Nungali Posted May 3, 2022 8 hours ago, liminal_luke said: Yes. I'm no originalist. I love Sean's unabashed intolerance of hatred and bullying, his righteous take-no-prisoners bravado. I'm glad that he's protective of minority groups and historically marginalized folk and doesn't put up with BS. There's much in his approach that I think is timeless and ought to be carried forth into the future. But some of what he said, while arguably appropriate for that particular historical moment, no longer makes sense today. Should liking Trump be a bannable offense? Holding unconventional views on climate change? Somewhere there's a church-going*, gun-toting **, tobacco-chewing*** Trumpster who wants to argue about whether awakening to a nondual (non)experience of reality comes gradually or suddenly, and I, for one, refuse to stand in her way. * Don't you just hate prejudicial generalizations? Okay , I wonder how you decide which of the moderator pinned notices placed here to ignore or which to uphold . I realise its not your fault , you can not update them .... IF they are supposed to be updated . 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nungali Posted May 3, 2022 39 minutes ago, wandelaar said: If you have any ideas on how to revitalize the site let me know, so I can put a link to your advice on Original Dao. There's only a few days left before the Original Dao forum will be gone. We could all join up over there in the next two days . 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wandelaar Posted May 3, 2022 (edited) 33 minutes ago, Nungali said: We could all join up over there in the next two days . Brilliant! I don't know if you're serious about it, but this isn't a bad idea at all. Let's see if there are more members here who would consider such a option. Edited May 3, 2022 by wandelaar 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
zerostao Posted May 3, 2022 1 hour ago, wandelaar said: If you have any ideas on how to revitalize the site let me know, so I can put a link to your advice on Original Dao. There's only a few days left before the Original Dao forum will be gone. You can copy and paste my post if you want. I don’t know the specifics of the situation there to offer advice. they have enough bright minds to figure it out if the desire to run a site continues. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wandelaar Posted May 3, 2022 12 minutes ago, zerostao said: You can copy and paste my post if you want. I don’t know the specifics of the situation there to offer advice. they have enough bright minds to figure it out if the desire to run a site continues. There's not enough members left at Original Dao for having a vibrant forum, and those who are seem to have accepted the demise of the site as something inevitable. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
zerostao Posted May 3, 2022 (edited) @Nungali when you became a Dao Bum, in that first year, you never mentioned being banned from another site? seriously, it isn’t a concern to mods if you were or were not. The only reason I mentioned it is I find it a little ironic that you were a banned member allowed to return and object to the very idea of allowing others to return; most of which were never even banned, I guess that irony is lost on you. Edited May 3, 2022 by zerostao Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Apech Posted May 3, 2022 What are we arguing about? Can I join in? 2 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
zerostao Posted May 3, 2022 16 minutes ago, Apech said: What are we arguing about? Can I join in? Of course. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Apech Posted May 3, 2022 1 hour ago, zerostao said: Of course. Thanks. Belatedly I would be in favour of letting people back if they agree to stick to board guidelines. As a soft lefty and a cultivator I have a basic belief in the divine essence/buddha nature in everyone and that even people who hold conflicting views on politics or whatever are redeemable. It seems to me that the basis of this place is that we believe in the 'great work' and our 'discussions on the way' are here to help people and not to label them or condemn them for eternity. While banning is a useful tool for cooling down the board or for cleaning it up periodically - but that is it. So ... anyway ... can't wait to chat to the sock puppets. 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Michael Sternbach Posted May 3, 2022 3 hours ago, zerostao said: @Nungali when you became a Dao Bum, in that first year, you never mentioned being banned from another site? seriously, it isn’t a concern to mods if you were or were not. The only reason I mentioned it is I find it a little ironic that you were a banned member allowed to return and object to the very idea of allowing others to return; most of which were never even banned, I guess that irony is lost on you. I don't get it. What has one issue got to do with the other? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ralis Posted May 3, 2022 26 minutes ago, Apech said: Thanks. Belatedly I would be in favour of letting people back if they agree to stick to board guidelines. As a soft lefty and a cultivator I have a basic belief in the divine essence/buddha nature in everyone and that even people who hold conflicting views on politics or whatever are redeemable. It seems to me that the basis of this place is that we believe in the 'great work' and our 'discussions on the way' are here to help people and not to label them or condemn them for eternity. While banning is a useful tool for cooling down the board or for cleaning it up periodically - but that is it. So ... anyway ... can't wait to chat to the sock puppets. No matter what facade/mask one wears the worst can and will always prevail. Call me a cynic, but reality always wins. Religious persons are usually the worst. Here in the US extreme religious radicals are working on turning this country into a theocracy. Perhaps I am falling into an error of false equivalence, but human nature prevails. