Topic: catholic answers forum bars orthodox dicussion

[Hesychios]

They sure did. No warning either. I was shocked because I didn't realize I had broken the "no mention of the old thread rule". 

I am sorry to learn of your banning.

I actually liked to read some of your stuff!

Ok, ok, it's not like we agreed on several points. That doesn't matter, if we all agreed all of the time we would not have a reason to converse. I think your banning was a big mistake, when I saw it under your name I momentarily stopped breathing...I was pretty shocked.

It looks like there will be no one left to represent the Eastern Catholic point of view, or a balanced attempt, besides HailMary and Daiseegirl before long 

My posting, like my patience and my temper, have reduced considerably. I have taken up baking    ...my goal is the perfect prosphora 

Yeast and flour don't raise my anxiety level nearly as much as these theological concerns.

Michael

[Lemko Rusyn]

If I read her reply correctly, she is canonically Latin, but sounded as if she is involved with/attending a Byzantine parish

That's pretty much all it takes to pass as a "Byzantine Catholic" in most parts of the Internet these days.

Actual Byzantine Catholics are very few and far between on Internet fora (which is why we are all the more thankful for people like Irish Melkite, to correct all the bizarre misinformation, with an authentic voice)... of course, they are getting harder and harder to find even in Byzantine Catholic parishes, so as goes the world, so goes the Web 

(Honestly, in the few months I'd been reading that forum, it didn't seem any more rancorous to me than most of them, not even the ones that are known for saccharine "charity". Now it's pretty much just a snooze-fest of "Here's all about the 'other lung' you never knew you had! Now start breathing with it!")

[Αριστοκλής]

Merely for documentation purposes I am showing the post (still existent) for which I, too, received instant, but virtual banning on the Catholic Excuses Forum. To wit:

Nov 8, '07, 8:59 am
Aristokles Aristokles is offline
Junior Member
        
Join Date: December 19, 2004
Posts: 14
Default Re: First Thread - New Forum
So, as I understand this now, we in the "Holy Orthodox Catholic Church of the East" (a canonical name of our communion), which has never ceased referring to itself as the "Catholic Church" must now refrain from using the term "Orthodox Catholic" (itself an accommodation to those in the communion of the Church of Rome which also appropriates the name "Catholic Church"). Even "Eastern Orthodox" is a western derived term and technically foreign to us. I guess we could consider ourselves "Catholic Not in Communion with Rome"? Probably not.
To me, our participation here under this new requirement (and home in NCR) is tantamount to our saying that the Communion of Rome is correct and we are wrong. That I cannot do.

yes, I posted this as a test to verify the draconian measures being made there. I too received my banishment notice upon attempting re-log in 30 minutes later. And my account still does not note "Banned"
forums.catholic.com/showthread.php?p=2942976#post2942976

[Joab Anias]

I am sorry to learn of your banning.

I actually liked to read some of your stuff!

Ok, ok, it's not like we agreed on several points. That doesn't matter, if we all agreed all of the time we would not have a reason to converse. I think your banning was a big mistake, when I saw it under your name I momentarily stopped breathing...I was pretty shocked.

It looks like there will be no one left to represent the Eastern Catholic point of view, or a balanced attempt, besides HailMary and Daiseegirl before long 

My posting, like my patience and my temper, have reduced considerably. I have taken up baking    ...my goal is the perfect prosphora 

Yeast and flour don't raise my anxiety level nearly as much as these theological concerns.

Michael

I quoted you and then saved it without replying. Doh.    I feel like a fish out of water here. I will continue to post here so long as I as I can do so peacefully despite my firm Roman indoctrination. I had let my passions rob me of that over there way to often. Prior to being banned I felt a need to withdraw some too but in my compulsion I ignored it.

Thanks and I always found your posts very charitable and I suppose that's why your still there and most of us are not. I can't deny having a hardened heart. I've even been known to get snippy with the Lord Himself. I could be laying in a ditch and still proud of myself some how.    You know what they say about pride, it always proceeds a fall. Thank God for God and that He is always Faithful to us despite ourselves.

