Long for a friendly place online to talk about faith?

drew · 12th July 2012, 12:58 AM

I maybe is too demanding due to lack of social skills.
I totally lack social skills due to me a bit too argumentative?
or what to refer to the behavior. Sure I do try to be super friendly
but sometimes my too short fuse just blow up in everybodys face.

Embarrassing indeed. But I am a very lonely person and to have a life
online is about the only way that I survive.

I've tested this forum.
http://www.wrongplanet.net/
But it is the wrong planet for me.
They did not like me there and I
failed to like them too. Could be my fault.

So if you know a place where they talk about religion in a friendly way?

AFAIK we are not supposed to talk religion or politics or sex here at EMD
so that is not what I try to do. I want a link to a place outside of EMD.

So don't ask me about my faith okay!

B4its2L8 · 12th July 2012, 01:14 AM

Perhaps look through the offerings at Yahoo Groups ? Those with public archives will give you a chance to see what kinds of discussions are occurring and how civil (or not) they are.

drew · 12th July 2012, 01:21 AM

B4its2L8, yes I did find two friendly such but sadly one had too few
participants and the other had a too high academic level for me to
be able to fit in. Hehe they totally ignored my small attempts to get
a say in the threads.

This where during 2008 to 2010 or so now I have forgotten how
to sign in. I messed up my yahoo identity at groups so I fail to
log in.

I've been able to start anew at Yahoo but it is not something I want to do again.
I get very depressed when it happens again and again. So I would prefer
something more modern than yahoo groups. They do have a lot of spam too.

Have you tried google groups? Are they more active maybe and
with less spam?

I where active at .ning something for some two or three years
and that worked rather okay until a Moderator disliked my naivety.

drew · 12th July 2012, 08:03 PM

I've found a forum that I may test. They do ask for donation though
so not sure for how long I will be there. Until they throw me out for
not sending them money?

Sadly they have too much spam so they have shut off posting permissions.
Manual kind of activation so they have Admins that monitor the behavior
of the new member and then the Admin send a validation code something
so a spammer need a clever script to behave like a real human???

No clue on how to act like a real person so have no idea when I will get that permission to post if ever

I don't give link in case it break some rule. Wish me good luck!

drew · 13th July 2012, 03:50 PM

So typical Drew. Now when I have found a forum
that do talk about religion and a thread that I liked
then the Admin at that site seems to either be on
vacation or using some Tough Love principle of not
allowing permission to post other than after a delay
more than 24 hours. I joined at 8 AM Thursday and now
it is 8 AM Friday and still no permission to post.

Should I give up on them being too stingy or something?

chrisretusn · 14th July 2012, 12:00 AM

I'd give it a day or two I suppose. Religion is a fairly hot topic. Hope it works out. Friendly and religion don't seem to blend to well.

drew · 14th July 2012, 03:23 PM

Yes maybe that is what they are doing. Either they only do Admin
work at special days. Say once a week or so?

Or they want to weed out those of us that are hot tempered
and by holding us over the fire they see if we scream and holler
wanting to get posting and they conclude. Ha this guy is too hot
let us cool him throwing him on the big sea for a while

I don't have the patience they seems to require so I need to find
another forum. Sad because they had a thread that where right on.

FredOnline · 14th July 2012, 07:09 PM

I would suggest, that if you are physically able, to seek out the local religious group/church of your denomination, and work from there.

First of all, it's local, second it's in your native tongue (no language problems or misunderstandings because of that?) - and perhaps they have information/links for the internet.

drew · 14th July 2012, 09:14 PM

Yes! I do agree that it is a good suggestion.
No! I've tried this approach since 1983
I even went for three years every Sunday
to a religious meeting and it did not work out.

People read the face and body language.
Every nuance is revealed.

On internet using a language that I barely
can be understood what I intend to say
and nobody do see my face or hear my voice
or the body movement. That helps a lot.

The Real life is very much more unforgiving
than the virtual exchanges on internet.

Sorry bad analogy. It is like the difference
between a good class A actor in a Award Winning Movie.
compared to a Class D actor that everybody whistle
and Booooh boooh get your act together jell and
scream to stop being so bad.

On internet using English people are left
wondering. Oh his English makes him look silly.

