Do you care what other CAF posters think of you?

[SuperLuigi]

This is pretty much how I think too, although there have many times lately where a member (usually new) has been so rude to other members that I have been tempted to say something I might regret later.

But so far, no regrets.

Yes, I see those complex question fallacies too. Y! Answers used to be loaded with them, maybe they still are.

 

[pensmama87]

That does actually happen.

Yup. And even once they’re found out, they frequently try again. Some of the long time posters are very good at picking them out.

I’d say there’s a couple people that I really respect. If they quote me positively it sets my heart a flutter. Then, as in “real life,” there’s just some people I get on better with. That’s not necessarily cliquey or mean, just life. I do attempt to be polite to everyone, but I do call out crazy when I see it, and my frustration has gotten the better of me sometimes.

I’m pretty sure I’m on at least a couple ignore lists, because occasionally I’ll post something absolutely brilliant, only to have a poster say something similar but not quite so eloquently afterwards, and as an aside throw in, “I can’t believe no one said this yet!”

 

[SuperLuigi]

Yup. And even once they’re found out, they frequently try again. Some of the long time posters are very good at picking them out.

I’d say there’s a couple people that I really respect. If they quote me positively it sets my heart a flutter. Then, as in “real life,” there’s just some people I get on better with. That’s not necessarily cliquey or mean, just life. I do attempt to be polite to everyone, but I do call out crazy when I see it, and my frustration has gotten the better of me sometimes.

I’m pretty sure I’m on at least a couple ignore lists, because occasionally I’ll post something absolutely brilliant, only to have a poster say something similar but not quite so eloquently afterwards, and as an aside throw in, “I can’t believe no one said this yet!”

You’re not on my ignore list.

 

[fin]

I don’t know, those who say that this or that member is rude are the ones actually being rude.

 

[Irishmom2]

I don’t know, those who say that this or that member is rude are the ones actually being rude.

 

[Hoosier_Daddy]

When I use the ignore list I inform the other poster privately and ask them to place me on thier ignore list, because otherwise it’s not fair to the nature of discussion. Then I inform the mods of the request.

 

[ConfusedLucy]

I believe another CAFer has suggested a porn and masturbation subforum and I think that’s not a crazy idea.

That way those threads can be tidied away.

That would be awesome

 

[mommy_k]

There are many posters here who I respect and like regardless if thier views are similar or opposite than mine in non concrete matters.

So for these people…yes, I care. I am fortunate to have met these intelligent and holy people.

I pray daily that CAF returns to a gentle respite for those of us seeking to learn and grow in faith.

 

[exnihilo]

I don’t care what others think of me because I can’t control that. I try, and often fail, to be charitable and prudent in how I correspond with others. There are some people who often irk me and I probably irk them. But this is mostly in political discussion. I have more recently tried to not insist on having the final word. I don’t do that because of what others think of me but for the sake of my own soul.

Mostly, recently it’s just a handful of the same posters. The traffic has slowed up a trickle.

This is a shame. When I first came here as a Protestant the more lively discussion helped me to understand the Catholic Faith which led to my conversion.

 

[ToeInTheWater]

This is a shame. When I first came here as a Protestant the more lively discussion helped me to understand the Catholic Faith which led to my conversion.

Sadly it seems there is very little actual “Catholic Answers” content on CAF these days. I do recall the activity used to feature much more actual Catholic apologetics. The Ask an Apologist forum was very popular, as was the Apologetics forum in general. Now people mostly either (1) pray for intentions or (2) argue about politics.

I get the feeling the main CA brass have essentially given up on CAF as actually contributing anything to the actual apologetics mission by itself, and I suspect the new forum will be much more hands-off and anything-goes because they just don’t see the forum as that important to their overall mission. (It’s also telling how the blog articles no longer allow for discussion anymore ever since the main site upgrade.)

Maybe I’ll be proven wrong, I get the feeling they hope “Well maybe 5% of the CA forumers will actually check out the main site, And maybe 10% will donate funds to help keep the REAL apostolate running. So the forums are still good for something, but not enough to justify the amount of manpower we’ve been dedicating to it so far”.

 

[Hoosier_Daddy]

Sadly it seems there is very little actual “Catholic Answers” content on CAF these days. I do recall the activity used to feature much more actual Catholic apologetics. The Ask an Apologist forum was very popular, as was the Apologetics forum in general. Now people mostly either (1) pray for intentions or (2) argue about politics.

I get the feeling the main CA brass have essentially given up on CAF as actually contributing anything to the actual apologetics mission by itself, and I suspect the new forum will be much more hands-off and anything-goes because they just don’t see the forum as that important to their overall mission. (It’s also telling how the blog articles no longer allow for discussion anymore ever since the main site upgrade.)

Maybe I’ll be proven wrong, I get the feeling they hope “Well maybe 5% of the CA forumers will actually check out the main site, And maybe 10% will donate funds to help keep the REAL apostolate running. So the forums are still good for something, but not enough to justify the amount of manpower we’ve been dedicating to it so far”.

I agree with you and I miss the “glory days” of CA, including the forums. I think it’s obvious there is a letdown of quality and content. But I’m willing to ride it out and I’m hopeful that maybe after some turbulence, it’s smooth sailing…
Let’s let them try to right the ship before we sharpen our pitchforks.

CA is like the trump administration and we just have to trust the process and realize it may not be smooth but in the end it will be better.
A fully staffed AA forum is needed BADLY.