I honestly think most Roman Catholics are ignorant of Eastern Praxis. I know I was just a few short months ago when I first barged into those threads. They need to be educated peacefully because most of us will naturally want to Latinize the East because we know no better.

Through exploration of the issues in the old threads I slowly came to realize there is no need. But it took that education to do so and now I can honestly respect Eastern praxis. I see the Eastern Catholics as building that bridge too. I actually found myself defending against notions of latinizations with other Roman Catholics trying to help them realize the same thing.

Then I arrogantly made a point about the old thread to rub it in and am paying the consequences. It's harsh but it was my mistake. As hard as it is to swallow, the moderator was fair in defending the rules against me as well as others.

I often push God into a corner so to speak. I sometimes don't recognize His will until I have no other alternatives. Then when that time comes all I can do is resign myself to this road block and try and do better to follow His will in the future. It has led me here and another forum that seems like it may be exciting as its extremely ecumenical with allot of sincere believers with sincere questions about both eastern and western Churches that I can answer. Not only that but its GUI is set up even better than CAF. I have only made a few posts there as of yet but so far haven't encountered any anti-Catholic/Orthodox propaganda, only lack of understanding with ears willing to hear. After spending allot of time on CARM I did not expect to encountering many folks from other belief systems who are charitable about it and willing to honestly hear a different perspective which encourages me. If you or anyone think you might be interested in helping to build bridges there from time to time, PM me and I will send you the site name. It is about twice the size (or more) of CAF with many many more theological topics to choose from.

Fr. A. I think you would have fun there too if your ever bored. There are many Orthodox there.

P.S. Please don't think I am encouraging anyone to leave here or have any criticism of this forum at all because I do not. I am not even recommending the other one with any opinion as I haven't been there yet but 2 days. I just feel this call and see a need for smart people like yourselves that could be very efficacious for all in reaching out over there from time to time as a sort of experience to broaden the mind through the experiences of others unlike ourselves.

Pax and

Totus Tuus.

[the slave]

It looks like there will be no one left to represent the Eastern Catholic point of view, or a balanced attempt, besides HailMary and Daiseegirl before long   

Well from what I managed to see on the Essence and Energies thread tonight there will be very few folk of any stripe before long.

I'm sure I have seen Daisiegirl under another name somewhere  < scratching head >

[JoeS]

I didn't even get a reason. Just the one that says I can't access anything. I guess I am left to speculate. Perhaps I tried to understand Orthodoxy to much and as such also understood the Vaticans encouragement of the Eastern Catholics to preserve their theology and custom. This caused me to denounce a couple of misunderstandings about latinizations in a couple of threads.

This is how most if not all those who got canned got it.  No warning, no PM'ing to let us know why it was done.  Just whack and it was all over.

[Joab Anias]

Merely for documentation purposes I am showing the post (still existent) for which I, too, received instant, but virtual banning on the Catholic Excuses Forum. To wit:
yes, I posted this as a test to verify the draconian measures being made there. I too received my banishment notice upon attempting re-log in 30 minutes later. And my account still does not note "Banned"
forums.catholic.com/showthread.php?p=2942976#post2942976

I remember reading that!

I see not showing banned under the name as misleading. I may have benifited from knowing what you were banned for. I fell into the same stiff rule. At least the rule had been created for a day after I got hit with it.

[Ziggernaut]

Welcome to all the new bannees/refugees from CAF!!!  Pretty soon, CAF just won't even be worth logging onto (he said, with tongue firmly in cheek!).

As I expected, no one ever replied to me from CAF re: my post to them, me being me, I sent them this:
I sent you the following message last week, and have yet to receive a reply.  I wonder if someone there would show me the courtesy and decency of sending me a meaningful reply?

Many thanks,
Jeff

Previously sent message:
Glory to Jesus Christ!

