An Open Letter To The Moderator

[John Lowell]

I came to this forum last Friday, posting initially in the thread, "Do Souls Have Gender". I'd been happy to find a forum so apparently Catholic and had hoped it would offer a way for me both to express myself and to offer something in the way of help to others from a background of twenty-five years in the study of theology. To say that my hopes have not been realized in the intervening days would be understatement. To my utter surprize, I've had my posts held to proceedural standards expressive of purely personal and arbitrary tastes and been told to "get over it", this without a word of welcome. My response to these abuses has been measured. But yesterday, one of my detractors, a Socrates so-called, went too far. Positively obsessed with the fact that I'd paid little or no attention to his repeated demands that I conform my behavior to his particular standard, screaming "Hijack, Hijack, Hijack", and apparently frustrated with the lack of official involvment, set out publically to hold me up to ridicule by starting a thread with the title, "Poll: Catholics and Republicans for the benefit of John Lowell". There are many things that life requires us to accept passively and we do accept them but an outrage of this kind is not in that class. I absolutely refuse to allow myself to be abused in this way without lodging an official, and, in this case, a public complaint.

I have no authority, of course, to set conditions here at this forum and for that reason can make no meaningful demand for an apology or for any other remedial act. What I can do is make a promise: That in the absence of a positive response to this complaint and in view of the fact that the site is engaged in a form of commerce, I will consider taking the step of filing a complaint with appropriate public authority. That much I can and will do for myself.

John Lowell

[Era Might]

I haven't been following these threads, and I'm sorry that your experience so far in the phorum has been ill-natured, but regarding your complaint to a public authority, I would suggest that you take the gravity down a notch. All this isn't that serious, believe me. I've been exasperated many times in phorum discussions. Then I step back and realize it's just a website. Catholics aren't perfect. We've all failed in civility or charity at one time or another. It does no good to pout. Also, keep in mind that not everyone has the same disposition. Some are by nature reserved, while others may be somewhat more blunt. It's no different here on the phorum.

Like I said, though, I'm sorry that your experience has not been a good one thus far. Believe me, not everything here is acrimonious. It's just the nature of certain threads that wounded pride rears its ugly head, and we end up locking intellectual horns.

Edited November 29, 2005 by Era Might

[philothea]

I'm sorry you had a problem, too. I just read the initial thread, but I can't see any untoward comments -- perhaps they've been deleted? Spawning off a poll when someone won't debate your pet point is fairly common here; you weren't singled out in that.

This [i]is[/i] the "Debate Table" and sometimes things get a bit heated. If you see something that violates the [url="http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/index.php?act=boardrules"]Phorum rules[/url] all you need do is hit the "report" button by the relevant post.

[toledo_jesus]

no, Socrates just needs to exercise some restraint when people don't agree with everything he says.

I don't like having to come in and explain bad behavior to new people, which is what happened. I've seen people come in, show interest, then disagree with a more established presence and be chased off. That's stupid. When you exist as nothing more than text you should probably try to be the best text you can be.

Whatever. John, you're right to say something. Socrates and others have been rude.

[journeyman]

I have read all (I think) of the threads . . . and what I'm seeing is two wrongs that (surprise, surprise) didn't make a right. John's initial comments about Donohue's political liaisons were off topic a hair, but as CMom said, not any more so than has happened in other debates, and as John defended, they did have some bearing on Donohue's statement to begin with. Then the topic went off topic on how "off topic" it was. Some of the comments were unnecessarily brusque, especially given John's post count. Kudos to Cappie for posting an article with a different point of view and bringing the topic squarely back to its posted theme.

oh, by the way, since it wasn't done well before
[color=blue]Hi John, welcome to Phatmass.[/color]

Have a or a cup of After all, a drink precedes a story and time is a great story teller. Please give us some time, I think we'll grow on you.

[PadreSantiago]

I like when people have nicks like "socrates" that's so clever! It makes me think that person is exceptionally smart like the actual philosopher.

[Era Might]

[quote name='journeyman' date='Nov 28 2005, 10:53 PM']oh, by the way, since it wasn't done well before
[color=blue]Hi John, welcome to Phatmass.[/color]  

Have a   or a cup of   After all, a drink precedes a story and time is a great story teller.  Please give us some time, I think we'll grow on you.
[right][snapback]803158[/snapback][/right]
[/quote]

Or a even.

