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Dear All:
The best definition of integrity I ever heard is when one's beliefs, actions and statements are all in alignment.
With integrity, there is no two-facedness, no camouflaged position, no variance of view depending on the circumstances or who one is with.
Or what forum one posts on.
The criterion we use with all members, no matter how longstanding, is that if we had known [ --- insert something new that emerges about this person here --- ] when we'd welcomed them in the first place, we would not have accepted their application, then we may ask them to leave.
Clearly their membership was a mistake - on our part. Remember: this is not a public place. It's a private, invitation-only forum. This is what guarantees and safeguards its very high quality.
As Sepia said here:
https://projectavalon.net/forum4/show...l=1#post171274
(And do read her whole post.)
This is the point. If there's a member here who I would not literally invite into my own home for an interesting chat (with other members who are also invited into my own home), then they may be asked to leave.
There's a very small number of members we've been applying this to, and we'll continue to do so. Anyone is free and welcome to say anything they want to anywhere on the internet - but not here.
In Sepia's words, this is my house, and you are all guests, and I value and honor everyone here as long as your integrity is in. If it is breached, I will ask you to leave, and I will make that call myself.
It's not about differing views or free speech. I have many views that differ from those of my closest friends, and we have animated debates about all kinds of things - from which we all learn.
It's about principles, and respect, and positive agendas, and how we communicate, and whether we're being the change we want to see in the world.
In connection with this, there's a kind of 'separation' happening. I can see it all around. I even talked about this with Kerry two years ago, and since then it has gradually intensified and amplified. You can see it in the YouTube comments on any alternative video you care to pick at random.
Longstanding friends are parting company. Relationships are ending. New alliances are forming. Lines are being drawn. I do not understand all this yet. But it's clearly happening.
This does not portend any kind of big, destructive conflict. But I see it as more of a separation of 'vibration' (dare I say the word!) - natural re-clusterings and new alliances of people who see things in similar, mutually agreed ways because other perceptions are (or may be) denied them.
It's fascinating to me that some people are simply not able to understand what I say - and I'm quite a good communicator! - and the other person may be very analytically intelligent. Yet the barrier is still there.
Something else is going on here - more to do with spiritual 'vibe' rather than intellectual analysis or grasp of raw information.
I'd like to discuss this more later, because I think it's both subtle and important. But for the moment, this is an important post. I do welcome all views and perspectives.