Dear Forum Admin folks,

As part of the clearing out of "offending" Orthodox Christians from CAF, my account was permanently locked, with, apparently, no opportunity for appeal.  That is fine--it's your web site and you may obviously do with it what you please.  I understand, however, that you are still showing me and others whose accounts have also been locked as active posters, showing us as junior, regular, senior members or whatever.  Is this not just a little bit disingenuous and intellectually dishonest?  If we have been, in effect banned, why not show us as such?  You could at least indicate that our accounts have been permanently locked and that we are completely unable to participate on your forum except to read posts as "guests".  Would that be problematic?  By showing us as active posters you are completely misleading all your other posters.  Does that not concern you?  Even a little bit?

I very much look forward to hearing from you with your response.

Happy Thanksgiving!

In Christ,
Jeff  ("Ziggernaut")


We'll see.  I ain't holdin' my breath!

God bless,
Jeff

[ialmisry]

I see that paradoxy got axed and she must have been a real pain LOL because she has banned under her name.

While you didn't come out and say it, I think it's only right to not even imply the word. - Cleveland, GM

Sorry, the comment was totally tongue in cheek, as I can't fathom why she was banned, let alone why such a lady merited such "special" treatment.

[Jakub]

Brother Michael,

Thanks for using the old avatar, family members think its me with...hair

james

[ozgeorge]

MODERATION:
I have split off a post from this thread and moved it to the Moderator's Forum.
The reason I have done so is to allow us time to consider the legal implications of the post.
Basically, the post which was removed accuses specific people on CAF as well as CAF corporately of breaking the law.
First of all, in our judicial systems in the US, Australia and NZ, a court is required to determine whether someone has broken the law. Our judicial systems assume innocence until guilt is proven.
While it is certainly acceptable that questions be asked as to whether certain actions are legal or not, only the judicial system can determine guilt or innocence or determine that a case is proven or not proven.
To make statements to the effect that someone has indeed broken the law based solely on one's personal opinion constitutes both libel and contempt of court.
Removing the post is meant to protect the poster, and the board from any legal repercussions.
Please be more careful about what you say publicly, as there could be legal ramifications for you.

Thanks,
George

[Jakub]

I just don't visit there anymore...shake the sand from yer shoes, sneakers, boots, sandals etc and move on

[ozgeorge]

I just don't visit there anymore...shake the sand from yer shoes, sneakers, boots, sandals etc and move on

That seems like a pretty sane and sound response to me.

[ialmisry]

Well from what I managed to see on the Essence and Energies thread tonight there will be very few folk of any stripe before long.

I'm sure I have seen Daisiegirl under another name somewhere  < scratching head >

I took a post of the old Hesychists-are-ditheists of that thread, along the response to your post to this basically telling you "if you can't stand the heat...."

I started a new thread in Apologetics (I meant NCR, but was helping my son with his homework are missed where I put it) and post it.

The thread was locked within 5 minutes, with a post (and link) that it was a duplicate thread, and the link led back to ECath.  My response wasn't moved, though.

soo I guess can't wander off the reservation....

[Jetavan]

I took a post of the old Hesychists-are-ditheists of that thread, along the response to your post to this basically telling you "if you can't stand the heat...."

I started a new thread in Apologetics (I meant NCR, but was helping my son with his homework are missed where I put it) and post it.

The thread was locked within 5 minutes, with a post (and link) that it was a duplicate thread, and the link led back to ECath.  My response wasn't moved, though.

soo I guess can't wander off the reservation....

I thought you were encouraged to take certain topics over to Apologetics?

[Hesychios]

Brother Michael,

Thanks for using the old avatar, family members think its me with...hair

james

Thanks James!

It's funny, I was thinking of you when I put it up today...no kidding!

We've had ourselves a ball o' fun a time or two, haven't we?

That is, for a couple of old internet junkies like us 

Your brother,
Michael

[Irish Melkite]

TO ISA...

I see that somone is trying to cause you grief over the use of the U word in the thread "If Catholic & EO unite, who can be Pope?"

You could remind that person that a moderatorial decision was rendered, more than once, that the word and its derivatives are permissible when used correctly.

This message from Heracleides in the link below contain references to two occasions when a member of the CAF Moderatorial staff approved it.

..............Ooops, just deleted the link since it was to another Forum.  Will send it via e-mail.

