Reporting offensive threads and post...

I've looked but I didn't see where you could report a post that is offensive.

As a Born Again Believer in Jesus Christ who is African American, I am offended by the thread in the "News Forum" called something like "This is why Christians in America are upset..." and it has a link. I find it offensive on so many levels. I can't begin to express to you what I feel and maybe it's a good ideal if I don't. It's not "News" so why is it even allowed?

I saw that there were 2 Moderators Paul West & Sermonindex who were on line at the same time I was, but nothing was done concerning that thread. To my knowledge as I write this, it is still an open thread. Why is that? Would it be acceptable to you if I started a thread of the same ilk using white men who are pedophiles and explained the cost to tax payers and included some kind of inflammatory link? Maybe if I posted something not quite anti-semitic but close hmmmm? I pretty sure you would shut it down without hesitation but you let that thread stand?

If you let that thread stand including its link then you're not really who you say you are. You can just feign ignorance while you let someone else do your dirty work because in reality you’re in agreement. It's a nasty and ugly thread plain and simple. I've seen how you've locked threads with a quickness, especially when they don't favor your perspective so to speak. So why was this thread left open? Speaks volumes.

I'm no fly by night member and I‘m not a novice. I‘ve been saved more than a minute. I just don't post a lot. But this is different because of the present climate and what’s being signified and you know it. To allow that thread Is not okay and it's not alright. It‘s a gross misrepresentation of African American males and the poor. Both who make up some of God‘s kingdom. So I would like to know based on what you say Sermon Index stands for how that thread glorifies God? You tell me. I look forward to your response.

by Jasmine on 2012/11/15 6:46:32

I've looked but I didn't see where you could report a post that is offensive.

As a Born Again Believer in Jesus Christ who is African American, I am offended by the thread in the "News Forum" called something like "This is why Christians in America are upset..." and it has a link. I find it offensive on so many levels. I can't begin to express to you what I feel and maybe it's a good ideal if I don't. It's not "News" so why is it even allowed?

I saw that there were 2 Moderators Paul West & Sermonindex who were on line at the same time I was, but nothing was done concerning that thread. To my knowledge as I write this, it is still an open thread. Why is that? Would it be acceptable to you if I started a thread of the same ilk using white men who are pedophiles and explained the cost to tax payers and included some kind of inflammatory link? Maybe if I posted something not quite anti-semitic but close hmmmm? I pretty sure you would shut it down without hesitation but you let that thread stand?

If you let that thread stand including its link then you're not really who you say you are. You can just feign ignorance while you let someone else do your dirty work because in reality you’re in agreement. It's a nasty and ugly thread plain and simple. I've seen how you've locked threads with a quickness, especially when they don't favor your perspective so to speak. So why was this thread left open? Speaks volumes.

I'm no fly by night member and I‘m not a novice. I‘ve been saved more than a minute. I just don't post a lot. But this is different because of the present climate and what’s being signified and you know it. To allow that thread Is not okay and it's not alright. It‘s a gross misrepresentation of African American males and the poor. Both who make up some of God‘s kingdom. So I would like to know based on what you say Sermon Index stands for how that thread glorifies God? You tell me. I look forward to your response.
_________________

Greetings Jasmine

I can't answer for Greg or the other mods directly but it is possible that they did not open the thread you are referring to. Its is also possible that they are unaware of this thread. If I may make a suggestion, send Greg an email with the link to the thread, share your heart on what the LORD is showing you concerning the thread and then pray and trust that the LORD will lead them to respond according to HIS will. I have done this in the past and on most occasions I have gotten and email thanking me for bringing the thread to their attention. Just because a mod is on does not mean they open each thread and it is possible this one slipped past.

I hope this information helps you in reporting the thread that troubled you.

God bless
mj

Dear Jasmine,

I am so very sorry that I offended you by posting the video that I posted. I come from a multicultural family where people are people and cultural background is not an issue. I have an African American sister in law whom I love dearly as well as a Hispanic American brother in law, and an Asian American aunt. I now attend a Hispanic church. Prior to that I attended a multicultural church. If the couple had been Asian, Hispanic or Caucasian, or a mixture of any, to me it would not have made any difference. The evil that they were expressing is being done by millions across this country from several cultural backgrounds. Many of us are deeply concerned. I personally live a self sacrificing life in order to help people from all cultural backgrounds, but evil is evil and Christians must expose and denounce evil when it is being passed on as "OK" regardless of who is committing the evil.

Before seeing the video I had no knowledge of Judge Judy. At age 11 I quit watching TV, so I am totally “out of the loop” when it comes to TV shows. I didn’t realize that the video would spark such offense.

Please forgive my ignorant blunder.

Sincerely,

Michael Strickland

Dear Lordoitagain,

Let me begin by saying for the record, I don’t know one African American male or female including myself who would be in agreement with what was expressed in that video from that young man - not one. However I did know before I even clicked the link, it would be an African American. I kid you not. You chose to inform those outside of America what you believe to be a “problem” and you used the face of an African American man to represent that. I don’t recall there being a disclaimer on your part stating, “this is not a reflection of all African American men“.