 

[BlueEyedLady]

Not one iota. There are a few regulars I believe are sincere (they tend to have higher post counts and/or longer tenures than me, and are some of the least inflammatory people on the boards), but at the end of the day as far as I’m concerned, people on CAF, just like the rest of the internet, aren’t real. I love exchanging ideas and defending my own, but it concerns me when people talk about making friends and trading contact information. I’m very much of the belief that anyone could be anyone online and I have enough people I know, love, and trust in real life that I don’t need to risk being doxxed, stalked, blackmailed, etc for one more friend who lives on the other side of the country.

 

[Hoosier_Daddy]

Not one iota. There are a few regulars I believe are sincere (they tend to have higher post counts and/or longer tenures than me, and are some of the least inflammatory people on the boards), but at the end of the day as far as I’m concerned, people on CAF, just like the rest of the internet, aren’t real. I love exchanging ideas and defending my own, but it concerns me when people talk about making friends and trading contact information. I’m very much of the belief that anyone could be anyone online and I have enough people I know, love, and trust in real life that I don’t need to risk being doxxed, stalked, blackmailed, etc for one more friend who lives on the other side of the country.

I agree for the most part. However BEL, I’ll only ever know you by your screen name and posts, but you are an incredible asset to the boards and I agree with your views more than most. I enjoy your posts and point of view. And as far as that is concerned I consider BEL a virtual friend, though I fully understand if I met the person behind the posts I may wretch with disgust!

 

[ToeInTheWater]

I love exchanging ideas and defending my own, but it concerns me when people talk about making friends and trading contact information. I’m very much of the belief that anyone could be anyone online and I have enough people I know, love, and trust in real life that I don’t need to risk being doxxed, stalked, blackmailed, etc for one more friend who lives on the other side of the country.

I personally recall a past experience on another forum, now defunct, that also had a chat room. A particular woman was chatting with me and appearing to be friendly, yet laughing at me to her “friends” behind my virtual back at the same time. (And yes I know she was a woman because I did meet her face to face at a actual “meet and greet” event hosted by the forum.)

So while I am happy to discuss issues with people on the open forums, I have become wary of indulging in PMs too much. I haven’t really been harassed but I know others here have. And I admit, using PMs tempt me into discussing other posters “behind their backs” as well. Too much drama on the open forums even without that.

 

[Hoosier_Daddy]

That would be awesome

As would an 18 year old policy for the forums.

 

[johnnyc176]

Does anyone else feel the same? Or are other posters just impersonal internet beings that you debate with on a purely intellectual level?

Well to answer the actual question…No because these days proclaiming the Truth of Jesus Christ and His Church you are not going to win any popularity contests. Of course liberals and the like are hoping it bothers you because when they call you hater, intolerant, homophobic and any other name that seeks to bury the Truth in relativism it is designed to shut you up.

Like I said in another thread. With the new forum coming up with the like and dislike feature getting a dislike could be a badge of honor lol.

 

[Xantippe]

As would an 18 year old policy for the forums.

There is that.

 

[PPeterson]

at the end of the day as far as I’m concerned, people on CAF, just like the rest of the internet, aren’t real. I love exchanging ideas and defending my own, but it concerns me when people talk about making friends and trading contact information.

Lol, agreed. The BEL account is one that always struck me as fictional. Maybe that’s intentional and good judgement given the above, but general vibe of it is enough for me to have a suspicion I’m being clowned when responding to it with serious replies.

 

[Gordon_Sims]

Not one iota. There are a few regulars I believe are sincere (they tend to have higher post counts and/or longer tenures than me, and are some of the least inflammatory people on the boards), but at the end of the day as far as I’m concerned, people on CAF, just like the rest of the internet, aren’t real. I love exchanging ideas and defending my own, but it concerns me when people talk about making friends and trading contact information. I’m very much of the belief that anyone could be anyone online and I have enough people I know, love, and trust in real life that I don’t need to risk being doxxed, stalked, blackmailed, etc for one more friend who lives on the other side of the country.

I always thought I was the only person who viewed forums this way. I’ve had others get angry at me in the past for saying similar things. It’s not that I think there’s not a real person behind the screen names, but you could be anyone or, theoretically, no one. Ages ago, when I had the free time to do so, I had multiple, drastically different ID’s running on several different forums. None of them were actually “me.” That’s part of why I don’t put too much trust into any personality I deal with online. Who’s to say you’re not actually a bored mother of twelve or a priest? That’s not to say I haven’t developed some actual relationships or even friendships online, but that’s generally not my intention and those cases are few and far between.

Considering all that, I don’t put too much stock in what other forum members, either here or on other forums, may or may not think of me. It’s gratifying when someone says they’re taking my advice to heart or commends what I say in some other way, but if they don’t, it’s not a big concern. What does strike me, mostly from an intellectual point of view, is when people get really worked up over me personally or something I post. Over all the years I’ve been involved with various internet forums, I’ve received everything from hate mail to death threats, most based on completely insignificant comments or misunderstandings. I can’t comprehend how someone could have the time or inclination to pursue a forum vendetta.

The biggest reason, though, is that the internet is an extremely impersonal means of communication and some people, either due to misreading or their own bias or agenda, seem incapable of fully comprehending what others say online. I’ve seen and been involved in far too many threads that go off the tracks because one or more people make gross assumptions, misread or misconstrue comments, or carry over prejudices based on unrelated topics. It’s hard to take such people or their opinions seriously.

 

[pnewton]

I actually met someone who knew me from here. That was a surprise. I try to be charitable and hold to my Catholic identity. I care what people think of me, not so much what they thing of the things I believe that are part of my faith and my morals. As I see it, if I am being offensive on any sort of personal level, then I am a poor writer.