Bless, Father,

I suspect that Joe's viewpoint on the usage isn't precedent any longer. Too bad he never codified the EC rules, since the ones he wrote for much of the rest of the site (like the banned topics list and the discussion rules in NCR which - altho they don't any longer have his name on them - are pretty much a verbatim copy of the ones he put out back when EO was an NCR subforum under him) seemed to have survived his "resignation" - at least for the moment.

Many years,

Neil

[Irish Melkite]

Actual Byzantine Catholics are very few and far between on Internet fora (which is why we are all the more thankful for people like Irish Melkite, to correct all the bizarre misinformation, with an authentic voice)... of course, they are getting harder and harder to find even in Byzantine Catholic parishes, so as goes the world, so goes the Web   

Rich, that has to be you,    - yes?

Thank you for the kind words. Long time no see, although I catch your occasional postings to the e-group. Hope all is well with you, my friend.

Many years,

Neil

[marlo]

Every Orthodox is still free to post at CAF, just re register and post your questions to apologetics section

MODERATION: See note here: http://www.orthodoxchristianity.net/forum/index.php/topic,13287.msg188334.html#msg188334

[Irish Hermit]

Every Orthodox is still free to post at CAF, just re register and post your questions to apologetics section

Dear Marlo,

There are approximately 13 of us who have received this message  (some have different reasons given):

______________________________
Your account has been locked for the following reason:
Excess mod/admin resources required to monitor acct.

This change will be lifted: Never
______________________________
Fr Ambrose

[Black Knight]

Rich, that has to be you,    - yes?

Thank you for the kind words. Long time no see, although I catch your occasional postings to the e-group. Hope all is well with you, my friend.

Many years,

Neil

Hey Neil!
WASSUP?Blackie

[Joab Anias]

Dear Marlo,

There are approximately 13 of us who have received this message  (some have different reasons given):

______________________________
Your account has been locked for the following reason:
Excess mod/admin resources required to monitor acct.

This change will be lifted: Never
______________________________
Fr Ambrose

The anquish has actually caused me to be physically ill. I can't descern if this is justice or discrimination 

[ozgeorge]

Every Orthodox is still free to post at CAF, just re register and post your questions to apologetics section

Umm. No they're not:

I've joined the banned ones

<<Your account has been locked for the following reason:
Sock Puppetry

This change will be lifted: Never>>

"Sock puppetry" is registering under another name.
Please do not give advice which you are not authorized to give.
If the moderators of CAF have said so, then could you please provide evidence, otherwise do not presume anything.

[Irish Hermit]

The anquish has actually caused me to be physically ill. I can't descern if this is justice or discrimination 

*
Dear Joab,

I can sympathize with you as a fellow bannee and I think that some of the CAF employees have acted, and are still acting, abominably.  BUT don't allow it to effect you to the point of making you ill.  The best way to deal with it is to summon up our spiritual reserves and pray for the people responsible.  "Pray for those who deal with you despitefully"  - good religious advice and good psychological advice and it will take the knot away from your stomach.   So, all of us here who have been cast out of CAF -- let's form a chain of prayer for those who have dealt with us wrongly.


Fr Ambrose

[ozgeorge]

*
Dear Joab,

I can sympathize with you as a fellow bannee and I think that some of the CAF employees have acted, and are still acting, abominably.  BUT don't allow it to effect you to the point of making you ill.  The best way to deal with it is to summon up our spiritual reserves and pray for the people responsible.  "Pray for those who deal with you despitefully"  - good religious advice and good psychological advice and it will take the knot away from your stomach.   So, all of us here who have been cast out of CAF -- let's form a chain of prayer for those who have dealt with us wrongly.




Fr Ambrose

Amen!
I think you are all being tested.
We follow Him Who said: "Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you." Let's not give in when the test comes and someone abuses us! God allows such things in order to separate the solid wheat (which lives His words) from the empty chaff (which just gives lip service to His words).
The test has come!
Stick with the wheat and keep your eyes fixed on Christ, "Whose winnowing fan is in His Hand, and He shall thoroughly purge His floor".

