Hello Everyone,
Wow...the goings on between posters and the moderators for the last two weeks or so have certainly been impassioned; but having just gotten back from being on retreat yesterday, I missed the 'storm' while it was actively blowing. I've read most of the posts and am saddened by the mis-understandings and responses that seemed to have arisen due to differences in perception and opinion. On the other hand it is relieving that some issues seem to have been worked out; or at least have been smoothed out a bit.
I liken EMF to a passenger ship and will use that analogy here in the hope that it clarifies rather than confuses what I am about to discuss.
As a past moderator I can offer that it is a steep learning curve especially when one first begins to moderate the EMF board. It is like learning how to both help sail a passenger ship and maintain the passengers' comfort; all within conditions that are as variable as the sea itself. For instance, within days of joining the moderator crew, my inexperience became quite apparent when I edited a post submitted by another moderator. That cast both that moderator and me into an emersion program of learning to handle the ropes of moderating EMF in new ways. Although we perceived our situation to be one of stormy seas, it wasn't until we really encountered a storm a short time later that we realized that the EMF ship had been anchored in a protected harbor while we worked out our differences. Even so, pressing beyond simply resolving our personal issues provided the opportunity to learn how to work together as moderators more fairly and effectively.
From that whole experience the EMF moderator's guidelines for moderation (crew's handbook) became more refined and perhaps most importantly highlighted the need for moderators to collectively confer and form a consensus on any moderation decisions. Since then the moderators' forum acts as the 'crew's office' on the EMF ship and it is where the moderators review moderator posts, formulate moderation decisions, discuss EMF emails and responses, deal with spam, store deleted or moderated posts and perform EMF board maintenance tasks.
It is my hope that in providing this information, that members of EMF understand that posts by moderators are continuously being reviewed by all of the moderators with far greater scrutiny and debate than is applied to members' posts; and that the moderators are acting through a collective consensus when moderating posts. Similarly, perhaps there may come greater understanding with respect to the speed at which moderation and responses are delivered. The EMF crew's office (moderator's forum) can be a very busy place at times and one where most would not choose to hang out; although the door is always open for those of you who have a couple of sea legs to volunteer, a strong stomach and a good supply of chocolate and/or Cheezies.
Getting back to the recent issues on EMF, by their nature both EMF and a ship at sea are bound to be affected by prevailing winds. From EMF's perspective, these prevailing winds may be gentle or stormy, and are mainly generated through posts by EMF members (passengers on the ship); but may also come by way of the media, public service departments, law enforcement and legal representatives, the public at large and RSE as well. What gets blown into the EMF sails is the task of the moderators to assess and moderate (through trimming or opening the sails), so that the EMF ship can both stay afloat and be navigated while ensuring the comfort of the passengers on board as they journey with us.
Bearing this in mind, EMF has been blessed with mostly welcoming and beneficial winds (kind and supporting nature in posts), but the moderators have come to expect stormy conditions as well; and for sure storms do come up from time to time. Sometimes stormy conditions are brief and the ship of EMF gets rocked by strong winds & rogue waves (posts that violate EMF's posting guidelines & post and run members). Although these can be a challenge to navigate through, a far greater challenge comes when potentially damaging winds (impassioned opinions & debates along with posts that violate the guidelines), are blowing into our sails; for then we are potentially facing a real storm. Either way, a plan of action is formulated behind the scenes on the moderators' forum so that it can be implemented as required. Planning and implementation is based upon how things present and how they develop; as well as upon the moderators' experience with similar situations. Recalling the past really does come in handy in that the moderators have on file a complete record of similar situations and posts to refer to; from which trends can be identified, planned for and acted upon.
