Where'd everybody go?

[WilliamL]

On 10/1/2020 at 6:42 PM, Saved.One.by.Grace said:

In my case, my Samsung phone is using WiFi, my computer is using Comcast xFinity.

Uh, still showing my ignorance here, but if Comcast is slower than wifi, why not just use the wifi with your computer?

[Guest]

23 minutes ago, WilliamL said:

Uh, still showing my ignorance here, but if Comcast is slower than wifi, why not just use the wifi with your computer?

My phone uses Sprint WiFi.  My computer is using WiFi from my Comcast router.  I've never successfully wireless connected to the Sprint WiFi from my computer.  I can see it but not connect to it.  Don't know why.

[WilliamL]

1 minute ago, Saved.One.by.Grace said:

My phone uses Sprint WiFi.  My computer is using WiFi from my Comcast router.  I've never successfully wireless connected to the Sprint WiFi from my computer.  I can see it but not connect to it.  Don't know why.

  (I.e., trying to understand tech can drive one batty.)

[BeauJangles]

On 10/5/2020 at 12:14 PM, WilliamL said:

Uh, still showing my ignorance here, but if Comcast is slower than wifi, why not just use the wifi with your computer?

Here are the facts of social media. By far, more internet users are relying on smart or iPhone devices than they are owners of computers these days. That includes quite a lot of limitations. But, cellular users find computers more problematic though having far more capabilities. Even with a laptop you can connect a printer and that's a nice feature if you have one.

I don't own this type of cellular phone, but young people are finding all their needs having one. Computers are way more expensive to own compared to smartphones. And they should be for the limitations they have associated with them. There's very few viral and malware kinds of invasions to be concerned with as well and users find that also convenient.

For my visual purposes, I'll stay with a PC. I would find hard to deal with a phone for internet. They are the economical way to have the web right at your fingertips. Texting must be difficult, but I suppose you could get used to that. The kids I've seen don't seem to mind the inconvenience. My sister and brother in-law have used them since the early 2ooos.  

[WilliamL]

14 hours ago, BeauJangles said:

Computers are way more expensive to own compared to smartphones. ...

How about service fees? I use library wifi, so don't have any costs other than that of gas to drive there. My flip phone costs me $35.53 for 90 days. But smart phone fees, from what I've heard, are not cheap, and one is often bound by a long-term contract.

Also, phones are hackable as well as computers -- not by themselves, but by whatever is downloaded onto them. So I wonder if the security for one is all that better than for the other.

But what the heck do I know??

[Tzephanyahu]

On 10/1/2020 at 9:01 PM, WilliamL said:

Uh, showing my ignorance here, since i don't have/can't afford a smartphone, but why is Worthy less phone friendly? How do smartphones access the internet any differently than computers?

I have always accessed Worthy by my smartphone and that has no reason why I no longer frequent the forum.

I just found that over the past 10 months or so, Worthy has just become really...boring.

It used to feel vibrant and lively but now it's just the same ol' posts, a lot of nonsense ones, the same tired arguments and it just doesn't feel like the Spirit is moving on here (to me).

I now only log on occasionally to see if any newbies have joined with questions about the Word. But as for generally contributing? Meh, it's not for me anymore.  Unless I want to write about Trump, the virus or "Buddy the mouse".

Someone said it's because people don't want the truth. Heh. It seems the other way around to me which is why many people that I know from here have left.

Shame. Didn't always used to be that way.

[WilliamL]

5 minutes ago, Tzephanyahu said:

I just found that over the past 10 months or so, Worthy has just become really...boring.

So start some topics to liven it up, already.

[Tzephanyahu]

16 minutes ago, WilliamL said:

So start some topics to liven it up, already.

Hah, if it was only that easy my friend. 

Don't get me wrong, I've tried and I've seen others try many times.  But when trying to delve into deep topics of the Bible, there seems to be two reactions...

Firstly, you get slept on entirely.  Take @Walter and Deborah, a great example of a member who posts edifying portions of Scripture regularly (I think daily) without fail, but they basically get no response.  What a great opportunity they provide the forum regularly to start a deep discussion?  But it just never takes off.  Sadly, they barely get one response for most of the time.  However, a post called "my mouse is running for president" is likely to get up to 40 pages of replies. 

