Soulforce Forums Suggestion Box

[awediot]

Originally Posted by bnmoore

There's none that you don't put there through you own belief.

My "belief" doesn't create elemental reality. My belief must conform to it, or be wrong... An unwitnessed tree falling is just as noisy... Dissect the bunnies brain who's den it demolished, and see what what was encoded. Bet it was loud and frightening and killed one of her kits... Physics doesn't hinge on my perception of it, and neither of us disappear when the other isn't looking.

In what are you placing your faith (belief)?

Ben N. Moore

Absolute truth, which pushes me beyond mere faith.

-and I don't see faith and belief as interchangeable.

[awediot]

Originally Posted by Jennifer5

I know the some of the basics of what MLK has done and I see a lot of similarities between what he did and what we're trying to do. I think looking back on things he did, we could learn a lot more in fact. I'm not familiar very with Gandhi. This is an uncomfortable topic for some perhaps, but why don't we have it anyway? I think it would be incredibly interesting.

Yokay... Ghandi is in quote marks. The Bible blue.

"I call myself a Sanatani Hindu, because I believe in the Vedas, the Upanishads, the Puranas, and all that goes by the name of Hindu scripture, and therefore in avataras and rebirth;"

-And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

"I worship God as Truth only. I have not yet found Him, but I am seeking after Him."

-Seek and ye shall find.

"I regard Jesus as a great teacher of humanity, but I do not regard him as the only begotten son of God. That epithet in its material interpretation is quite unacceptable... God cannot be the exclusive Father and I cannot ascribe exclusive divinity to Jesus"

-Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me... I and my Father are one.


Now, keep in mind I am a queer and one flipping whacked heretic according to most of my own "brethren", with my own lees than traditional thoughts on my own Xtianity. -those above represent aspects of the diametrically opposed differences...especially concerning Christ... The questions and elemental disagreements tear the world apart... SF "manages" them.

I really enjoy his presence though. I don't think he's raising hell, I think he's stirring the pot a little. Something that we need. For me, the arguments we've had here were the best, you learn a lot from them.

No one should limit their love to just their loved ones, but that can be very hard to do. I admire that in you.

Pity the people who are so dreadful, they can make you hate them. Then love them anyway.

Fair enough. The way I see it, SoulForce does more soul healing then anything else. I would hope we would help change things legally too, we'll see. What do you think SF is doing?

...heh..read my Will you settle for "civil unions"? and you tell me...My jury is still deliberating.

Hugs don't become out dated in preschool. Hugs for those who feel lost and scared has a lot to do with redefining family. Why? Because love is what makes a family. We want to represent family, we need to represent love.

Hugsuck.

The methods here may not be perfect, but from what I see they work. Is any other group of this size accomplishing as much as we do? I wouldn't say that our way is the only right way just because of the hugs. I would say that any approach used that leaves you feeling alone in a fight like this doesn't make any sense. Is there a middle?

You see SoulForce as both "healing" and as "law changing"...primarily healing... The thing is, changing the law, not healing nor needing healed, is largely why we're here. That is why the question as to equality under the law, and/or equal respect and love and acceptance into the straight world as a whole, is an important distinction... I think SF invites people in on a political premise and finds itself in a more philosophical realm than it has a mission for... As you've said, "Love" is The Virtue. Period... But we can and do hurt the ones we love, not to mention shun (since hate's bad), and "love" branches and peels into odd layers that proves it is not in fact, all we need.

Is there a middle? No...there are no two equally powerful, opposing sides to create a "middle" or balance... Think of it more like a moth and flame. It can fly away from the only source of warmth and truth, light and love, away from God, but it chills, and dims the further it gets...

The world at large is "outgrowing" "Christianity" with an intent and openness like never before. Christians are beginning to be blatantly stereotyped, demoralized and mocked, as a backlash is starting to swell... just like we were told it would be... That is bigger than SoulForce. Sf is important. Life is critical.

[Matt Algren]

changing the law, not healing nor needing healed, is largely why we're here

Are we? Who is we?

[awediot]

Originally Posted by Matt Algren

Are we? Who is we?

Whoever is comfortable enough with their self to be active in the fight... The majority here. I think most like the hugs, but that is not their purpose for coming here.

[offog]

From Matt: "As for Nathan's question, I'm wondering if message boards in general are on their way out. There are other ways to reach people and direct the discussion more effectively. Maybe it's time to shut down and try one of those. "

I disagree with Matt as well. I find forums like this one very informative, useful, and fun. I discovered blogging and twittering a little over a year ago, and it took me this long to work up the nerve to post my own bit of blogging. I chose the Soulforce site because the people her are so nice. I would really hate to lose.

