The forum is growing quickly and we are in need of clearly defined Charity Rules. When I first joined the forum, I was delighted to find such charitable discussion, even when discussing opposing views. Sadly, the climate has changed, and many insults are going unchecked. Hopeful, Anna
It is the greatest charity to oppose what one believes to be error, isn't it? If not, here are the first rules of charity: 1. Never seriously challenge the beliefs of Anglo-Catholics. 2. Always question the beliefs of Evangelicals. Sorry to be petty, but my goodness... those rules seem to define the lay of the land right now. Trolls and those who escalate anger into hatred should not be tolerated, of course, but what is charity? That is the crucial question. How do we actually define charity in a medium where the tone of voice behind our words is not obvious? What sort of charity, in opposing views, should be adopted? What sort of difficult-to-interpret rules can be made to enforce common courtesty? Never call someone 'stupid'? Easily bypassed by calling their ideas stupid, rather than them! Never gang up on people by making points against them? Well, why even have a forum for discussion and debate, in that case? Can't we just disagree, argue, and make war in peace?
For the most part, I try to engage a thread by sharing some of what I have learned about a topic--posting information and references so interested participants can make up their own minds on the topic. I also engage in a bit of "graphic" humor with images and cartoons to encourage humorous thinking about the topic and views expressed. I try to avoid debate, which often leads to negative comments directed--not towards the topic--but towards the participants discussing the topic. ...Scottish Monk
Suggestions for Charity Rules: Discuss/debate issues in charity without personal attacks, name calling, mocking, false accusations, or harassment. Use the same charity rules when engaged in private conversations. Non-Anglicans should be respectful of the Anglican Faith in participating in discussions. Do not use Anglican Forums as a tool to proselytize Anglicans. Do not use derogatory terms such as Fundies, Papists, Prods, Holy-Rollers, etc. Posted disagreement with beliefs and doctrines of Christian faiths outside Anglicanism should be free of insults, name calling, mocking, and derogatory terms. Posts should be free of content that can be construed as any form of commercial solicitation or endorsement. Do not post private information received in private conversations or e-mails, such as personally identifiable information, personal addresses, phone numbers, e-mail addresses, or any other information shared in confidence. Do not use the forum to promote a single-minded agenda. Do not post News stories without a link to identify the source. Do not violate copyright laws in quoting information. Decisions of the Moderators should not be discussed on the board, but through private communication with Moderators. Members who continually violate Charity Rules should be banned. Note to Forum Administrator: These are a combination of Charity Rules found on the two other forums in which I participate: Christian Forums and Catholic Answers Forum.
You can disagree passionately with someone without insulting them. We have had many disagreements on this forum, look at the threads on transubstantiation and the blessed Virgin Mary. The difference is, that we have differing opinions and we present them with charity and without insult. We were able to do that with those threads. If we have to present our beliefs in a way that calls Orthodox Christians "bigots", calling monastics "cowards", and question why someone remains Christian, simply because they have different views, then we are missing the point entirerly. I hope you don't feel that I'm picking on you, however, I feel compelled to give you examples. Afterall, are we all not on the same team and on similar journeys of faith?
Scottish Monk, I appreciate your style and your contributions---and I've come to rely upon your "graphic" humor.
Anna Scott, thank you. These are helpful. Work has been going on a similar list to yours, with several overlapping features.
Well??????? I try to be friendly and not to offend, buttttt, it isn't easy, I don't sulk when others call me protestant, for instance. Yet I'm quite offended by the term, but let it slide. I was threatened with removal from C/F because I said that in my opinion no one could be an Anglican who didn't believe in the Canon of Faith. It was and is an honestly held opinion of mine. On C/A, it was the same there, the use of the word protestant was such that anyone not related to the papacy, at least second cousin, was dubbed such! But again, when I used the historical term papist, I was indeed removed. I think that if we are too polite we tend to put ourselves in a straitjacket !Are there any examples of rudeness to hand? I have to say, that I would not use the term Catholic to describe a member of the Holy Roman Church, because I think it would be misleading, just as I do not use the word Protestant to label an Anglican as a Protestant as I understand the word is classically a lutheran and the Funk & Wagner Dictionary labels Evangelicals Protestants. Whilst I don't think we should be ill natured with our opponents, we have to express our disquiet, or dismay at various happenings or comments. In fact, it shouldn't be personal at all.