Secondly, diverse opinions are not accepted well here at all.  That's just the way it seems to be.  Many have been banned temporarily or permanently or even just left because of it.  People in this forum can't seem to just say "That's a different point of view, interesting".  Rather it soon finds way to rudeness or name calling - sometimes even outright slander - simply for having a different opinion.  Newbies have come and gone witnessing this behaviour and it's a reason I don't recommend any new believer to sign up here.

So how to fix it and how to liven it up?  Personally I would say open the doors and let anyone join.  All that want to, from other faiths or with no faith.  Let them ask questions on Scripture, God and our faith, to challenge us intellectually and spiritually and, most importantly, to give us the chance to serve Him.

Now, I realise the reason why this is a Christian-only forum.  So it may serve as a "haven" for believers.  But I remember reading a post called "What's your favourite burger topping" which ran for about 10 pages...  Is that what we need our special haven for?  To become stagnant and talk nonsense, or to be rude to each other?  Is that really how we want to say we served the Lord in the last days?  Is that really Worthy?

You could easily have one room in the forum still for believers only to be that "haven". But I say open the floodgates and let's do some actual work for the Lord, rather than post moanings about the state of the world.

Besides, if we keep our doors closed to the lost knocking from outside, how can we expect the Lord to open to us when we knock?

Anyway, that's just my two cents worth.  It's a good question that you asked.

Love & Shalom

[WilliamL]

10 minutes ago, Tzephanyahu said:

...diverse opinions are not accepted well here at all.  That's just the way it seems to be.  Many have been banned temporarily or permanently or even just left because of it.  People in this forum can't seem to just say "That's a different point of view, interesting".  Rather it soon finds way to rudeness or name calling - sometimes even outright slander - simply for having a different opinion.  Newbies have come and gone witnessing this behaviour and it's a reason I don't recommend any new believer to sign up here.

This situation is common to every forum I've been in over the last 20 years. It's a delicate balancing act for moderators, God bless 'em. One man's heresy is another man's truth.

14 minutes ago, Tzephanyahu said:

So how to fix it and how to liven it up?  Personally I would say open the doors and let anyone join.  All that want to, from other faiths or with no faith.  Let them ask questions on Scripture, God and our faith, to challenge us intellectually and spiritually ...

While I agree in part, again there's the problem of anarchy then taking over a site and thereby ruining it. Satan has plenty of minions ready to do just that.

18 minutes ago, Tzephanyahu said:

But I remember reading a post called "What's your favourite burger topping" which ran for about 10 pages...  Is that what we need our special haven for?  To become stagnant and talk nonsense, or to be rude to each other?  Is that really how we want to say we served the Lord in the last days?

You're dead on here. Too much fluff and nonsense.

19 minutes ago, Tzephanyahu said:

I say open the floodgates and let's do some actual work for the Lord, rather than post moanings about the state of the world.

Besides, if we keep our doors closed to the lost knocking from outside, how can we expect the Lord to open to us when we knock?

I think Worthy's doors are open for the most part, but the Lord and the Church also have standards ('rules') that they rightly can insist on being followed. God does require order in His assemblies. The problem is that, too often, men add their own rules to God's.

[Tzephanyahu]

1 minute ago, WilliamL said:

While I agree in part, again there's the problem of anarchy then taking over a site and thereby ruining it. Satan has plenty of minions ready to do just that.

Are you certain that his minions aren't able to get on here already?

What if his people were managing to derail us with over lightheartedness and fear of the world topics? 

What if his people shut down anyone who was speaking the truth calling them "a deciever" or "leading the flock astray"?

Witches can plant themselves in churches quite easily and so how much more a forum.  Surely they would wear a persona to go undetected. So surely you can see that as a small possibility at least.

So maybe an open attack is better than a subtle insidious one...

I don't know. I don't have the answer.  It's just my opinion and the reason I'm not inspired to login anymore. But I'm sure there are other reasons for others.

Love & Shalom