If all these people you made your thread to abroad already personally know African American men then there‘s no problem. If not, they don’t know what you posted is not who African American men are. They don’t know because they have no relationship with them to say otherwise. and that is what I think you’re missing regarding the link. Just speaking of America, the closest some white people have ever come to African Americans is the media - television. What’s really scary is then they think they know us when in reality all they know are mostly negative stereotypes and images because they have no real relationship with us. However I think some like it that way because it’s easier to vilify people you’re not in right relationship with.

You made your thread specifically knowing the present climate. You know that and I know that. Here’s another reality for you. You’re not the one on the receiving end of your thread. We are real people of flesh, bone, and blood behind these computers. What we say online can have real consequences off line. Your words are real. I am the parent of an adult African American man so it matters to me. There are people, some who say they are Christians in hatred and I do feel your thread added fuel to that hatred. People like that only see skin color and we both know it. It’s all up and through many of the Christian forums and the internet. There are many white people who do not include white people in what you described as an evil. They believe it’s only people of color and in particular African Americans. How dishonest of them, how convenient, and how ugly.

I’m not familiar with a gospel that scorns the poor. Poverty has its own way of stripping people of their humanity and I refuse to be a part of that. I don’t feel that poor people should be singled out. I also don’t feel poor people need to apologize for being poor. So you can vilify the poor, stereotype, generalize, and justify the way you feel and talk about them but I know God’s love is bigger than that and unlike us He sees in totality. Also I think about Lazarus and the rich man. When it was all said and done, who was saved? Make no mistake about it, God knows every single situation and His reach is far beyond anything we can comprehend or imagine. If you’re not offering the poor Salvation (don’t assume some of them aren’t Born Again) then what are you offering them?

I’m not sure of your apology because honestly, I just don’t know. However I can appreciate the fact that you took the time to respond to me and I thank you for that. Sorry for the long post. I do hope it at least helps you in part to understand my initial post. You can have the last word.

Mary Jane,

Thank you for your assistance. It was appreciated. It really was.

Greg,

Brother,

I really didn’t see the protocol for complaints and I honestly looked. Maybe I was supposed to email this post too but we’re here now. In terms of what you consider mis-reading/being unfair, you have your opinion and I have my experience.

Thank you for locking that thread but I saw that you left the link active. I don’t know if that’s on purpose or not. If it was left active on purpose, I think that that is disingenuous.

I’ve had my say on this matter. Thank you for affording me that opportunity.

Jasmine,

I had no interest in the video, until you started this thread. Now I have watched it.

Honestly, what is the problem? They were black, rather than white, is that your problem? Either way, they were both still wrong.

The only problem I see with the video, is that, as has been said, it has nothing to do with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Fact is, if tax isn't going to something like this, it will just go to something else just as worthless.

What's done is done.

I started not to post of this discussion, but felt after reading a while that I should share a bit of my feelings about it.

First of all there seems to be an assumption that all people of other races would view this video as the norm for the black men. I see that as a generalization that is unfair in itself. I think any thinking human being would have known that this guy was just a messed up foolish guy that is not living for anybody but himself, and especially in need of Jesus. I wonder what the comments would have been if there had been a white redneck in the video. Would anybody have associated the entire white male population with that person. I think not. I think we would have viewed it the same as I viewed it, as a person that was operating in welfare fraud and should be held accountable. I do not mind my tax dollars going to those in real need, but I do not like paying for people who have the attitude this young able bodied man had. Did anyone, including the so called Judge Judy, who I do not watch, even think about the poor landlord that got stiffed when money was given to pay the rent? Did anybody even mention it? It sounded like both people were living in the apartment, and nobody even considered the theft that was done to owner. When I saw this, what I saw was that there is no accountability to those who receive these funds, funds you and I furnished through our taxes, and being a small business owner ours are substantial. The individuals receiving money for rent should be required to produce receipts for the payment to the correct places for the funds they received. The welfare administration is failing to make sure people are using the money correctly, and as you could see by the young man's comments it had become a joke. I see people all the time at the store buying the dumbest things with their food stamps, both black, white, and hispanic in race. In our area there are a large number of people of all colors who don't want to work, and laugh because they don't need to, and you and I pay for it. Sorry I don't think that is right no matter what color they are.

I feel a bit sad because I feel a generalization was made here, and I know there have been many inhumanities to man that have taken place over the years that have caused that. I am white, but have fought all my life against predjudice. I hate it, Christ hates it. I have 4 friends that I go to conferences with, share things out of the same plate with, etc, would trust with my life, two are white, and two are black. I see no difference in them, they are my friends. I think that we can all generalize from our own persepective, but we need to stop it no matter what color we are. To think that all people will view the entire black male population like this foolish man is not right. I watched a video a while back of a white hunter that sprayed himself with female deer scent and a stag came along an kicked the tar out of him. Just because that man was foolish I did not think the entire white male population was just as foolish. That would be the same kind of generalization. That hurts everybody. I think we should remember that not everybody wants to believe the worst of anybody no matter what their color. Not everybody takes the few that do dumb things and labels that on everybody. That would be taking our progress in love and acceptance backwards.

I would like to share a little article I wrote a few years back, and had published, for you enjoyment here
http://www.yenoba.com/albert.html

I have determined to know no man after the flesh, but according to the heart.

Love and blessing to you