matter and open to discussion, so if somebody comments on or edits one of your posts along these lines, you'll recognize it for the constructive act that it's meant to be. And you learn from the stuff you see. That's all good. Keep up the good work.

John Martin

Thanks. I'm continuing to try to improve my reputation. ;-)

Monica Cellio

If you have any ideas on ways to make it easier, by the way -- things that would have helped you, or that would help you help others -- please feel free to bring them up. (I saw the discussion you had a few days ago about the help/about/welcome page.) Meta is a good place for that -- more findable than chat.

(If that conversation the other day was left kind of open, you might sum that up in a question for meta.)

John Martin

6:59 PM

Ok. Thanks. I'll try to use Meta a 2nd time. ;-)

Monica Cellio

Oh dear -- bad first experience? Or am I misreading that? :-)

John Martin

Not a bad experience. That was a joke above. The first time in Meta I just wanted to sort of introduce myself. I spoke up a little for myself and my beliefs. They're the best you know! ;-)

Monica Cellio

Indeed. And meta is where opinions fit best! (Well, that and chat.)

John Martin

All right. As you can see, I'm working on my curve, seriously.

Monica Cellio

Curve? (Sorry, not following.)

John Martin

7:06 PM

I just mean my curve for getting to know/learn what should occur at BH & what probably shouldn't (e.g. within the Q's & A's & comments).

Monica Cellio

Oh, learning curve -- gotcha.

Anyway, you're doing well from what I've seen, so good job. If you spot cases where you're able to lend a helping hand to someone else who isn't as far along as you are, I hope you'll do so. Whatever happens, keep enjoying what you're doing (no point otherwise, right?).

BTW, if you haven't seen it yet, this is useful reading IMO:

A: How can we educate new users before they post bad answers?

New users currently get mixed messages and have to hunt around to learn about our site distinctives and guidelines. I think a big help would be putting it all in one place. Granted, many users probably don't bother reading help files and certainly don't even realize the notion nor existence of me...

John Martin

I wasn't careful at all as a newcomer. However, I don't think I was condescending. I just didn't use the word "belated" once when I should have. ;-) as Monica knows. ;-)

I have to say I'm enjoying this to date.

I've got a phone call to get to, so I have to leave. See you later!

Monica Cellio

@JohnMartin I don't actually remember whatever you're referring to, but that's fine -- no need to rehash, as whatever it was is clearly in the past.

TTYL!

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