Question about the forum

[RenewedbyFaith]

This place is very interesting. I've been surfing around the different denominational forums and I'm having trouble figuring something out.

In some of the forums, in order to consider yourself a member of that forum, you must be a member of a church of that denomination or working toward membership. For instance, in the Catholic forum, you have to be a Catholic or a person in the process of converting to be a member and have the Catholic icon.

But in other forums, like this one, the membership is open to anyone of any denomination, and someone who is a member of a totally different denomination can have an Anabaptist icon.

In the Catholic forum, you can't be part of a debate or open a baiting thread unless you are a Catholic. In this forum, anyone can debate or open a baiting thread or insult anyone anytime.

Are there different rules for different forums?

How does one get an Anabaptist icon if they are a member of a different denominations?

[catlover]

Who exactly is here who is sporting an Anabaptist icon but is not Anabaptist?:scratch:
If someone came on any of the congregation forums and started harassing the members, the thread would be closed. For instance on The Adventist forum some poster of another faith asked some inflamatory questions and the thread was closed. If you see a thread which you feel violates the rules report it, it may take a little while for a moderator to clean it up.
If you want your icon changed to Anabaptist you need to P.M a senior moderator

[RenewedbyFaith]

Thanks for your answer. :)

I'm not wanting to change my icon.

I was just wondering what criteria there are for determining who is a member of a particular forum and who isn't.

It seems some of the forums have tight rules for who can use their icon and others have perhaps no criteria for use of their icon. Who determines who should have what icon?

For instance, there are several people in this forum who have an Anabaptist icon, but their profiles say they attend a church that is not Anabaptist. How is it determined who is eligible to have the Anabaptist icon?

Please understand that I'm not challenging anyone's use of the icon, I'm trying to figure out what the term Anabaptist means at Christian Forums. :cool: :)

[catlover]

Thanks for your answer. :)

I'm not wanting to change my icon.

I was just wondering what criteria there are for determining who is a member of a particular forum and who isn't.

It seems some of the forums have tight rules for who can use their icon and others have perhaps no criteria for use of their icon. Who determines who should have what icon?

For instance, there are several people in this forum who have an Anabaptist icon, but their profiles say they attend a church that is not Anabaptist. How is it determined who is eligible to have the Anabaptist icon?

Please understand that I'm not challenging anyone's use of the icon, I'm trying to figure out what the term Anabaptist means at Christian Forums. :cool: :)

I hate to answer a question with a question, but what are The Anabaptist standards for determining who is and is not an Anabaptist?

From my understanding there are a couple of Anabaptist denominations, so you would need to use their criteria.

[CelticRose]

This is also the forum for Quakers & other denoms who believe in non~violence so I have an annabaptist icon though I am not annabaptist. As a Quaker I have no access to a meeting at my present location & attend a non~denom church. Hope that clarifies things a bit.

[RenewedbyFaith]

I hate to answer a question with a question, but what are The Anabaptist standards for determining who is and is not an Anabaptist?

From my understanding there are a couple of Anabaptist denominations, so you would need to use their criteria.

I'm so sorry for making this seem confrontational. I'm really not sure what I said that made it seem like I was suggesting anyone isn't entitled to an Anabaptist icon. I was just confused because...well, I already explained why I am confused.

I don't want to create hostility in the forum, so I'll just withdraw my question.

I'll contact a moderator and ask for this thread to be deleted.

Again, I apologize for creating a problem. :sorry:

[RenewedbyFaith]

This is also the forum for Quakers & other denoms who believe in non~violence so I have an annabaptist icon though I am not annabaptist. As a Quaker I have no access to a meeting at my present location & attend a non~denom church. Hope that clarifies things a bit.

Thank you for your kindness.

Yes, your answer does help me a lot. I think I understand better now. :thumbsup:

[CelticRose]

You are most welcome. :)

[MrJim]

For instance, there are several people in this forum who have an Anabaptist icon, but their profiles say they attend a church that is not Anabaptist. How is it determined who is eligible to have the Anabaptist icon?



I am one of those. I attend a baptist church but am not an official member. The last official "membership" of a church I had was mennonite.

Anabaptist is how I describe my lifeview. It is more than just signing up a card to be a member at the local mennnonite or brethren church. Currently I'm not at an anabaptist church simply because I haven't found one to really fit into--they tend to be either too liberal or too conservative.

The baptists know I'm not baptist, and it makes for some fascinating discussions in our Sunday School class and Wednesday eve bible study. These are American Baptists, and while they tend not to be as conservative as Southern there is still lots of issues where at times I think the anabaptist message I put forth gets through, even if just planting seeds, so to speak. My goal there is not so much to convert, but help them to see another historical Christian viewpoint. Usually when I start a sentence with "I know this isn't a traditional baptist viewpoint" they know what's coming. And there is another fellow there, raised Church of the Brethren, that tends to hold to a lot of what he was raised in.

All that to say that unlike denominationalists I tend to view the term "anabaptist" a little broader. Unlike the Catholic or Lutheran forum, there is no church called "anabaptist". This isn't a "Mennonite" forum or "Brethren" forum, which then would lend it to denominationalism, but more like the "Non-Denominational" forum, which is more of an umbrella forum.

Maybe that's clear as mud, but that's my story and I'm stickin' to it:P

Good question though.

Jim

[WayneinMaine]

Anabaptism is not a denomination. What would be called "Anabaptists" churches have about as wide a range as "Protestant" or "Evangelical", the term encompasses a wide spectum of groups with a common and distinct historical connection.

Things get all the more confusing when ideas or other movements become associated with Anabaptism which really are foreign to the early Anabaptist movement.

[GorrionGris]

I hope nobody thinks my threads are 'baiting'

[Erinwilcox]

Closing at request of OP