[Socrates]

This is totally ridiculous.
Sorry if I offended anybody, but I started a new thread fo rthe purpose of having discussion/debate on the topic of politics/supporting the GOP, etc. in its own thread, rather than in a thread which was on a completely different topic, namely Vatican policies on homosexuals in the seminary.
That thread was indeed hijacked and turned into a debate about Mr. Donahue's character and about supporting the Republican party, then further diverted to being about whether Mr. Lowell was slighted.

I was simply starting a thread where the topics Mr. Lowell introduced could be discussed without changing the topic of other threads. I put his name on it to draw his attention toward the thread, where I thought he might be interested in debating this topic.
I have absolutely no problem with Mr. Lowell arguing his point about the Republican Party, I simply asked that it be done in a thread on that topic. That's the reason we have different threads on the forum, so debate can be focused on specific topics, allowing for good order.

Sorry if this seemed rude, but going into a thread on a specified topic, and interrupting the discussion to "bash" someone about something totally unrelated to the orignial topic (seminaries, etc.) is also rude.

And this extended whining about how one was "wronged" is extremely unseemly, to say the least.

[toledo_jesus]

[quote name='Socrates' date='Nov 28 2005, 10:38 PM']This is totally ridiculous.
Sorry if I offended anybody, but I started a new thread fo rthe purpose of having discussion/debate on the topic of politics/supporting the GOP, etc. in its own thread, rather than in a thread which was on a completely different topic, namely Vatican policies on homosexuals in the seminary.
That thread was indeed hijacked and turned into a debate about Mr. Donahue's character and about supporting the Republican party, then further diverted to being about whether Mr. Lowell was slighted.

I was simply starting a thread where the topics Mr. Lowell introduced could be discussed without changing the topic of other threads.  I put his name on it to draw his attention toward the thread, where I thought he might be interested in debating this topic.
I have absolutely no problem with Mr. Lowell arguing his point about the Republican Party, I simply asked that it be done in a thread on that topic.  That's the reason we have different threads on the forum, so debate can be focused on specific topics, allowing for good order.

Sorry if this seemed rude, but going into a thread on a specified topic, and interrupting the discussion to "bash" someone about something totally unrelated to the orignial topic (seminaries, etc.) is also rude.

And this extended whining about how one was "wronged" is extremely unseemly, to say the least.
[right][snapback]803217[/snapback][/right]
[/quote]
just take the correction. rest your fingers. Threads get hijacked all the time and I haven't noticed any seas boiling or locusts or dead firstborns. If it bugs you, there is an X button on your browser, or you can get the topic back on track gracefully, as cappie did.
Your tone towards John Lowell was rude and unwelcoming. A first time visitor to the site is nagged and drawn into an argument already. That's unseemly.

Now, we drop the subject.

[Theoketos]

I have a fear of geese. Espcially pirate geese.

[PadreSantiago]

I fear geese in fleece

[Timothy]

[quote name='toledo_jesus' date='Nov 28 2005, 10:52 PM']just take the correction.  rest your fingers.  Threads get hijacked all the time and I haven't noticed any seas boiling or locusts or dead firstborns.  If it bugs you, there is an X button on your browser, or you can get the topic back on track gracefully, as cappie did. 
Your tone towards John Lowell was rude and unwelcoming.  A first time visitor to the site is nagged and drawn into an argument already.  That's unseemly.

Now, we drop the subject.
[right][snapback]803239[/snapback][/right]
[/quote]




Okay everybody play nice!

[dUSt]

John,

Welcome to phatmass. I'm the phounder. I'm offended by your liberal usage of the phrase "supposedly Catholic forum".

Contact your local authorities if it'll make you feel better. Otherwise, stick around and get to know us for more than four days.

Bye.

[John Lowell]

dUSt,

Don't like your tone, chief. Since you're the founder here we'll take your reply as authoritative. As promised and given your invitation, I'll be looking hard at filing an FTC complaint. Don't be surprized if this supposedly "Catholic " forum hears from them.

John Lowell

[Era Might]

[quote]I say this to shame you. Can it be that there is not one among you wise enough to be able to settle a case between brothers?

But rather brother goes to court against brother, and that before unbelievers?

Now indeed then it is, in any case, a failure on your part that you have lawsuits against one another. Why not rather put up with injustice? Why not rather let yourselves be cheated?

--1Cor 6[/quote]

You're blowing all this WAY out of proportion, John.