Please Read

[Stephen]

(Forgive me if this is poorly written as I am running on very little sleep but wanted to address this)

I am kinda going out on a limb on this, this is more as an old member and less as a mod. I would imagine that the other staff would agree with me on this though. Lately it has been brought up many times that people feel a change in the site. I see that as fairly natural really. People change, sites change, etc. But one common theme I have picked up on from members is that people feel that the core member base is very unforgiving and even overly aggressive towards new members and old members alike. I will not claim innocence in this, because I myself have frequently came off as a jerk when moving threads and whatnot.

But I think we really do need to all think a bit more before we post. It is so easy sometimes to sit behind a screen and relish that anominity. But the fact is a real person is reading the posts we post. The snide comments, the crude jokes, that stuff is not going to a machine....It is easy to kinda fall in line with a set attitude. Most sites get that way. Pretty much every site I have ever joined or lurked on has been that way. A core "hardcore" group that have been on the site for ages will smack down new members for new member mistakes.

I don't want CAA to be like every other site. If someone wants sarcasm and crudeness the internet has no shortage of that. So the next time a member asks a silly question, try to treat em with kid gloves okay? I hate to see people feel that CAA is not a welcoming site. People feeling as if they are being bashed and whatnot. But I would also ask that if a person is having an issue with a member/post etc, please bring it to the staffs attention. We cannot help solve a problem that we don't even know exists.

This is not directed at a single person, nor is it some sort of banhammer threat. Just a thought from someone that has been here a real long time.

[Ingemar]

In before Fish and Chips protests.

[Radical Dreamer]

In before Fish and Chips protests.

I believe it's this kind of attitude Steve is referencing. I think that right now is not a good time to blame others for the same kind of attitude you or I may have been expressing towards others.

That said, I back you 100% in this post, Steve. Well said.

[goldenspines]

Brilliantly said, Steve.
I wish I could speak as an innocent, but I'm guilty of being rather snarky at times; behind people's back if not to their face.


Something was brought to my mind after reading this, if it doesn't apply, then feel free to ignore because I tend to ramble. ^_^;

As followers of Christ, shouldn't we be showing the rest of the internet(aka: a lot of the world) that we are different? I mean, when you really think about it, our behavior on the internet applies the same in real life as it does on the internet. People are people, whether you communicate with them in real life or over the internet.

Although, the fact that "we Christians should be loving and all that" shouldn't be an excuse to rail on others members of this site if they're being snarky or rude. Keep yourself accountable first and foremost. Let God(and the moderators of the site) handle everyone else.

[LadyRushia]

Excellent posts, Steve and Goldie. I'm pretty sure I'm not innocent either. I think we should all remember that even jokes can come across as attacks.

[Tsukuyomi]

I'm sure I've done this as well, and I apologize for it ^__^; Sometimes, jokes and pokes do go a little too far. As if the internet wasn't hard to read as it is

[Ingemar]

I believe it's this kind of attitude Steve is referencing.

Serious thread is serious.

[Stephen]

Ingemar I would be careful with the attitude. This is an issue the staff is taking very serious.

[rocklobster]

Well, I always try not to be snarky.

[Jingo Jaden]

Awesome thread is awesome.

[Kaligraphic]

You know, I think Steve is on to something. Long ago, before the Internet was permanently flooded with noobs, spam, and anonymous, before the stupid memes, even before AOL, newbies used to all join the net at the same time. They were welcomed, trained, and brought up into the culture of the net at that time. Then, they'd help do the same for the next year's newbies.

The system in those days was overwhelmed by the sheer scale of the AOLers joining the net, but we've got a decent member base compared to our new user rate. We could train our newbies and teach them how to make veteran mistakes instead of newbie ones. We could remake them - better, faster, stronger. Or, we could be a breeding ground for anonymous, like so many other sites. We could bounce our noobs around to various other sites, keeping them in their noobish place, making their noobish mistakes until they manage by their own persistence to learn what we failed to teach them. But then, that's what anonymous would do.

We could be better. Or, we could sink into the mire of the Net. It's our choice, after all.

[Radical Dreamer]

You know, I think Steve is on to something. Long ago, before the Internet was permanently flooded with noobs, spam, and anonymous, before the stupid memes, even before AOL, newbies used to all join the net at the same time. They were welcomed, trained, and brought up into the culture of the net at that time. Then, they'd help do the same for the next year's newbies.

The system in those days was overwhelmed by the sheer scale of the AOLers joining the net, but we've got a decent member base compared to our new user rate. We could train our newbies and teach them how to make veteran mistakes instead of newbie ones. We could remake them - better, faster, stronger. Or, we could be a breeding ground for anonymous, like so many other sites. We could bounce our noobs around to various other sites, keeping them in their noobish place, making their noobish mistakes until they manage by their own persistence to learn what we failed to teach them. But then, that's what anonymous would do.