In real life it is obvious in an embarrassing way
that I'm totally lost and nothing to care about.

drew · 14th July 2012, 09:17 PM

Maybe I does? have found a forum now. It all depends on how
they will respond to my postings. It where easy to join
and it is very active and many members and diverse topics
so hopefully it is a place where I can feel at home.

webecedarian · 15th July 2012, 05:12 AM

I don't know of such a forum, but I can tell you two things:

1. There is a very unfriendly forum on Craigslist. You might not find it enjoyable to stay there, but you could try asking them if they know of other, friendlier forums. You start here and choose your city:
http://www.craigslist.org/about/sites
then go to the discussion forums on the bottom left of the page.

2. I'm guessing that there are very few general faith forums. More likely forums for particular faiths - Catholic, Buddhist, Lutheran, Jewish, whatever. Try searching that way.

But I hope you don't mind me saying that I'm sorry that you've been stuck being alone when you're trying to reach out to people. I hope you keep trying. Even though I know you said your social skills aren't good, the only way to improve your social skills is to keep going out in the world and interacting with people. It's too bad you spent three years with a religious group that didn't work out, instead of leaving to try some place else. I hope you keep searching.

drew · 15th July 2012, 04:42 PM

Thanks for friendly thoughts and words and the link.
Craiglist has this list https://forums.craigslist.org/?areaID=106

atheism R+ 220
computer forum R+ 797
psychology R+ 203
religion R+ 5917
science & math R 135
spirituality R 327

So I have a lot of places to look into then.
thanks that may actually help me find some.

I guess I am a spoiled old man expecting too much.

R and R+ refers to

Quote:

[ R = log in to post ]
[ R+ = log in to post, no handle overwriting ]

This surprise me though "no handle overwriting" What could that refer to?

drew · 15th July 2012, 11:24 PM

I trust it is something about the way I behave.
I have no luck on that Science forum either.

Too few that responds despite interesting topics.

Maybe I need to join FaceBook

Craiglist where too mean I agree

webecedarian · 16th July 2012, 06:11 AM

Drew, here is some extra information about Craigslist.

The forums are at least 99% Americans, and I'll warn you that they can get very impatient with bad English, so try your best to be clear with your posts. This is one reason that I thought that you might find it useful to ask for somewhere else to go, but I don't think you'd be happy staying in Craigslist itself.

In general, a lot of their forums are rude, so don't take it personally; the first time I posted something in the Atheism forum, I got rude, suspicious replies treating me as if I were an invader. I know a woman who posted for the first time in the Science forum and was outraged at how rude they were - which is odd, since you'd somehow expect science people to be more polite. You might like to give it some time, at least a week or two.

"Handle overwriting" is something that the site allows you to do in some forums after you've been there for a few months. It allows you to hide your handle/name.

If you're saying that you have "no luck" because you didn't have replies, some forums are busier than others, and they all slow down over the weekend. Science, Spirituality, and Atheism are all slow forums. You might try again during the week, in the afternoon (in U.S. time) and ask in Spirituality and Religion for suggestions. You should also mention that you're trying to be care since you're not completely fluent in English.

However, as I also said, I think most sites will discuss particular religions, not faith in general.

Good luck.

drew · 16th July 2012, 02:14 PM

Thanks for good advice webecedarian.

I guess that the reason I usually fail very often
relates to that I chose topics and issues that are
way above my ability to express them clearly.

And that I am rather alone having these interests.

That way I would need to be a scientist myself
for to be able to express the themes on the proper
level. As it is now the real scientists realize that I am
not on their level and they have no time to go into
these things with people like me who would fail to get
what they talk about on their level.

And people on my level they have no interest what so ever
in what I am interested in. I fall in between not belonging
to any of the groups. Not clever enough to be on the
needed level for to get scientists interested and too
confusing on my own level so that ordinary folks like myself
see my posts as way above their ability to grasp. They either
say BS or they say Huh? I'm too ambitious for my own good.

I can't live up to my own aspirations

Re: people being rude on atheist forum that seems to go with the flow.
They love to be aggressive and to ridicule even fellow atheists.

Good examples are the verbal wars between Chris Moonie and Jerry Coyne.

