We are considering closing the Worship Players Forum

[electrablue]

As an alternative, people looking for a worship forum can check out The Worship Community. They have both a blog and a full featured forum.

[bigbandtele]

Originally Posted by Tim Armstrong

I think you're being a bit unreasonable, if you find the Worship Players Forum personally offensive, it's a simple thing to NOT read it.

Tim

We were asked for opinions. I offered mine, and gave the most concise reasons I could, especially considering the time of day I posted it.

If further context helps, I've spent a lot of time in the past 20 years playing in churches, and being head sound tech in two of them.

I'm also a moderator on a woodwind discussion board.

[Thighbanez]

Originally Posted by refin

Well...........I posted something in the past politically that was against the rules,and I was correctly warned in an email.However,one thing does concern me about "off limit" subjects on TDPRI.Please see #3.
OFF LIMIT SUBJECTS:
Some subjects cause nothing but trouble, so no posting about:
1. Politics
2. Religion
3. Sex (including improper photos or videos)
4. Drugs
5. Smoking (laws, health or anything)
6. Current Wars or national disputes
7. Gun rights or issues
8. Pirated Music or downloads
9. See below for greater detail...

I quite often read posts here (TDPRI in general,not the Worship Section) with sexual overtones--maybe the poster was rebuked as I was,but many of the posts are not removed.It is almost like that area isn't policed as strongly as the others.Just sayin'..........

I have noticed this also in my watching of this site.
It's weird to see so many things that in a professional and mature sense are called "Wrong", but when something is posted that is specifically Worship in a "Worship players forum"...immediate action is taken.

That's like having a bar that serves and sells alcohol....but throws out anyone that attempts to buy some.
"Yeah, come on on so we can kick you out"...lol.

[dilbone]

Here's another one. I used this a lot when I was leading worship several years back. worshiptogether.com

There is alot of great info on the site...although nothing specifically tele related

[Thighbanez]

Originally Posted by hotraman

As much as I enjoy the posts in this section, lately there are a few responses to threads that are do violate the rules of this section.
There are at least 3 other websites where "worship leading" threads are encouraged.
Questions about worship leading, leadership development, and gear.
I vote to close this section of the forum.... I'm tired of people hijacking threads with comments that they think are humorous, but clearly are not.

I saw that in the thread that was removed.
The original poster did nothing to provoke the nasty reply that another member felt obligated to post. Yet it seems that the original poster was blamed rather than the member that made a very rude and disgusting comment.

How weird is that?

I applaud the mods here for giving players that have church gigs a place to discuss their work/lives/gigs. But what about giving this forum the same treatment as the others and keeping the non-religious riff-raff in line?

I completely agree that everyone should be respectful to everyone else, but why shouldn't that apply to the non-religious too?

[Thighbanez]

Originally Posted by Durtdog

I read posts EVERY DAY that violate EVERY rule of the entire forum, not just the worship section.

You think maybe they should just close the TDPRI altogether?

Originally Posted by ibobunot

I'm sure Paul has thought about it a few times.

But like most positions of power...if they fall in-line with his personal policies, there will never be a problem.

[still_fiddlin]

Well, it would be too bad, but I understand.

Do what's necessary. As stated, there *are* other resources specifically for this type of dialog. There's a reason most of us were told not to discuss religion and politics in "polite company" when we were little - because it doesn't stay polite once those topics surface. It's impossible to keep religion out in a forum with "worship" in the title, so your tolerance experiment was noble, but probably doomed to fail.

I see those posts that are clearly outside the guidelines, and have resisted replying (I think), but sometimes you forget. Anyway, this forum was probably the main reason I started visiting here, because it was just a small part of the overall postings, but a place I could participate, even before I got a Tele (again). Too bad it's created an outsized problem for the benefit it provides, and especially too bad that anyone posting here decided the rules were not meant for them, or took offense when subjected to the clearly stated rules. Shame on them for messing up this place for everyone else.

[Teleglide]

Originally Posted by Tim Armstrong

I mean absolutely no disrespect when I ask you, then, why are you participating in this particular discussion?

Tim

Sorry, I saw the thread title on the home page and thought it was an open discussion. Apparently not; I'll bow out.

[angelcoon]

I for one hope you don't close it, but I fully understand if you do. As a regular reader and sometimes poster to other parts of TDPRI, I must say I rarely post to this forum.

And I'm a Presbyterian pastor-in a worship band.

I agree with a previous post from "across the pond" who remarked that this has not only become a Christian forum but rather an American Protestant forum. it's just that this scene in America has become it's own sub-culture within the landscape of American religion. For all the posting about worship plaing that calls us to not be focused on "me," we are so enmeshed in American society that we quickly succumb to individualized structures that place us squarely in the American worship band culture.

'coon

[Thighbanez]

Originally Posted by Tim Armstrong

I think you're being a bit unreasonable, if you find the Worship Players Forum personally offensive, it's a simple thing to NOT read it.

Tim

And that is what SHOULD happen.
But it doesn't...

Those that don't agree with it find any reason to shoot it (And it's participants) down and cause trouble.

[jb12string]

I vote to keep it open, I need to get to work at the moment, but I hope to post a more detailed opinion/thoughts later on today.

