Please Read - DIR Update and Process

[Jayhawker Soule]

So @Brent W, I've just selected Abrahamic Religion DIR since it is the parent/host of the Judaism DIR. But what does this mean? Is my access to the Christianity DIR identical to that of a Christian? Does the Christian likewise now have the right to pontificated on questions posed in the Judaism DIR?

I look forward to hearing from you.

 

[Lyndon]

by the way, some DIRs are religious, some are political, do we have to chose between one or the other??

 

[The Kilted Heathen]

I don't think this is as bad as it seems, at all. The only DIR that I ever went to was the Pagan one, as I had no need to go to any of the others. So I didn't pick the "Magic DIR" - so what? Can it honestly be expected that there will be no discussion of magic in the Pagan DIR threads? No, of course we will discuss that there, as it's a part of Paganism. It will just be discussion focused to Pagan magic, rather than Thelmic or generic magic.

And interfaith discussion? There's nothing to say that threads made in Interfaith Discussion (which is not set up as a debate stage, that's Religious Debates) cannot be respectful. That, to me, would be the apt place to ask questions of another faith. And when that faith needs to regroup and join heads to come up with an answer unmolested, hey-o there's the DIR for them to do so.

Also when you pick one, it's the Greater DIR, including all the sub-DIR sections within. Having picked the Neopagan or Revival Religions DIR, I have access to the Reconstructionism, Paganism, and Wicca DIRs and everything therein.

UPDATE: I can also view other DIRs, just not post in them.

 

[sun rise]

by the way, some DIRs are religious, some are political, do we have to chose between one or the other??

I had exactly the same question.

And I have another question - I ran into trouble by posting in the Judaism DIR because I don't practice the religion even though I'm a Jew. So it seems now that my choice of DIR overrides the wishes of the current DIR members and whatever qualifications they've created. Is that the case? Because, if so, I suspect that the solution has generated an interesting problem.

And if I change my religion or politics, I assume I would open a staff request area post requesting that change? Or will there be some other mechanism?

I'll also note, not that it will change anything, that authors like Sylvia Boorstein who wrote a book about being both a Faithful Jew and Passionate Buddhist would not be welcome here because she could not choose both DIRs which would match her belief/practice. That's Funny, You Don't Look Buddhist: On Being A Faithful Jew and a Passionate (Philosophies, and Movements; 11) - Kindle edition by Sylvia Boorstein. Religion & Spirituality Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

 

[Shem Ben Noah]

I request that the ....

Other Religious Movements and Practices DIR

... be excluded from this process. Too many categories in there directly relate to other faiths in other DIRs.

For example, the Kabbalah sub-DIR being prohibited to Jews is ridiculous.

 

[Brent W]

I request that the ....

Other Religious Movements and Practices DIR

... be excluded from this process. Too many categories in there directly relate to other faiths in other DIRs.

For example, the Kabbalah sub-DIR being prohibited to Jews is ridiculous.

We will be looking at the forums themselves to see what can be improved. It will be a process. This is just the ground work.

 

[1137]

It may be beneficial to downsize some of the DIRs that are more vague. So many of the smaller forums are rarely used, even the LHP DIR barely has activity in the Setian, Luciferian, or satanic DIR. Why not consider just making it a "LHP" DIR, and same with some others? It would make using them a more simple task, especially on mobile, and you could maybe break the forum into different sections.

Another possible thought: what if ever user were allowed to pick two or three DIRs. This would be not only fair to users imo, but it would contribute to greater discussion. For example, if the pagan members cannot post in the magic DIR, we loose a massive wealth of knowledge there. If they pick both, they participate in both a specific and vague forum area.

 

[Shem Ben Noah]

We will be looking at the forums themselves to see what can be improved. It will be a process. This is just the ground work.

Then our choice should also be a process, and not 'locked in' yet.

 

[Valjean]

I'm having a hard time understanding the need for this restriction. Is this a solution in search of a problem? Is "DIR jumping" really a pressing issue?
Now I won't claim I've never posted in an inappropriate DIR, but this was from a failure to read the fine print, not a desire to horn in on a private discussion. I've suggested in the past that DIRs be color coded or somehow made easily distinguishable at a glance. Wouldn't something like this eliminate much of the "problem?"

Multiple DIRs:
Aup and I both identify as both Hindus and Atheists. Must we be restricted to one or the other?

And what about Socialist only or Liberal only sections? Are these DIRs? I'm sure there are a lot of us who would identify with both.

How about the "polite questions?" Is this to be eliminated? If so; if DIRs are to be closed rooms restricted to private discussions, why should they appear on the forums at all? Why not just put them in a private discussions section?

