So I'll post the disclaimer right here at the top: I'm aware that this is probably my own perception and has little basis in reality. Please give me a "reality check" as needed :)
I used to participate actively at Bountiful. I found most of the topics provocative and the discussion intellectually stimulating. The participants almost always approached the discussions with rigor, reasoning, and respect.
In my view, things have been evolving for the past several months. I rarely find an intellectually engaging topic. (Yeah, I understand my responsibility to start one occasionally.) The focus seems to have shifted from an LDS approach to meaningful discussion of important topics to sharing videos, casual conversation, and a whole lot of taking offense and being down right disagreeable to folks.
I readily admit that I've been a part of the evolution--I've contributed Youtube clips, humorless humor, a great deal of idle conversation, and a misguided attempt at a 12-step forum.
I'm sure this natural evolution of the forum is a good thing for most of the members. I miss the days-of-yore Bountiful.
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The ability to qualify for, receive, and act on personal revelation is the single most important skill that can be acquired in this life. - Julie Beck
So, Roper, do you have any ideas on how to recapture the glory days? I haven't been here since the beginning, so I'm not sure if I see the same thing as you.
What can we, as members, do to have the provocative discussions? Do you think that the topics aren't stimulating? Do you think they start off stimulating and then decay into banality? I'm serious in my questioning.
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It takes a big man to cry, but it takes a bigger man to laugh at that man.
I've been unable to post on my laptop. Does that count?
I want to vet on the political campaign (Obama and his drug use ) but I feel the need to lie down so perhaps on another day.
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no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing... the truth of God will go forth till it has penetrated every website, sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished and the great Jehovah shall say the work is done
Well, Roper, that can always be changed. I think a lot of us have been busy lately, and the light association is less time consuming than engaging discussion.
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If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude than the animated contest of freedom, go from us in peace. May your chains sit lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen! - Samuel Adams
Bountiful can always go on a recruiting campaign for fresh blood. A little something I learned from my wife - if you don't like the way cooking dinner is turning out, add a bunch of ingredients sort of at random, and see what happens next.
I may be just an old railroader... and know nothing about lighter-than-air craft... but from my layman's perspective, you need more altitude! - The Conductor from Polar Express
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And I'd discuss the holy books with the learned men, seven hours every day. That would be the sweetest thing of all.
I am not one to discuss politics much. I do try to add my two cents to other interesting topics. I also like the lighter side and the humor too. Hopefully, we can have the best of both worlds!
I have noticed this is a common occurance on message boards. It's the circle of life. There is a time when the juices flow and everyone has a few extra minutes a day to participate, then it get into a bit of a rut, and so many posters and busier and feeling the strain of spending too much time on line (or the holidays and finals hit) and it gets mundane.
It will circle around, most likely.
Other than that, I have nothing interesting to say...
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"My days of not taking you seriously are certainly coming to a middle."
no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing... the truth of God will go forth till it has penetrated every website, sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished and the great Jehovah shall say the work is done
As I go about my days, I will often think of things that I want to bring up in topics either here at Bountiful or at my other forums or to email people. However, I forget a lot of what I think about. I am sure it was all very interesting lol. I know I tend to repeat "issues" though. I am trying to get away from that.
I do think that people generally try to fit into a norm of what is posted as a rule. Also, people usually do not want to talk more on average than others. I know I often hold back because I don't want to be perceived as being too talkative or monopolizing too much of the dialogue. Becaue I could talk. Oh, can I ever talk. And when I hit on something that is of mutual interests to others, it makes me happy. I like stimulating conversation. Nobody is clever or witty or interesting all the time. And the more you know a person, the less there may be where you may be surprised.
On message boards, I have felt so accepted. That means a lot to me. Maybe that is usuing a message board as a support group. I am the only member in my family. As cool as my family is, I can't run a lot of things by them in certain subject matters. I have some LDS friends, but I really like message boards a lot.
And it is also an outlet for my creative bursts of energy. I gives me some focus in my life. I have made so many friends.
I think it helps me cope better and makes me happier to have friends. I hope that others find the same benefits.
I remember just prior to my mother passing away, she was listening to BYU TV rebroadcasting some highly spiritual churchy thing and she made the statement that sometimes, you just have to "turn it off in order to orient your personal perspective". . .sort of like information overload.
sometimes, if I become too focused on one element of my purpose here, I can miss out on other things that I might need to brush up on in order to make my time here well spent.