EMF is steady enough to handle rogue waves as a matter of course, so it is only when the wind that is making such waves continues to blow into our sails that a course of action is implemented. If a member (passenger) continues to violate posting guidelines despite first receiving requests followed by directives from the moderators for them to cease, the moderators may choose to implement restrictions on their ability to post (confine that passenger to their cabin). When it becomes clear that a member has no intention of following the guidelines and is primarily interested in high jacking EMF, the only solution may be to ban the member from EMF (ask the pirate to leave or throw them overboard). This is only done after a great deal of discussion amongst the moderators and with the individual concerned. These discussions are for the most part held in private so as to ensure that the comfort and journey of other members (passengers) are not unduly disrupted. Although the moderators may seem to abruptly announce when a member has been restricted or banned, it is my hope that the members of EMF now understand that a great deal has gone on before such decisions have been made.
Navigating EMF through prolonged storms requires quite a different tack, for not only are specific posts & threads to be contended with, there may also be discord among members to moderate as well. When the EMF ship is being flooded (with posts) and several of the passengers (members) come up on deck to respond (open debates on several threads), it is a very busy time for the crew (moderators). This is especially so when the prevailing winds (contentious posts) are blowing and gaining strength from more than one direction (several active thread topics). The crew continues to gain from experience but it is fairly obvious when conditions herald that a storm is building. So while the winds are still relatively gentle and the EMF ship is sailing on calm seas, the crew is preparing for when the storm erupts. Based on past experiences, it is that predictable.
The crew members, having gained some sailing experience know that times like these require maintaining a balance of respect toward everyone on board with the task at hand; which is to keep EMF on an even keel (maintain EMF's mandate of safe service to its passengers through upholding the posting guidelines). This means that the crew must be extra vigilant and work to cover all bases; including but not restricted to:
- respectfully and compassionately addressing complaints of passengers whether made publicly or privately (emails &PMs)
- acting to prevent chaos on board and/or to prevent a mass passenger protest (moderating posts and threads so that they remain on topic and within EMF's posting guidelines)
- maintaining an even weight distribution on board the ship (splitting, moving and possibly segregating some threads to the place for debates relating to RSE dogma - the RSE Supporters Thread) to prevent EMF from capsizing when many passengers congregate on one side of the ship (a thread dedicated to sharing observations with respect to a specific topic or view), to debate contentious issues (blow their winds).
- arresting and dealing with pirates who create nothing but discord and/or who have the intention of disabling or sinking EMF (restricting/banning members who highjack threads with abuse and/or who refuse to abide by EMF's posting guidelines)
- watching for and rescuing passengers who get pushed or washed overboard (offering compassion & comfort both on the board & privately to those who having been wounded by RSE, find that the conditions on EMF at times may be too much to handle.)
- enlisting assistance from passengers to help with getting the EMF ship through a storm through cooperation and understanding.
- cleaning up and making repairs to the EMF ship after the storm has passed (conferring with the other moderators to review how similar situations may be best handled in the future and posting responses to concerns on the All Things EMF Thread and elsewhere on the board)
Each moderator must participate in all of this while balancing the expressions of personal opinions & experiences that they post as members with those of the moderators and the moderators' responsibilities.
In addition, each moderator receives personal messages and emails from members that often express concerns and experiences that the member does not wish to share on the board. Generally these are heartfelt though they may not always be kind. Even so, a response must be generated and sent so that the member knows that their concerns have been heard and have been (or will be), given consideration either through the collective of the moderators or privately.
I apologize that this post is so lengthy, but it has been written from the heart in response to members' concerns that have been posted on the board and received privately. The comments are mine alone and have not been reveiwed by the moderators (yet - LOL). They are submitted simply as a concerned member of EMF, who hopefully gained some beneficial insight from having served as a moderator of EMF and wishes to foster greater undrstanding of how and why EMF operates in the ways that it does.
When I chose to return to a specific spiritual path after leaving RSE, I resigned from acting as a moderator. This was in order to be fair to other members; knowing that I might not always be successful in filtering out a particular faith or belief from my posts, and also to prevent having members perceive what I may post as coming from a particular faith or belief rather than from an individual. Although circumstances do not allow me to remain on board the EMF ship continuously, I remain very grateful, for it was EMF and fellow passengers that supported a journey to freedom so that I could make the choices that I have with confidence.