 

[Aštra’el]

While some may be content utilizing a single "DIR" area, there are those of us whose spiritual-religious systems would qualify us for participating in multiple "DIR" areas. I have never adhered to the notion that one must restrict themselves to utilizing the strength, beauty, wisdom and power of but a single religion alone.

 

[Brent W]

We are not trying to restrict at all and I hear your concern here. It is something we will address. We are simply trying to come up with a system that will benefit our moderators and the members. Please have patience while we continue to work out the details. We will continue to listen to the feedback on ways to improve this area of the site for everyone.

 

[Valjean]

Harrumph!

solution looking for a problem...

 

[Brent W]

Harrumph!

solution looking for a problem...

It wasn't working for staff before and could be improved. This will evolve as we get more feedback. Comments like these aren't helpful though,.

 

[Brent W]

While we work out more details I have opened the areas back up. We will continue to work on a better organization and system that everyone can find acceptable.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

Hardly forcing you to stick to it and hardly did this on a whim. It has been something staff has requested for some time now. As with anything it can be adjusted as needed.

Personally, it'd be great if you would provide constructive criticism rather than just be purely negative for negative sake.

I was mentioning in site feedback probably a year ago and never got a returned reply about improving the site. That with DIRs and permissions, there should be a description about each DIR. Who is giving the permission and what is it based on?

Another good way to get productive results is to have an agreement among paying and free members before anything is done. While the look is fine on the site and of course everyone has a different view, and I also think having a poll often would clear non technical things up.

With the DIR, picking only one that one is affiliated with is very hard. While the RF Rules say (if I can remember) one can't go to multiple DIRs, is picking one DIR preventing other people from posting there with polite questions?

I honestly think this will end up like the private rooms because most of us see DIRs as not only a way for like-minded people to mingle, but I've learned a lot from Hinduism just by reading their threads. So, I hope it's open to read but honestly.

I see a lot of concerns about this choice (and the layout among others). However, many forums don't ask for their members opinions. If it's all said and done, announcement is cool, but asking our opinions isn't really helping since we differ.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

Also, you have DIRs within DIRs. Are the sub-DIRs counted as choosing only "one" DIR?

If a Christian wanted to be part of the Abrahamic DIR, Christian DIR, and Catholic DIR, how does that work? Likewise with Dharmic and Buddhist/Hindu/and others and Pagan DIR, NeoPagan DIR, and the sub-DIRs.

The point of a seekers and interfaith DIR is that seekers can get some advice or encouragement from others about their religious path and confusion without having to be lectured and just basic discussion. If there is only one DIR we can choose from, how can other religious help seekers if they can't go to the seekers DIR?

I think you can rearrange the DIRs and take a poll of which ones are not needed and used.

 

[Valjean]

It wasn't working for staff before and could be improved. This will evolve as we get more feedback. Comments like these aren't helpful though,.

As an inveterate curmudgeon, my right to harrumph at any and all perceived annoyances is inviolate.

 

[Tarheeler]

I hope it is the solution the staff has been looking for. I know that getting some kind of process in place was a concern during my time as a moderator, and we looked at several ways to do something like this.

I am curious as to how the "respectful questions" part will be handled going forward though.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

I'll discuss this with you when you can do it without every reply being drama filled. I already stated that I will be talking with staff on where we stand and we will make adjustments or come up with solutions to issues that you and others point out. Not going to continue to repeat myself over and over again.

Are the members involved in the decisions?

I noticed decisions on a lot of things aren't objective. Maybe have a couple of polls in areas that involve consumers (and 1137 has a point about paying members to). Multiple involvement to resolve problems is always a plus. (Can't really help with the computer stuff, though).

 

[Unveiled Artist]

I would imagine that they will eventually allow people to request to participate in multiple dir. After all, the capability will be there otherwise mods and staff would be limited as well. So, since they are going to be perfectly capable of allowing a poster to post in more than one dir, it stands to reason that posters will be given such permission. However doing it like this would allow them to toggle off a permission if the staff feels a person abusing the dir. Instead of starting with everyone toggled on and having to take away a whole bunch of permissions it seems more reasonable to have people limit themselves and request more access.

But I would imagine there is going to be relatively few ppl who would require posting privileges in multiple dir.

Actually, there would. For example, I may want to post in the neo-pagan DIR. Other times the Magic DIR. I ask questions to Hindu once in awhile. I do practice Buddhism but I don't always post in the Buddhist DIR but Dharmic would be nice. Non-theist DIR, I'm a part of so am I a part of the sub DIRs of new age movements. I am also a pantheist and an animist.

So, I do hope there is are polls, description of the DIRs, and maybe a general view of how permissions will be set up once they are discussed.