[Brendo]

Christians (and I use them because that's who mostly posts on the board) are just like any other group of people. There are honest ones, there are liars, there are generous ones, there are crooks, there are those who follow rules, there are those who don't. You often can't name the tree until you see it's fruit.

I profess to be a Christian. I am 100% certain I don't live up to that title.

I find this 'Worship Players' category interesting, because it's something i can relate to. I don't play in pubs, clubs, outdoor festivals, so while I love to read about that, I can only imagine what it's like. Worship Playing I can relate to.

Annoying posters, I can also relate to. I'm pretty sure I can fall into that category as well. I am not a moderator, so I don't know how much grief these posters cause the mods here. But if it has reached the point where these guys (and let's be honest, can you name a better set of Mods that those on this site?) are actually considering shutting it down, then I can accept it. It's a shame.

Rock on. Respectfully.

[Thighbanez]

Originally Posted by Ronsonic

Why do people who have no reason to be in this forum care what is said?

Are these wannabe hall monitors?

Simple bigots?

More importantly, why would a moderator allow himself to be manipulated by such people?

There are people with church gigs. They hang in this forum and talk about their work. How hard is that to ignore. Sometimes they talk about how they got into it and what motivates them. Is our motivation more offensive than that of the guy who plays to impress girls, or other guys for that matter? Is it wrong to talk about that? I don't think so.

I can sure understand someone not being interested in reading it. I don't understand hostility toward it and completely do not get clothing that hostility in the pretense that the discussion is somehow "offensive."

It makes no more sense than screaming that Les Paul content is offensive and should be banned in a Tele forum.

Wholeheartedly agree!!

[Mike Simpson]

Originally Posted by Thighbanez

Wholeheartedly agree!!

Join Date: August 5th, 2010

Did you join just to debate this issue?

[Thighbanez]

Originally Posted by BigDaddyLH

My rule of thumb is that it should be about the music. If you play in a satanic worship service, you're just as welcome here, right? I mean, unless you play a pointy guitar.

Well, you've got a VERY valid point.
Technically, that should be acceptable too. Worship is worship and this is a "Worship Service Players" forum.
lol...

[Thighbanez]

Originally Posted by Big Mike Simpson

Join Date: August 5th, 2010

Did you join just to debate this issue?

Lurked for forever.
Registered because if you all close this forum where will I get be able to see advice from for gigs?

Wait...that's not against the rules too is it?

[Jhengsman]

Originally Posted by PeterUK

I do play in a church / church environment and have dipped into the forum from time-to-time but have been totally exasperated by the blantant abuse of the specific rules and guidelines for this forum (read them above; they are very, very clear).

The abuse of this forum is one of the reasons why I post very little nowadays on the TDPRI.

Close it down and make the TDPRI a better place.

Peter

Just the presence of one out of thirty subforums and the possibility of a statement which might offend you would cause you to abandon the 29 plus other forums?

No matter how hard we police ourselves and others there is no hard and fast line between culture and how culture is defined by politics and religion. a specific subforum with a clear warning in its title "worship players, Sunday Morning players" will have the affect of drawing those conversations near that line into it thus sparing the other forums of content so may be offended by. However the segregated forum also places those post in a convenient kill zone so those who wish to snark or troll can attack without searching.

The thread which sparked the email and this thread seemed to be an example of that. One member posted a testimony then came a snark response. I don't know what happened next but on my next visit the thread has been deleted and now their is discussion of deleting the entire forum.

If we are taking a poll. Yes I am on this site in large part because of the existence of this sub forum as I primarily play nylon. Other forums are either more restrictive then here, Christian only or allow trolls and snarks to run so rampant that I don't want to participate at all.

Just saying it seems to be a fine middle ground between Christian boards and the zoos that other secular forums are.

[winny pooh]

I will state my position with all honesty: I respect that Christians practice their religion and although I recognize the originator of the religion & other religions choose not to participate and keep away for my own reasons. I don't ever dip into the forum to read or post, but occasionally some smarmy, self righteous OP or poster comes to my attention through the "today on tdpri" link and I feel compelled to go "?!" just I as would do in any other forum with any other annoying poster.

I recognise though that others take this one step further and they post and reply in a spirit specifically influenced by their religious choice. Its a minefield. There is no east solution as i understand the original impetus behind creating the forum. I say delete it (its a headache for the mods) or remove it from the normal Tdpri updates and have players register to have permission to access it and if they then go too far, ban them.

[electrablue]

Originally Posted by Big Mike Simpson

Join Date: August 5th, 2010

Did you join just to debate this issue?

I wondered that, too, when his posts showed up.

[zook]

All venues have their specific requirements for playing. The small club doesn't want their customers blown out of the door, The Country joint doesn't want to hear "Smoke on the Water" the Blues club doesn't want to hear "Achy Breaky Heart". I don't see Worship players limitations being any different.

All players have their own style, some use synths, some vast pedal boards, some plug straight in. We all need to respect the venue we play in or we simply won't work there very long.

We have a wide array of opinions here because that's what being human is. Unfortunately, there are some that insist on expressing them in unpleasant ways.

Keep the Worship Player's Forum or delete it, It's your call.

Consider my signature.

Winnie