(6/98)CM/FM

Dear discussion group users,

This past month Mama and I have received a number of letters regarding the Family discussion group on the Family Members' Web site. I would like to share portions of two of them, sent from different Homes, to give you an idea of what some who log on to these discussions have to say about the postings they read there.

"Dear Mama, We love you very much and pray for you often. I wanted to write to you concerning the Family Members web site, specifically about the discussion forum. Every couple of weeks or so I check into the discussion forum to see what people talk about and if there are any important announcements. Mama, if you read the stuff people post there, you wouldn't believe that this is a Family site. About 80% of the posts consist of either tearing down or actively preaching against Family principles, such as promoting System music, junk food, violence in movies, etc., or attacking others personally in a most unloving and unchristian manner. Even our precious pubs such as the Grapevine are being attacked and ridiculed there.

"Why does WS commit our precious resources to this discussion forum, with the result that certain people are provided with a forum to air their venom? Something needs to be done before this forum poisons more of our young people who might innocently log on thinking that this must be a 'safe' site. Or unsuspecting parents might let their young folks log into the Family Members site, thinking that for sure it must be okay, when in fact it is not. I really appreciate the other material on the Members site, and in principle the idea of the forum is good, but presently it is being abused by some people, who have turned something that could be a blessing into something filthy and dirty." (End of first comment.)

"We've visited the Family Chat Room and have enjoyed our cyber fellowship with different brothers. However, the new set-up includes a "Discussion Zone" where messages and comments can be posted. Both of us were shocked at the unspiritual and unscriptural comments made there. Other Christian Chat rooms have been more edifying than our own. We suggest something be done about this if possible. Dad has even said somewhere that we're not interested in that kind of 'freedom' of speech." (End of second comment.)

After reading these and other concerned comments, including some from those who set up and manage the web site, we felt it was important to take the time to read over the postings that have been made recently in the discussion groups.

I read all the postings which were put up during a three-week period of time, except for the computer section, which I just glanced at but did not take into consideration when I was doing the analysis. I did, however, read all of the profile section, the general posts, and the Endtime/theology sections. In looking over this material I saw that there were five people who have commented more than 20 times, another five people who commented 10-19 times, 21 people who commented 3-10 times, and another 40 people who commented one or two times. The ones who use it the most—Rich [likes to talk], David Michael, Jer, and Ivan—logged on between 60-100 times each during that period.

I read to Mama some of the postings that were on the site, and while we were very happy to see that some people were using it as a tool to share ideas, prayer requests, prophecies, words of help and comfort, as well as a forum for meaningful discussion, we were greatly saddened, as well as disgusted, at some of the other discussions that are posted there.

We found much unloving, sarcastic, hurtful name-calling, other material that is unedifying, as well as some which is outright critical of our Family beliefs. One of the saddest parts of the whole web discussion groups is that so many of the subjects that some of you bring out are already covered in the Word, yet there are very few who bring out the Word in answering the various posts. Sometimes people do make reference to the Word, but it's often done in an extremely self-righteous, critical, or hurtful manner that puts others down rather than lovingly trying to help them or answer their question.

There are, thankfully, some of you who put in some very sweet and encouraging comments, who bring out the Word, put in prayer and prophecies etc., and when reading those it's like taking a breath of crystal clear air after having breathed in a great deal of stench. It's heartbreaking to see how unChristian-like some of you can be. The names you call each other, the discussions you post, and the fact that a number of you comment in such an ugly manner to each other is appalling.

It seems to Mama and me that there are about a dozen of you who are besmirching the whole discussion group, using it as your personal forum for being mean-spirited, unloving, and unGodly towards one another. It's bad enough that you're wasting so much time in such an unChristian-like manner, but worse is that other Family members log on and read this, and then are discouraged about it, or are wondering why in the world you who are supposed to be Christians, and Family members at that, are writing such trash, and why is WS allowing it.

Of course this brings up the question of whether we should keep the discussion group or not. After reading what was posted, there certainly seemed to be a good case for shutting it down, considering its present misuse by some. When we prayed about it, the Lord said that we can keep it up for a time, sort of like how the husbandman asked if he could dung the tree for a while to see if it would bear fruit when the Lord said to cut it down. The Lord told Mama and me to rebuke those who are the offending members and then give them some time to see if they would use the privilege wisely and with love, and if not, then we would have to close it down.

It would be sad to have to take away the blessing this site can be for the overall Family because of the sins of a few. But if you offenders can't be more in the spirit than you have been, then we'll just have to shut it down, along with giving a clear explanation to the Family. As it is, we're going to have to comment on this in the Grapevine, since Family members have been offended at your postings. Perhaps some of you guilty ones would like to include an apology and a promise to do better; if so, you can post them here.

If you can't be more Christ-like, if you can't refrain from starting "flame wars" by your unloving, unkind, self-righteous, unGodly comments, then please stay off the site. The Family as a whole isn't interested, and it causes them to stay away from their site because it has been abused by you.

Mama and I love you, but we also love the rest of the Family, and we can't stand idly by while a few of our wayward children wreak havoc for the rest. So please straighten up or get off the site. Amen?

Love,

Peter

[End]

Copyright (c) 1998 by The Family