Catholics in Communion with Rome consider Papist, Romanist, and similar words to be offensive and derogatory; and it is against CAF Forum Rules to use them. That's probably why you were "removed." Re "Romanist" and "Papists" click: When did the term "Roman Catholic Church" first come into being. There have been portions of posts removed here with Red notes from the Admin citing reasons such as offensive comments and combative commentary, etc. The Monastic Thread has a number of these. I think we can disagree, even strongly disagree, without name-calling and offensive comments. Peace, Anna
This might be off topic, but I'm ,'agate,' as they do say! What they don't tell you on C/A, was that originally the Church at Rome was known as the Suburbicarian Church of Rome, it covered the land/ or See for about a hundred leagues around the City. Later it spread from Rome to the toe of Italy and took in the three major Islands. It was accepted by Custom! Also confirmed by the Councils. The North of Italy was independent with its own Patriarch! When the Western Empire collapsed, the Bishop of Rome, through admittedly forged documents , inherited Rome and the North of Italy, through what was known as the Donation of Constantine, a few years later another set of suspicious documents the Isadorian Rescripts, confirmed and enlarged his position. This lasted for some 800 years ,with his taking charge of the Northern part of the Church, the Roman Church took, or was given, the Title of the Suburbicarian Church of Italia! It was at the much derided Council of Trent that the Roman Church, in its Creed of Trent 1564, gave itself the name of the Holy Roman Church! I told C/A, if they didn't believe me, look at the latest documents emanating from the Vatican, especially the one propagating the new arrangements with the TAC. Anglican was first used to describe the Church in England about 750 AD, by Baeda, the Saxon Historian. "The Church of the English". It next appears at Runnymede in 1215 at the time of the great Charter. All through the Middle Ages, when corresponding with the continentals , the term Saint Eglise d'Angleterre, The Holy Church of, or in, England was used. It was not till the attack on Eliza, when following the line taken by the false Council of Trent , the followers of the Pope left the English Church and set up schismatic altars that they sought a name. Anglicans referred to them as Papists, because as the other sectarians were named Calvinists, Lutherans, Zwinglians or baptists, after their idiosyncratic founders, so the papists who were considered to have left the Catholic Church on the principal of papal Jurisdiction and were considered a Sect. The one given at Trent was late arriving, so for many years they were quite proud of the term papist, the confessor to the Gunpowder Plot terrorists used the term to describe his own church. It was only later when the realisation struck them, that with using the term Papist, they were revealing themselves in an awkward light,+ that they became fussy! Just look at recent histories, by McCulloch, or Moss, Boulbee and various others, the statement is made that there were no Roman Catholics before the 15th Century!It was when I pointed this out, quite politely, that I was banned for the fourth and last time. Origines Ecclesiastes Obtainable on Google Books. + A sect according to my dictionaries is a splinter group having left the mother church on a single principal,i'e Papal claims.
HIghchurchman... No, I do not think it is off topic. A very interesting post. Thank you for sharing this history. ...Scottish Monk
Highchurchman, Great bit of history there and not off topic. It's strange how words and phrases evolve over time. Usually, if I know a word or phrase is offensive to someone, within reason, I don't use it. Simple approach, but it works when I stick to it. We need more history threads. Got time? Thanks, Anna
It is strange and it gets us in to trouble! I used to produce a simple magazine called Northern Banner.This was in the years leading up to the 'hurrah' over W/O. It was one of the few success stories I've been involved with. However one day I was called before the ACC, bishop at that time, there had been a complaint and I was accused of being anti-roman! I was shocked, whilst I have a conservative religious outlook, I consider myself very liberal in my personal attitude! In fact the article which was written by a friend of mine was quite reasonable . The meeting ended and I was just going through the study door, when a thought struck me, it wasn't that I was anti- Rome, but I had been a student of Church history from about the age of 14.In those days, Church, meant 'High Church,' and after all that reading, I had obviously absorbed all the 16th & 17th, Century acid that was poured out by,the gallon, on both sides. Interestingly nothing I had read prepared me for C/A.
Agreed Anna - I have recently finished reading a couple of books about the life and adventures of St. Francis of Assisi and the word gay was used in the way I learnt to use it as a child in my first years of schooling. You would not want to use it the same way these days especially if you were having a beer with your mates
In an argument on C/F, I quoted two Anglican scholars of repute Fr, Pullan and Kidd the historian. Immediately, almost, a reply came back that I was a liar! On my pointing out that the quotes were taken from serious scholars and so on, another instant message, that they were liars also and I was their dupe! It shocked me then and now. I might be over sensitive,( my mother always told my father so,) but I lost faith in C/F with this behaviour!
One of the things I need to continue to work on throughout my life is the sudden urge to flare up in an instant when someone refers to me as a liar, or a coward.... it hurts...