Just like a popularly known ship carried humanity to new understanding in a different sea of knowledge, may everyone be so fortunate as to be carried by ships as fine as her and EMF.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZonmQZG ... re=related
With love, Kensho
The Ship of EMF
The Ship of EMF
"Don't let any person bring you so low as to hate them."
Booker T. Washington
Booker T. Washington
Re: The Ship of EMF
Hello Kensho,
Like you, I was touched by certain significant discussions and their consequences. I felt concerned even if I did not know very well how to react, on the exchanges enter members and of the sensitive topics, the question of the limits, the emotions and susceptibilities… And beyond the debates, on the speech (word?) and what it can generate for the good of all those for which the EMF has a legitimacy, a relevance and an interest.
You chose to make an analogy between site EMF and what occurs on board a ship: the responsibility for the crew, the comfort of the passengers, opinions of storm, the rhythm of cruising, claims, the program of the activities, the attitude concerning the stowaways. What you tell on the backstage clarifies a certain transparency, invaluable considering the subject which concerns us. And your experiment also testifies that the task and the responsibility for the regulators are important, sometimes heavy, in any case delicate.
That recalls especially that the durability of EMF rests on our contributions to all within the framework of a “discussion forum”. And not to forget that the form (conditions to join together to make possible the discussion) cannot be done with the discredit of the bottom (the subject of the discussions). To rebound on your analogy, it seems to me that the wealth of “Space EMF” is that it can be all at the same time a boat, but as a lifeboat, a life-belt, a raft for little as it is not a “galley”.
The galley contains the idea of an opposition between an authority which exerts a control and a group which undergoes it. And a “handbook of crew” contains competences which can become routines or practices. “Space EMF” from its subject, does not have to be tempting, but there must be able to remain accessible, gravitational and informative. It is in this condition that “Space EMF” can remain a “common good”.
To push aside a follower of the RSE on mission distilling a monolog, does not shock me.. That somebody leaves the places for returning perhaps there later, it is the life. That a discussion is broken because it is difficult or delicate, and that the form takes the step on the bottom involves questions, don't you think? Because then we touch with what animates us collectively. It is the vitality of the “discussion forum EMF” which makes us meet with our differences.
I like to believe that our “dialogs”, less structured and controlled that the “Ramtha Dialogs”, can as reflect as we are not in manipulation by leaving place to each one to express itself. At us to be carrying humanity, love, friendship, compassion, generosity, of tolerance, not by opposition but because of being there to start, that resides our force to make possible of the footbridges.
If our discussions on site EMF are to begin a failure of the RSE, they are also carrying direction. And they can clarify the negative influence of JZK and the RSE - and who knows, sometimes, to help to break it. If it is needed, let us observe the RSE: a space closed, closed, folded up on itself, blind, who makes possible that an illusory wellbeing is in fact an asphyxiation.
I take part in the EMF because it is precisely a space open to the multiple facets and that it accompanies me. Your contributions to all accompany me, last and present; until in the moments of tensions which are like junctions. To fight the negativity of phenomenon RSE supposes to explore it, and makes necessary the energy of neither taking pleasure in it, nor to be accustomed to it. Courage is in the fact of transforming a negative toxicity into a positive energy.
We know that the RSE rests on an untrue communication, effective and operative. And also, for those which were allured (captivated), that the rupture of the influence comes after an accumulation from ignored inconsistencies. The inconsistencies are obvious and many but they do not challenge us in the same way all, reason for which I hope that the EMF will continue to accommodate and to reflect greatest diversity. It is even this diversity which illustrates the narrowness of the doctrines of the RSE, and how the report with spirituality, philosophy, science, modernity can be lived variously without having to melt itself in a single mould and without giving up an ideal.