That Science forum are rude could be due to no real scientists are active there

Only wannabe scientists that failed to take the grades and are bitter and mean

My wild guess.

12th July 2012, 12:58 AM	#1
drew The "e" in e-mail Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 2,460	Long for a friendly place online to talk about faith? I maybe is too demanding due to lack of social skills. I totally lack social skills due to me a bit too argumentative? or what to refer to the behavior. Sure I do try to be super friendly but sometimes my too short fuse just blow up in everybodys face. Embarrassing indeed. But I am a very lonely person and to have a life online is about the only way that I survive. I've tested this forum. http://www.wrongplanet.net/ But it is the wrong planet for me. They did not like me there and I failed to like them too. Could be my fault. So if you know a place where they talk about religion in a friendly way? AFAIK we are not supposed to talk religion or politics or sex here at EMD so that is not what I try to do. I want a link to a place outside of EMD. So don't ask me about my faith okay!

12th July 2012, 01:21 AM	#3
drew The "e" in e-mail Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 2,460	B4its2L8, yes I did find two friendly such but sadly one had too few participants and the other had a too high academic level for me to be able to fit in. Hehe they totally ignored my small attempts to get a say in the threads. This where during 2008 to 2010 or so now I have forgotten how to sign in. I messed up my yahoo identity at groups so I fail to log in. I've been able to start anew at Yahoo but it is not something I want to do again. I get very depressed when it happens again and again. So I would prefer something more modern than yahoo groups. They do have a lot of spam too. Have you tried google groups? Are they more active maybe and with less spam? I where active at .ning something for some two or three years and that worked rather okay until a Moderator disliked my naivety. Last edited by drew : 12th July 2012 at 01:24 AM. Reason: spelling

12th July 2012, 01:14 AM	#2
B4its2L8 Master of the @ Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Hiding under my bed Posts: 1,151	Perhaps look through the offerings at Yahoo Groups ? Those with public archives will give you a chance to see what kinds of discussions are occurring and how civil (or not) they are.

12th July 2012, 08:03 PM	#4
drew The "e" in e-mail Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 2,460	I've found a forum that I may test. They do ask for donation though so not sure for how long I will be there. Until they throw me out for not sending them money? Sadly they have too much spam so they have shut off posting permissions. Manual kind of activation so they have Admins that monitor the behavior of the new member and then the Admin send a validation code something so a spammer need a clever script to behave like a real human??? No clue on how to act like a real person so have no idea when I will get that permission to post if ever I don't give link in case it break some rule. Wish me good luck!

13th July 2012, 03:50 PM	#5
drew The "e" in e-mail Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 2,460	So typical Drew. Now when I have found a forum that do talk about religion and a thread that I liked then the Admin at that site seems to either be on vacation or using some Tough Love principle of not allowing permission to post other than after a delay more than 24 hours. I joined at 8 AM Thursday and now it is 8 AM Friday and still no permission to post. Should I give up on them being too stingy or something?

14th July 2012, 12:00 AM	#6
chrisretusn Essential Contributor Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Philippines Posts: 474	I'd give it a day or two I suppose. Religion is a fairly hot topic. Hope it works out. Friendly and religion don't seem to blend to well.

14th July 2012, 03:23 PM	#7
drew The "e" in e-mail Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 2,460	Yes maybe that is what they are doing. Either they only do Admin work at special days. Say once a week or so? Or they want to weed out those of us that are hot tempered and by holding us over the fire they see if we scream and holler wanting to get posting and they conclude. Ha this guy is too hot let us cool him throwing him on the big sea for a while I don't have the patience they seems to require so I need to find another forum. Sad because they had a thread that where right on.

14th July 2012, 07:09 PM	#8
FredOnline Cornerstone of the Community Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Manchester UK Posts: 698	I would suggest, that if you are physically able, to seek out the local religious group/church of your denomination, and work from there. First of all, it's local, second it's in your native tongue (no language problems or misunderstandings because of that?) - and perhaps they have information/links for the internet.