[Irish Melkite]

Umm. No they're not:"Sock puppetry" is registering under another name.

Actually, CAF permits multiple nicks - one of the few fora which do so.  In its banned topics list, it has a specific definition of "sock puppetry" as a prohibited practice.

30. Using “sock puppet” identities to deceive others, promote an agenda, bolster one's own credibility, filibuster, or engage in debate with oneself in furtherance of a point of view

so, the banned practice is, basically, the literal sock puppet technique of talking to - or arguing with - oneself (or in support of ones own viewpoint), using another identity.

Is this place hanging up incredibly tonight, or is just me? (not happening to me elsewhere)

Many years,

Neil

[ozgeorge]

Actually, CAF permits multiple nicks - one of the few fora which do so.  In its banned topics list, it has a specific definition of "sock puppetry" as a prohibited practice.

Oh well, give it a go then.

Is this place hanging up incredibly tonight, or is just me? (not happening to me elsewhere)

I was having problems earlier while Robert was on (which usually means he's tinkering with the site as our technical wizard), but I'm not having any trouble now.
If you are still experiencing difficulties, start a thread in board news.

[Irish Hermit]

Is this place hanging up incredibly tonight, or is just me? (not happening to me elsewhere)

*
The last 12 hours for me.  Pages simply refuse to finish loading.

[Αριστοκλής]

*
The last 12 hours for me.  Pages simply refuse to finish loading.

Same here.

[paradoxy]

I see that paradoxy got axed and she must have been a real pain LOL because she has banned under her name.

While you didn't come out and say it, I think it's only right to not even imply the word. - Cleveland, GM

Sorry, the comment was totally tongue in cheek, as I can't fathom why she was banned, let alone why such a lady merited such "special" treatment.

God bless you, Isa, but I know exactly why I was banned and it was because I willingly and knowingly broke official forum rules - i.e. I publicly discussed moderator actions when I posted that people were getting secretly banned. The offending posts were, naturally, removed 

[Mickey]

I have suddenly found myself in a strange dilemma. I suppose I was benign enough to not get banned at CAF. But now I cannot join the banned club. I am a misfit! 

Ah, but I still have Michael (Hesychios). 

[Athanasios]

Hello,

I have suddenly found myself in a strange dilemma. I suppose I was benign enough to not get banned at CAF. But now I cannot join the banned club. I am a misfit! 

Ah, but I still have Michael (Hesychios). 

Isalmisry, too.

Since its Christmas, you could all start singing along with Rudolph:

Why am I such a misfit?
I am not just a nit wit!
You can't banish me
I quit!
Seems I don't fit in.

[Mickey]

Hello,
Isalmisry, too.

Since its Christmas, you could all start singing along with Rudolph:

Why am I such a misfit?
I am not just a nit wit!
You can't banish me
I quit!
Seems I don't fit in.

If there was a smiley that rolled around laughing, I would have posted it here.

[Fr. George]

I have suddenly found myself in a strange dilemma. I suppose I was benign enough to not get banned at CAF. But now I cannot join the banned club. I am a misfit! 

Ah, but I still have Michael (Hesychios).   

Welcome to the island of misfit toys!

[JoeS]

Every Orthodox is still free to post at CAF, just re register and post your questions to apologetics section

MODERATION: See note here: http://www.orthodoxchristianity.net/forum/index.php/topic,13287.msg188334.html#msg188334

Marlo,

Tried it but got the same response as Irish Hermit.

[Ziggernaut]

Actually, CAF permits multiple nicks - one of the few fora which do so.  In its banned topics list, it has a specific definition of "sock puppetry" as a prohibited practice.

so, the banned practice is, basically, the literal sock puppet technique of talking to - or arguing with - oneself (or in support of ones own viewpoint), using another identity.

Many years,

Neil

Hi Neil,

As soon as I was banned, without knowing what sock-puppetry even was, and with no intent to deceive or circumvent, I tried re-registering using a different username and password.  Bear in mind, that I didn't even know why I had been banned because the message I got said my account had been frozen at user's request.  Not unreasonably, I believe, I thought that I was the user and I certainly never requested to have my account frozen.  Well, almost immediately after I re-registered, that account was also frozen, the reason being "circumvention".  Go figure, eh?