Each shared experiment is an access point which can reveal impostures and open prospects for comprehension. From where importance in “space EMF” to remain audible to make direction, because each imposture is one moment of truth. Long life to EMF, as long as it is necessary!
Excuse me for my deplorable English!
Like you, I was touched by certain significant discussions and their consequences. I felt concerned even if I did not know very well how to react, on the exchanges enter members and of the sensitive topics, the question of the limits, the emotions and susceptibilities… And beyond the debates, on the speech (word?) and what it can generate for the good of all those for which the EMF has a legitimacy, a relevance and an interest.
You chose to make an analogy between site EMF and what occurs on board a ship: the responsibility for the crew, the comfort of the passengers, opinions of storm, the rhythm of cruising, claims, the program of the activities, the attitude concerning the stowaways. What you tell on the backstage clarifies a certain transparency, invaluable considering the subject which concerns us. And your experiment also testifies that the task and the responsibility for the regulators are important, sometimes heavy, in any case delicate.
That recalls especially that the durability of EMF rests on our contributions to all within the framework of a “discussion forum”. And not to forget that the form (conditions to join together to make possible the discussion) cannot be done with the discredit of the bottom (the subject of the discussions). To rebound on your analogy, it seems to me that the wealth of “Space EMF” is that it can be all at the same time a boat, but as a lifeboat, a life-belt, a raft for little as it is not a “galley”.
The galley contains the idea of an opposition between an authority which exerts a control and a group which undergoes it. And a “handbook of crew” contains competences which can become routines or practices. “Space EMF” from its subject, does not have to be tempting, but there must be able to remain accessible, gravitational and informative. It is in this condition that “Space EMF” can remain a “common good”.
To push aside a follower of the RSE on mission distilling a monolog, does not shock me.. That somebody leaves the places for returning perhaps there later, it is the life. That a discussion is broken because it is difficult or delicate, and that the form takes the step on the bottom involves questions, don't you think? Because then we touch with what animates us collectively. It is the vitality of the “discussion forum EMF” which makes us meet with our differences.
I like to believe that our “dialogs”, less structured and controlled that the “Ramtha Dialogs”, can as reflect as we are not in manipulation by leaving place to each one to express itself. At us to be carrying humanity, love, friendship, compassion, generosity, of tolerance, not by opposition but because of being there to start, that resides our force to make possible of the footbridges.
If our discussions on site EMF are to begin a failure of the RSE, they are also carrying direction. And they can clarify the negative influence of JZK and the RSE - and who knows, sometimes, to help to break it. If it is needed, let us observe the RSE: a space closed, closed, folded up on itself, blind, who makes possible that an illusory wellbeing is in fact an asphyxiation.
I take part in the EMF because it is precisely a space open to the multiple facets and that it accompanies me. Your contributions to all accompany me, last and present; until in the moments of tensions which are like junctions. To fight the negativity of phenomenon RSE supposes to explore it, and makes necessary the energy of neither taking pleasure in it, nor to be accustomed to it. Courage is in the fact of transforming a negative toxicity into a positive energy.
We know that the RSE rests on an untrue communication, effective and operative. And also, for those which were allured (captivated), that the rupture of the influence comes after an accumulation from ignored inconsistencies. The inconsistencies are obvious and many but they do not challenge us in the same way all, reason for which I hope that the EMF will continue to accommodate and to reflect greatest diversity. It is even this diversity which illustrates the narrowness of the doctrines of the RSE, and how the report with spirituality, philosophy, science, modernity can be lived variously without having to melt itself in a single mould and without giving up an ideal.
Each shared experiment is an access point which can reveal impostures and open prospects for comprehension. From where importance in “space EMF” to remain audible to make direction, because each imposture is one moment of truth. Long life to EMF, as long as it is necessary!
Excuse me for my deplorable English!