I have on many occasions asked fellow Christians to visit this site and to join. However, after they read through some of the threads, they tell me that this place is too intimidating.
So, I was wondering what other people think. How intimidating is this place? If you find it intimidating, how were you able to jump into the waters? What advice do you have on how to overcome the intimidation factor?
Intimidation factor
Moderator: Moderators
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Zarathustra
- Apprentice
- Posts: 174
- Joined: Sat Feb 05, 2005 8:51 pm
- Location: New England
Post #2
I gave it a zero, though I was a little apprehensious* to make my first post, for the fear of immediately being laughed out. I read around a bit and saw how friendly this place really is. People can get into a very heated debate and still emerge friends (or, at least, friendly)
*Apprehensious doesn't seem to be a real word: but you get the idea
*Apprehensious doesn't seem to be a real word: but you get the idea
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Dilettante
- Sage
- Posts: 964
- Joined: Sun Dec 19, 2004 7:08 pm
- Location: Spain
Post #3
I didn't find the forum intimidating at all! I enjoy questioning ideas and having my ideas questioned too. How else are we supposed to seek the truth? There's nothing to fear from truth. The truth shall make you free--at least that's what the New Testament says (John 8:32). The atmosphere is extraordinarily civil and I learn a lot from the intelligent people here. 
Post #6
Being asked to give reasons for your views can be intimidating for those who are not accustomed to it. And some of these debates wander off into highly technical issues--in my limited experience, usually technical issues totally irrelevant to the issue at hand, and often just intellectual posturing!
One possible solution is perhaps to be more encouraging for new folks to start their own threads, so that they can discuss a topic on terms comfortable to them. Another possible solution would be to make sure a discussion stays on-topic. Perhaps this is a job for moderators; I don't know how realistic it is to monitor threads like that. I don't think it's work I'd want to do for each thread!
spetey
One possible solution is perhaps to be more encouraging for new folks to start their own threads, so that they can discuss a topic on terms comfortable to them. Another possible solution would be to make sure a discussion stays on-topic. Perhaps this is a job for moderators; I don't know how realistic it is to monitor threads like that. I don't think it's work I'd want to do for each thread!
spetey
Post #7
I think it might be hard for us newbies to start new threads because of the fact there are so many great pre-existing threads that one could jump into it might take some time before we can know what kind of threads have been covered and what kinds have not.spetey wrote: One possible solution is perhaps to be more encouraging for new folks to start their own threads, so that they can discuss a topic on terms comfortable to them.
Re: Intimidation factor
Post #8Personally I do not find the discussions intimidating. Sometimes I do find the obvious erudition and intelligence of some of the posters to be challenging to my own. This is see as only being beneficial. I'm happy to acknowledge when I am out of my depth and move to shallow end. (Un) fortunately this doesn't stop me from jumping right back in again.otseng wrote:I have on many occasions asked fellow Christians to visit this site and to join. However, after they read through some of the threads, they tell me that this place is too intimidating.
So, I was wondering what other people think. How intimidating is this place? If you find it intimidating, how were you able to jump into the waters? What advice do you have on how to overcome the intimidation factor?
All that said - I can understand that a person coming to this forum hoping to have their beliefs and ideas meakly supported is going to be in for a bit of a shock. That, I suppose, for the unprepared, could be a little intimidatiing.