So, here I am, playing on a much nicer, cleaner island with far fewer man-eating sharks circling in the surf  .

God bless,
Jeff

[ialmisry]

God bless you, Isa, but I know exactly why I was banned and it was because I willingly and knowingly broke official forum rules - i.e. I publicly discussed moderator actions when I posted that people were getting secretly banned. The offending posts were, naturally, removed 

leaving just the scarelet letter LOL.

[Ziggernaut]

Welcome to all the new bannees/refugees from CAF!!!  Pretty soon, CAF just won't even be worth logging onto (he said, with tongue firmly in cheek!).

As I expected, no one ever replied to me from CAF re: my post to them, me being me, I sent them this:
I sent you the following message last week, and have yet to receive a reply.  I wonder if someone there would show me the courtesy and decency of sending me a meaningful reply?

Many thanks,
Jeff

Previously sent message:
Glory to Jesus Christ!

Dear Forum Admin folks,

As part of the clearing out of "offending" Orthodox Christians from CAF, my account was permanently locked, with, apparently, no opportunity for appeal.  That is fine--it's your web site and you may obviously do with it what you please.  I understand, however, that you are still showing me and others whose accounts have also been locked as active posters, showing us as junior, regular, senior members or whatever.  Is this not just a little bit disingenuous and intellectually dishonest?  If we have been, in effect banned, why not show us as such?  You could at least indicate that our accounts have been permanently locked and that we are completely unable to participate on your forum except to read posts as "guests".  Would that be problematic?  By showing us as active posters you are completely misleading all your other posters.  Does that not concern you?  Even a little bit?

I very much look forward to hearing from you with your response.

Happy Thanksgiving!

In Christ,
Jeff  ("Ziggernaut")


We'll see.  I ain't holdin' my breath!

God bless,
Jeff

Well, our dear Therese did reply.  Here's what she said: "Ziggernaut--

The tag that appears under a banned member's name is placed there at the sole discretion of the CAF mod/admin staff."

Pretty meaningful and detailed, no  ?

But wait, there's more.  I then replied to her reply by saying, "Dear Therese,

Thank you for your reply.  It was, however, hardly meaningful, and doesn't answer the questions I asked in my original post.  My concern is for the disingenuousness and, to put it bluntly, dishonesty involved in the "banning" of me and my fellow Orthodox Catholic Christians.  I know you are busy, but can you not take a few moments of your time to address this important issue?

Many thanks,
Jeff


To which she replied, "forums.catholic.com/showpost.php?p=2995708&postcount=8

Please see the information at the link above. "  (I deactivated, I think, her link--you know what to do).

And I responded, "Dear Therese,

Thank you for the link.  However, it still really does not address the issue or my questions.  Why is it that I get the feeling that you at CAF are trying very hard to avoid the controversy that has been stirred up by freezing the accounts of (i.e. banning)so many Orthodox Catholic Christians from CAF?  Even the statement posted in the link you supplied is terribly misleading.  You say "...we can ban him privately so that a public stir is not created and so that he can retain the dignity of appearing to have stopped participating of his own volition...", but the fact of the matter is that a)a public stir has been created, and b)neither I nor any of my fellow "bannees" from CAF stopped participating of our own volition.  To set things up to give the appearance of something that is the direct opposite of reality is....well, I'll let you fill in the blank.  I am not the smartest person in the world, but even I can recognize such blatant dishonesty.  What dignity have any of us who have been banned retained?  We cannot even pm other members or post messages that stay up for more than 30-60 minutes to plead our case!  We have had no recourse to any kind of appeal mechanism.  And you have hoodwinked a large number of your members by your actions, which bring to mind a word familiar to many Russians and other Eastern Europeans--"purge".  You guys won't even discuss with us your actions, and even though it is CAF "policy", when what you have done has been on such a large scale, that "policy" becomes an ever-so-convenient curtain to hide behind.  How honest is that?