14th July 2012, 09:14 PM	#9
drew The "e" in e-mail Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 2,460	Yes! I do agree that it is a good suggestion. No! I've tried this approach since 1983 I even went for three years every Sunday to a religious meeting and it did not work out. People read the face and body language. Every nuance is revealed. On internet using a language that I barely can be understood what I intend to say and nobody do see my face or hear my voice or the body movement. That helps a lot. The Real life is very much more unforgiving than the virtual exchanges on internet. Sorry bad analogy. It is like the difference between a good class A actor in a Award Winning Movie. compared to a Class D actor that everybody whistle and Booooh boooh get your act together jell and scream to stop being so bad. On internet using English people are left wondering. Oh his English makes him look silly. In real life it is obvious in an embarrassing way that I'm totally lost and nothing to care about.

14th July 2012, 09:17 PM	#10
drew The "e" in e-mail Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 2,460	Maybe I does? have found a forum now. It all depends on how they will respond to my postings. It where easy to join and it is very active and many members and diverse topics so hopefully it is a place where I can feel at home.

15th July 2012, 05:12 AM	#11
webecedarian Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: NYC Posts: 170	I don't know of such a forum, but I can tell you two things: 1. There is a very unfriendly forum on Craigslist. You might not find it enjoyable to stay there, but you could try asking them if they know of other, friendlier forums. You start here and choose your city: http://www.craigslist.org/about/sites then go to the discussion forums on the bottom left of the page. 2. I'm guessing that there are very few general faith forums. More likely forums for particular faiths - Catholic, Buddhist, Lutheran, Jewish, whatever. Try searching that way. But I hope you don't mind me saying that I'm sorry that you've been stuck being alone when you're trying to reach out to people. I hope you keep trying. Even though I know you said your social skills aren't good, the only way to improve your social skills is to keep going out in the world and interacting with people. It's too bad you spent three years with a religious group that didn't work out, instead of leaving to try some place else. I hope you keep searching.

15th July 2012, 11:24 PM	#13
drew The "e" in e-mail Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 2,460	I trust it is something about the way I behave. I have no luck on that Science forum either. Too few that responds despite interesting topics. Maybe I need to join FaceBook Craiglist where too mean I agree

16th July 2012, 06:11 AM	#14
webecedarian Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: NYC Posts: 170	Drew, here is some extra information about Craigslist. The forums are at least 99% Americans, and I'll warn you that they can get very impatient with bad English, so try your best to be clear with your posts. This is one reason that I thought that you might find it useful to ask for somewhere else to go, but I don't think you'd be happy staying in Craigslist itself. In general, a lot of their forums are rude, so don't take it personally; the first time I posted something in the Atheism forum, I got rude, suspicious replies treating me as if I were an invader. I know a woman who posted for the first time in the Science forum and was outraged at how rude they were - which is odd, since you'd somehow expect science people to be more polite. You might like to give it some time, at least a week or two. "Handle overwriting" is something that the site allows you to do in some forums after you've been there for a few months. It allows you to hide your handle/name. If you're saying that you have "no luck" because you didn't have replies, some forums are busier than others, and they all slow down over the weekend. Science, Spirituality, and Atheism are all slow forums. You might try again during the week, in the afternoon (in U.S. time) and ask in Spirituality and Religion for suggestions. You should also mention that you're trying to be care since you're not completely fluent in English. However, as I also said, I think most sites will discuss particular religions, not faith in general. Good luck.

16th July 2012, 02:14 PM	#15
drew The "e" in e-mail Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 2,460	Thanks for good advice webecedarian. I guess that the reason I usually fail very often relates to that I chose topics and issues that are way above my ability to express them clearly. And that I am rather alone having these interests. That way I would need to be a scientist myself for to be able to express the themes on the proper level. As it is now the real scientists realize that I am not on their level and they have no time to go into these things with people like me who would fail to get what they talk about on their level. And people on my level they have no interest what so ever in what I am interested in. I fall in between not belonging to any of the groups. Not clever enough to be on the needed level for to get scientists interested and too confusing on my own level so that ordinary folks like myself see my posts as way above their ability to grasp. They either say BS or they say Huh? I'm too ambitious for my own good. I can't live up to my own aspirations Re: people being rude on atheist forum that seems to go with the flow. They love to be aggressive and to ridicule even fellow atheists. Good examples are the verbal wars between Chris Moonie and Jerry Coyne. That Science forum are rude could be due to no real scientists are active there Only wannabe scientists that failed to take the grades and are bitter and mean My wild guess.