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Apech Posted May 3, 2022 3 minutes ago, ralis said: No matter what facade/mask one wears the worst can and will always prevail. Call me a cynic, but reality always wins. Religious persons are usually the worst. Here in the US extreme religious radicals are working on turning this country into a theocracy. Perhaps I am falling into an error of false equivalence, but human nature prevails. Very Hobbesian. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Michael Sternbach Posted May 3, 2022 45 minutes ago, ralis said: No matter what facade/mask one wears the worst can and will always prevail. Call me a cynic, but reality always wins. Religious persons are usually the worst. Here in the US extreme religious radicals are working on turning this country into a theocracy. Perhaps I am falling into an error of false equivalence, but human nature prevails. It's just like in the story of the scorpion and the frog: A scorpion wants to cross a river but cannot swim, so it asks a frog to carry it across. The frog hesitates, afraid that the scorpion might sting it, but the scorpion promises not to, pointing out that it would drown if it killed the frog in the middle of the river. The frog considers this argument sensible and agrees to transport the scorpion. Midway across the river, the scorpion stings the frog anyway, dooming them both. The dying frog asks the scorpion why it stung despite knowing the consequence, to which the scorpion replies: "I am sorry, but I couldn't resist the urge. It's in my nature." 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
liminal_luke Posted May 3, 2022 (edited) Luke's Revised Fairy Tales 15 minutes ago, Michael Sternbach said: It's just like in the story of the scorpion and the frog: A scorpion wants to cross a river but cannot swim, so it asks a frog to carry it across. The frog hesitates, afraid that the scorpion might sting it, but the scorpion promises not to, pointing out that it would drown if it killed the frog in the middle of the river. The frog considers this argument sensible and agrees to transport the scorpion. Midway across the river, both scorpion and frog are overcome with love for each other and their newfound spirit of mutual appreciation. They reach the other side and go their separate ways but never forget that beautiful moment when seeming enemies, against all odds, worked together for the common good. Edited May 3, 2022 by liminal_luke 1 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ralis Posted May 3, 2022 3 minutes ago, liminal_luke said: Luke's Revised Fairy Tales both scorpion and frog are overcome with love for each other and their newfound spirit of mutual appreciation. They reach the other side and go their separate never ways but never forget that beautiful moment when seeming enemies, against all odds, worked together for the common good. You have a very fertile imagination, but evolutionary survival prevails. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wandelaar Posted May 3, 2022 I don't live in the US but looking at it from the outside I see demonizing of the other camp happening in both the right and the left sides of the political spectrum. I consider myself left in the old fashioned social-democratic sense but I had no problems with that on Original Dao as long as we avoided talking politics, and politics weren't allowed on the public part of the forum anyhow so that wasn't too difficult. What I learned from that experience is that it can be done, as long as one puts the goal of having a spiritual forum above the political concerns that one might have apart from it. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Apech Posted May 3, 2022 41 minutes ago, liminal_luke said: Luke's Revised Fairy Tales both scorpion and frog are overcome with love for each other and their newfound spirit of mutual appreciation. They reach the other side and go their separate ways but never forget that beautiful moment when seeming enemies, against all odds, worked together for the common good. Dear Scorp, Just a note to let you know that me and the spawn are doing well. Last year we moved to a new pond and have our own lily pad. Unfortunately old uncle Toad croaked last month, we buried him under the willow which was a very sad day - but hey, fond memories last for ever! Apart from that I just carry on. Finding some time for fly fishing and the daily swim keeps me fit and healthy. Yours in love, Froggy. 2 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Trunk Posted May 3, 2022 First off: I'm generally supportive of the idea of there being other internal arts discussion sites, a balanced variety. I think that TDB's has a semi-monopoly and that's an unhealthy situation, imo. I'd prefer OD (and any variety of others) to flourish. On 5/1/2022 at 7:50 PM, silent thunder said: If it turns ugly again, I'll slip off and leave it to its own process for a while, then check back to see how things have proceeded. And the above is what happens when hostile forces are allowed unchecked: the cool people just quietly leave (and we're lucky if they check back later) and potential new members, the kind we'd really dig, just don't join at all. I'm not for letting banned former members back willy-nilly. As far as process and specifics, I prefer to work out most of the details in private with staff... However, I also value community input here in the public spaces. - Trunk 2 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ralis Posted May 3, 2022 32 minutes ago, Trunk said: First off: I'm generally supportive of the idea of there being other internal arts discussion sites, a balanced variety. I think that TDB's has a semi-monopoly and that's an unhealthy situation, imo. I'd prefer OD (and any variety of others) to flourish. And the above is what happens when hostile forces are allowed unchecked: the cool people just quietly leave (and we're lucky if they check back later) and potential new members, the kind we'd really dig, just don't join at all. I'm not for letting banned former members back willy-nilly. As far as process and specifics, I prefer to work out most of the details in private with staff... However, I also value community input here in the public spaces. - Trunk What about former members that should be banned and never were? 