I don't pretend to speak for others, but I would only ask of you the following: candor, honesty, decency in your dealings with others, a willingness to openly discuss a difficult issue, and a modicum of Christian Charity.  Am I asking too much?  I certainly hope not, unless the people at CAF are not what they purport to be.

I'm sorry if I sound harsh, but this is nothing compared to the harshness with which I and my fellows have been treated by CAF, most of us for really no good reason at all.  At least no good reason that was ever explained to us in any kind of meaningful manner.

I sincerely hope that you will take all of this to heart, and find the willingness and compassion within your own heart to discuss this openly and meaningfully with me or anyone else of those who have been banned.

I look forward to your comments as soon as you are able.

In Christ,
Jeff
"

We're having a really deep, meaningful conversation, aren't we ?  At least it fills in some of the slow spots in my day   .

God Bless,
Jeff

[Ziggernaut]

To which Therese replied, with finality: "Ziggernaut--

I'm sorry that the information I've provided does not satisfy your concerns, but that is all I have to offer to you on the topic.  Please do not email me about this subject again.  Thank you for your understanding and cooperation in bringing this discussion to a close. God bless.

Therese Martin
Administrator
Catholic Answers Forums
"

End of "discussion".  I didn't really expect more than that, but just had to at least try.

In Christ,
Jeff

[Αριστοκλής]

I wonder at how many "moderation resources" she is expending NOW...

What a joke.

[Mickey]

Allow me to read between the lines and answer as if I were a CAF moderator:

Dear Jeff,

Thank you for your correspondence. Many Roman and Eastern Catholics were converting to Holy Orthodoxy based on the truth and the strength of the Orthodox position. Furthermore, those Roman and Eastern Catholics who did not convert, were complaining bitterly because they could not gain an advantage in any of the debates. There was no choice but to ban everyone wholesale.

Peace and blessings,
Mickey, psuedo-moderator
 

[Athanasios]

Hello,

Welcome to the island of misfit toys!

Perhaps we should post this on the forum homepage:

[Ziggernaut]

Allow me to read between the lines and answer as if I were a CAF moderator:

Dear Jeff,

Thank you for your correspondence. Many Roman and Eastern Catholics were converting to Holy Orthodoxy based on the truth and the strength of the Orthodox position. Furthermore, those Roman and Eastern Catholics who did not convert, were complaining bitterly because they could not gain an advantage in any of the debates. There was no choice but to ban everyone wholesale.

Peace and blessings,
Mickey, psuedo-moderator
 

Or......

Dear Mickey,
Being a Catholic Answers Forum, we cannot tolerate free and open discussion between Catholics and non-Catholics.  No questions allowed, as they may threaten us theologically.  Therefore, only answers of a Roman Catholic nature will be discussed.  Any violation or perceived violation of this policy will result in immediate and permanent banning.

We hope you will enjoy your experience with us.

God Bless,
Jeff
pseudo-/retired-/non-moderator 

[Schultz]

Therese Martin?

While it's certainly not outside the realm of possibilities, I find it unlikely that a moderator of a Catholic forum would have the same name as the birthname of one of Catholicism's most beloved saints (and certainly one I'm very devoted to).  One would think that, working in an official capacity, one would sign such an official email in one's real name.

If that is her actual name, then I'm wrong and will admit it.  It just seems a bit cutesy, that's all.

There's a reason I shy away from Catholic forums and it's because of Mickey Mouse stuff like this.  I think all the refugees should just shake the dust off and go about your business on here, so to speak, but those folks over at CAF are really going about this wrong way, IMHO.

[Mickey]

Or......

Dear Mickey,
Being a Catholic Answers Forum, we cannot tolerate free and open discussion between Catholics and non-Catholics.  No questions allowed, as they may threaten us theologically.  Therefore, only answers of a Roman Catholic nature will be discussed.  Any violation or perceived violation of this policy will result in immediate and permanent banning.

We hope you will enjoy your experience with us.

God Bless,
Jeff
pseudo-/retired-/non-moderator 

 LOL