I'm a middle-aged white straight woman who supports the cause, and I depend on the Soulforce site to help me keep in touch with GLBT issues.

[Jennifer5]

Originally Posted by awediot

You see SoulForce as both "healing" and as "law changing"...primarily healing... The thing is, changing the law, not healing nor needing healed, is largely why we're here. That is why the question as to equality under the law, and/or equal respect and love and acceptance into the straight world as a whole, is an important distinction... I think SF invites people in on a political premise and finds itself in a more philosophical realm than it has a mission for... As you've said, "Love" is The Virtue. Period... But we can and do hurt the ones we love, not to mention shun (since hate's bad), and "love" branches and peels into odd layers that proves it is not in fact, all we need.

It's been a long day, I'll read your thread soon.

I keep getting caught up on the wrong part of this discussion because I think that love is the main point, I think it is pretty much all we need.

I think we're fighting for both legal rights and respect and love. Legal rights help a lot with the later. Without the love and respect, the legal portion doesn't mean a whole lot though (well, to me it wouldn't).

Originally Posted by awediot

Whoever is comfortable enough with their self to be active in the fight... The majority here. I think most like the hugs, but that is not their purpose for coming here.

Well, it depends on the person. I come to Soulforce for a couple reasons... I want to be part of the fight for equal rights, the fight for loved one's rights. I also come for a lot of personal reasons though, the members here have been incredibly supportive when I've needed help.

Originally though, I was draw to Soulforce because of all of the two wonderful men that I met the first time I was introduced to SF, Mel and Gary. Talking to Gary who was a sweetheart, was the only reason that I wanted to hear what Mel had to say. It was the beginning of the challenging years that would follow and that day was very comforting. The people, the support that I get, the support that I am given the opportunity to share, those are what have kept me here.

[keltic63]

ok, this thread is open again, I've tried to clean up the off-topic stuff, but it was getting to the point that I'd just have to reduce it to one page.

the posts that were removed have been placed in a new thread "Leftovers from the suggestion box" in the FOYER

[NathanATX]

I've updated the initial post.

[tymejumper]

Originally Posted by NathanATX

Do you have an idea for the Soulforce Forums? Post it here!

What features would you like to see?

What would build community? be fun? further the mission of Soulforce?

Thanks for the feedback!

I think it would be great to have people identify, if they feel comfortable what area of the country they are in. Like say you are in Fla. People from that portion of the country could all ID as such and then post about what is happening in their portion of the country with gay rights, etc.

I am from MI so people looking to travel around here could PM me or visit a forum for that part of the country and find out things pertaining to that part of the country. The laws, the best gay spots the general feel, the gay friendly towns, etc. If we had a forum like that where we could find out things I think it could be a great thing.

[NathanATX]

Originally Posted by tymejumper

I think it would be great to have people identify, if they feel comfortable what area of the country they are in. Like say you are in Fla. People from that portion of the country could all ID as such and then post about what is happening in their portion of the country with gay rights, etc.

I am from MI so people looking to travel around here could PM me or visit a forum for that part of the country and find out things pertaining to that part of the country. The laws, the best gay spots the general feel, the gay friendly towns, etc. If we had a forum like that where we could find out things I think it could be a great thing.

Great idea! If you look at the top right of each post, you should see the poster's state/location if they have posted it.

But there is certainly an opportunity for development of this idea...
Maybe an area of the forums that is broken up by region... or a monthly conference call or web conference for a state/region...

We could designate regional leaders who could be responsible for recruiting new members, updating the Forums on local lgbt news, organizing regional social activities, maybe being trained as a regional volunteer representative of soulforce...

[NathanATX]

I would love to see some facebook/myspace/etc. social-networking inter-activity features... "click here to post link to thread on facebook" or something...

[Jennifer5]

Originally Posted by NathanATX

Great idea! If you look at the top right of each post, you should see the poster's state/location if they have posted it.

But there is certainly an opportunity for development of this idea...
Maybe an area of the forums that is broken up by region... or a monthly conference call or web conference for a state/region...

We could designate regional leaders who could be responsible for recruiting new members, updating the Forums on local lgbt news, organizing regional social activities, maybe being trained as a regional volunteer representative of soulforce...

Interesting, because I think that something of that sort would really attract people to the site. I would ask my uncle to join, because he would be very helpful when it came to doing actual updating and would probably have a lot of people he would refer to the site. IF we did that.