We could be better. Or, we could sink into the mire of the Net. It's our choice, after all.

This post is excellent, and I agree 100%. If we want to show ourselves as different from any other site, how we treat each other is a very important facet of that. It's good advice for how we treat anyone, online or off. Thanks for posting, Kaligraph.

[ChristianKitsune]

I agree 1000 percent...and I'm sure that I've been unintentionally guilty in the past... and if I have ever offended anyone I apologize.

That said I agree because we are called to be above "the rest" this site is a christian site and so all the meanness, should be expected to end... and I applaud the sentiments in this thread.

Thanks for the reminder, guys!

[Robin Firedrake]

^Uuhhh... What she said.

[animewarrior]

I completely see your point. I really hope people view me as a loving member but I can scare newbies sometimes ... ^^'' ... so yeah I agree with you and I hope things will get back to "feel" that CAA had back when I first joined as a lurker and then emerged around Summer '07... love you guys

[Fantasy Dreamer]

Brilliantly said, Steve.
I wish I could speak as an innocent, but I'm guilty of being rather snarky at times]

(Forgive me if this is poorly written as I am running on very little sleep but wanted to address this)

I am kinda going out on a limb on this, this is more as an old member and less as a mod. I would imagine that the other staff would agree with me on this though. Lately it has been brought up many times that people feel a change in the site. I see that as fairly natural really. People change, sites change, etc. But one common theme I have picked up on from members is that people feel that the core member base is very unforgiving and even overly aggressive towards new members and old members alike. I will not claim innocence in this, because I myself have frequently came off as a jerk when moving threads and whatnot.

But I think we really do need to all think a bit more before we post. It is so easy sometimes to sit behind a screen and relish that anominity. But the fact is a real person is reading the posts we post. The snide comments, the crude jokes, that stuff is not going to a machine....It is easy to kinda fall in line with a set attitude. Most sites get that way. Pretty much every site I have ever joined or lurked on has been that way. A core "hardcore" group that have been on the site for ages will smack down new members for new member mistakes.

I don't want CAA to be like every other site. If someone wants sarcasm and crudeness the internet has no shortage of that. So the next time a member asks a silly question, try to treat em with kid gloves okay? I hate to see people feel that CAA is not a welcoming site. People feeling as if they are being bashed and whatnot. But I would also ask that if a person is having an issue with a member/post etc, please bring it to the staffs attention. We cannot help solve a problem that we don't even know exists.

This is not directed at a single person, nor is it some sort of banhammer threat. Just a thought from someone that has been here a real long time.

Agreed, and well said! You guys really brought it into perspective, and goldie, your are 100% correct. Whether in person or over the internet our actions, words, and deeds should be a reflection of God and people should be able to see Him in our lives.

I must say, I too, am one of the guilty party. Thanks for taking time to notice and having the courage to say something!

[ADXC]

Yeah, I guess I must say that I too have been sarcastic at times and I apologize for that. But Im never sarcastic to a new member. So yeah I'll try to stop being sarcastic at all.

[Ikimaru_Tarimi]

sorry, if I did that to anyone

[Lilac#18]

I agree with goldenspines', Steven's and Kaligraphic's post completely. I never really said anything hurtful, hateful or disrespect. I think I said something before that might of came off as a know it all, but if I did, I'm truly sorry and it won't happen again. I think the non-christian forums/blogs should follow these principals, because alot of them have very disrespect, hateful users that hurt the other users. There are the blog/forum users that say evil things and if another user calls them on it, they say "It's freedom of speech."

[Shao Feng-Li]

I agree wholeheartedly! If I've ever come across rude or mean, I apologize. Anonymity does tend to make one feel powerful.

I was a total noob and weaboo when I joined up, so I know I can't be dissing new members. Well, considering how little I've posted in a long time, maybe I'm ok, heh.

[ich1990]

Noted.

[Whitefang]

As a new member and possessor of a somewhat dry humor and inability to convey emotion over the internet, I appreciate this on many levels, and I will always (and generally have in the past) try to maintain a friendly attitude.

[Mr. SmartyPants]

Trufax, Steve. I know that I have been guilty of this, so I will do my best to keep more of a positive attitude.

[Etoh*the*Greato]

Extremely guilty of this. I'd honestly come to the site two years ago to stop thinking that the influence of like minds would help keep me more honest, but it's an easy habit to slip back in to. I'm sorry...