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wandelaar Posted May 3, 2022 (edited) May I ask how many members were actually banned when Sean intervened to stop the Trump propaganda? I known of a few but not much, many just left because they didn't like the idea of an exclusively leftist spiritual forum whether they were right wingers themselves or not. Edited May 3, 2022 by wandelaar 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
liminal_luke Posted May 3, 2022 (edited) Just to clarify: I'm not in favor of letting members who were banned for insulting others return. If anything, I'd like to see the insult policy enforced with greater oomph. What I favor is allowing a wide range of opinion on the site, about politics and everything else. I don't think anybody should be banned on the basis of the political leaders they support. Or for holding minority views on scientific questions like the climate or the safety of vaccines. (Bums who hold strong opinions on these matters might note that the forum admissions committee doesn't discriminate on the basis of intelligence. We're not MIT.) Where would I draw the line? At the expression of opinions which create a hostile environment for other Bums. For instance, we should not to allow overt support for racism, pro-rape apologetics, homophobia, transphobia, etc. Edited May 3, 2022 by liminal_luke 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Michael Sternbach Posted May 3, 2022 3 hours ago, liminal_luke said: Luke's Revised Fairy Tales both scorpion and frog are overcome with love for each other and their newfound spirit of mutual appreciation. They reach the other side and go their separate ways but never forget that beautiful moment when seeming enemies, against all odds, worked together for the common good. I like really your alternative ending, Luke! But what do you think are the chances for things to actually unfold that way? Here's a version of the story with yet another twist: This is how I would expect things to turn out in case Sean steps in again eventually! 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
zerostao Posted May 3, 2022 7 hours ago, Michael Sternbach said: I don't get it. What has one issue got to do with the other? True, after all, everything is disconnected, nothing relates to anything else. In fact, a case could be made, has been made, that ones banned from this community and then allowed to return, should be the ones in charge, overlooking, deciding how the site is run. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nungali Posted May 3, 2022 (edited) 12 hours ago, zerostao said: @Nungali when you became a Dao Bum, in that first year, you never mentioned being banned from another site? seriously, it isn’t a concern to mods if you were or were not. The answer is not relevant to this discussion ..... to use your type of a response . But I will respond to explain to others since you seem to be attempting some type of 'innuendo' here . 1. So what if I was banned anywhere else . 2. 'When I became a daobum... in that first year .... ' ??? Many a time during my many years I have mentioned or referenced that , so let's get it down straight so no 'innuendo' taints my halo On 'Unexplained Mysteries site ' , I was PMing another member and I was asked by that member " Do you think the mods ever spy on our private conversations here ?" I replied by PM , " Probably , they can snoop in on our private conversations if they want ... one of them is probably doing it right now . " During that private conversation I also referred to the site as a 'woo-woo' site , other member asked what I meant and I pointed out a bit of stuff like the index ( UFOs ,ghosts , etc etc .... have a look at that site and tell me thats NOT what its focus is ! ) Anyway, next thing I get message from the owner going off at me, " How dare you tell lies abut us to other members and spread gossip the about the site ." My response was, of course, " But if you where not reading our private messages , how do you know what I said ? And if you where reading them then I was not lying ." That enraged him and he posted that I was perma-banned . A kerfuffle broke out about it but he wouldn't hear none of it . So I remained banned . Now , what on earth has any of this got to do with me supposedly having 'inside information on bannings ? - you also wrote that about me . Unless you meant that I have inside info on my own banning ? Quote The only reason I mentioned it is I find it a little ironic that you were a banned member allowed to return and object to the very idea of allowing others to return; most of which were never even banned, How about you actually try and read through what I DID say .... or if thats too hard for you to do , due to some 'thing ' you have , just go back to what Steve said where he said he agreed with me about my approach on the issue that this thread is actually about . Then again , if you generally dont like the idea ... you could have a go at Steve too Quote I guess that irony is lost on you. No ... I just found it , it was hiding under some sheets Edited May 3, 2022 by Nungali Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
zerostao Posted May 3, 2022 I don’t think anyone has suggested allowing the ones who were banned to be allowed to return. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites