Enough Already! -Reply

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> ["weird" standards, abuse of authority, etc]

One thing to please consider: we have standards on this list too.  We
don't always "enforce" them, and there are plenty of people who get
pretty ticked off about them, and several others disagree.  But the
list is run by Tyler and I, and there are REASONS we do things they way
we do.  You might not understand the reasons, but oft-times our policies
came into place as a reaction to some occurance.  Furthermore, these
standards are not mentioned in the Bible at all (surprise surprise!)

For example, somebody read Tyler and I the riot act when we sent her
the questionaire that's now required to join this list.  She accused of
us being pharisees and worse.  (Paradoxically, she then proceeeded to
show how religious and holy she was by promising to pray for us.)  She
did not understand why we have the questionaire, nor did she bother to
ask us.

I'm sure many of you who received the questionaire have wondered the
same thing.  Trust us, there's a good reason and his name is "Jan."
Those who are on the list from the pre-questionaire days will probably
shout "AMEN!"  on this one.   We've had some tumultuous times here on
H-F.

              *                 *               *

Another thing to consider: please think twice about publishing material
that some might consider slanderous.  As one brother pointed out to me
in private mail: consider the opposition to Internet communication that
could come about should some ministers learn they are being talked
about in this forum!!  Please think twice.  Remember, you're getting
one-day delivery of your writing direct to nearly 200 people around the
world.

I know this list can serve as a good place to "vent" frustrations.
Maybe you think your pastor/choir leader/bus driver isn't doing things
just right.  Whatever the issue: is a publically available forum the
place to do this?  I'm not really sure.

How about writing privately to a kindly minister such as Bro Bassett?
Is Bro Bassett now acting as a surrogate pastor in offering advice?  Is
this ethical? I'm guilty of this myself: I turn to Bro Basset *a lot*
for issues regarding this list.  My pastor knows I run this list, but
he's not very aware of things regarding the Internet.  If I asked him,
he'd just give me a blank look and say "I don't know; what do you
think?"  (He is a WONDERFUL pastor BTW.  How else could we triple in
size in one year? and we're looking to double in size going from 96 to
97).

So list, what do you think?  Should we air out the dirty laundry here?
If not, how should these things be handled?

Richard Masoner


P.S. Remember: October is CLERGY APPRECIATION MONTH.