[ShiroiHikari]

I try not to be hateful, but it's difficult when you're a crotchety old woman. >.>

If anyone ever has a problem with something I've said, or if I take my jokes too far, PM me and let me know.

[KhakiBlueSocks]

[font="Trebuchet MS"][SIZE="4"][color="RoyalBlue"]Here are six BASIC rules that I think we should all keep in mind:

1. God is Good all the Time, and all the time God is Good.

2. Correct if you must, but don't gloat.

3. New members (Note, not "Newbies") are just as smart as any other member and should be treated as such.

4. Your humor may not be other people's humor.

5. If you don't like what's written, don't reply on it. Turn the other cheek.

6. Judge not lest ye be judged [/color][/SIZE][/font]

[Felix]

I haven't been very active here recently, partly due to some of the issues addressed in this very thread, but I felt I should chime in here just to say that I have noticed the changes as well. The devolution if you will, at least in terms of moral and social integrity. Though the site has improved in a lot of ways technically and also grown in numbers, I feel we have slid backwards a little in other areas.
But! I'm pleased to see that apparently a good portion of the users here have noticed these things, and can relate to what's been going on! Hopefully, if we all work at it and have more of a conscious attitude toward things... if we're more gracious toward each other and more humble toward ourselves, then we can restore CAA to the welcoming, cheery, and most of all Christian place that it should be.
To me, it seems like a shadow had fallen over this forum. That's a big part of why I stopped coming here regularly. But I'm optimistic now about the future here. Maybe this thread will be a spark that will cause some kind of reformation here. I sure hope so anyway.
I'll be attempting to post here more and stay in touch and help encourage this new attitude!
With love in all things, but mostly in Christ
-Felix

[CephasWhite]

I've noticed things here as well, but they've probably been mentioned already by the others.

Peoples opinions are welcomed, but it hurts when someone else bashes their opinion with the accusers own, thinking that it's their opinion that matters and no one elses; whether it be rude, obnoxious or mean. Everyone has free speech, to run over them is crossing the line. Accept their opinion, say yours if you have to, but don't bash them!

As Stephen mentioned, the person who writes the post towards the other person are not the only ones reading these posts. There are practically millions reading our words typed in our boxes on the screen.

In regards to the new members, we welcome them. We want them to have the best time on this site, with people giving prayers, comments, and maybe some counseling if needed. We are supposed to love one another! Do not leave them astray!

As well, as Stephen said, if there are people here that are being crude and rude, report them! If they get banned, pray for them as well that God will relieve them from their stubbornness and ignorance.

I, along with the million other users, want this site to prosper. If the Lord wills, this site will become a mainstream site for those who are Christian and like Anime.

I think I've said my share, Steve. Thank you for posting this thread.

[RFC]

I haven't been very active here recently, partly due to some of the issues addressed in this very thread, but I felt I should chime in here just to say that I have noticed the changes as well. The devolution if you will, at least in terms of moral and social integrity. Though the site has improved in a lot of ways technically and also grown in numbers, I feel we have slid backwards a little in other areas.
But! I'm pleased to see that apparently a good portion of the users here have noticed these things, and can relate to what's been going on! Hopefully, if we all work at it and have more of a conscious attitude toward things... if we're more gracious toward each other and more humble toward ourselves, then we can restore CAA to the welcoming, cheery, and most of all Christian place that it should be.
To me, it seems like a shadow had fallen over this forum. That's a big part of why I stopped coming here regularly. But I'm optimistic now about the future here. Maybe this thread will be a spark that will cause some kind of reformation here. I sure hope so anyway.
I'll be attempting to post here more and stay in touch and help encourage this new attitude!
With love in all things, but mostly in Christ
-Felix

I agree with Felix here and with many of the other members.
First off, I apologize if I have ever come off as rude and unloving in any manner. I never intend to be like that, but if it has ever happened I am deeply sorry for it.
Secondly, thank you for bringing up this issue Stephen. I have also neglected to be on this site more often, but during the short time I have been a member I have witnessed this issue.
Over the last year, God has really challenged me in not taking offense at people so easily online and to watch my own words very carefully. I still struggle with this and it's a battle that I will probably always fight.
As KhakiBlueSocks brilliantly put it:"God is Good all the Time, and all the time God is Good."
If we follow God with all our hearts, He can and WILL shine through us. Even if it's just text on a computer screen.

[Amzi Live]

Hey,cool! I didn't notice this thread. Heh!
Kudos to Stephen.
I think that the mere fact that we are able to acknowledge,and talk about this is great so I'm sure we can't be to far off track. At heart the members here are awesome,old or new. Hey,who knows maybe God is wanting us to get ready for something new in the site. Be it to help others better or whatever.
Awesome posts everyone.

Lurker signing off...