The Avalon forum, wild stories, debunkers, courtesy, and open-mindedness

[Bill Ryan]

Hello, Everyone:

I was going to post this in 'General Forum Information' (which is for members), but then I figured I should showcase this as a public thread. It's important.

Some recent posts and new threads have prompted quite a bit of moderator discussion, and also my own thoughts. So I thought this clarifying thread might be useful.

The simplest thing for me to do is to copy what I shared with the moderators just a few minutes ago. It should be self-explanatory. All feedback and comments are absolutely most welcome. :flower:

Context: these threads (two new, and one old) prompted these thoughts.

* For non-members: these all live in the members-only section — not because they're sensitive and private, but because as a forum we want to strike a balance between supporting members to express themselves in this way, at the same time maintaining our commitment to the wider community to be a platform where science and spiritually really do meet.


I was a gray alien in past life, any questions? (http://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?97233-I-was-a-gray-alien-in-past-life-any-questions)
Malaysian Airlines MH370 passengers "alive and well" (Sept 2017) (http://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?99621-MALAYSIAN-AIRLINES-MH370-PASSENGERS-ALIVE-AND-WELL--sept-2017-)
How does "The Dynasty" make you feel? (http://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?99262-How-does-The-Dynasty-make-you-feel)
(http://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?97233-I-was-a-gray-alien-in-past-life-any-questions)

(My internal Skype message to the mods follows)

~~~



To all the moderators: This kind of a thing is a problem, to be managed by us as well as we can. These weird things do happen. (Actual ET incarnations, real channeled messages, etc etc.) But it's how this kind of thing is presented that's the key.

I absolutely don't want to automatically unsubscribe anyone who shares a wild claim or a seemingly crazy story. We're not a bunch of hard-nosed debunkers here.

And I don't want us to be perceived that way, or for members (old or new) to be afraid of sharing extreme things. I've had extreme experiences myself, including some so ridiculously way out I've never shared them publicly. I know many other members have, too.

It's all about what people are urging others to believe, or even 'follow'. Or not. That's the critical factor.

And, just maybe, the Nazca Mummies really are non-human. I'm currently 98% sure they're not, but I could be wrong. It's all about the intelligent quality of the discussion. Not about putting anyone down.

That's a really important standard that we all have to maintain and encourage. We need to be:


courteous
open-minded
rational
grounded.

Like the 24,000 year old Romanian pyramid that I asked Hervé to comment on (http://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?99616-A-24-000-year-old-Romanian-pyramid&p=1177567#post1177567). Some ancient buried pyramids really are real. We can't ever forget that. (And some people are reincarnated ETs, too.)

It's all about balance. And, importantly, how it's all presented.

[samildamach]

I would add to your list bill respectful.
Courteous almost covers it but you can still call someone an idiot Courteously .

[joeecho]

Is that like brushing away someones tears with the back hand of a spiked glove?

Apparently ultimate intent doesn't count here.

Silly games people play to ease their own consciousness.

[Bill Ryan]

Is that like brushing away someones tears with the back hand of a spiked glove?

Apparently ultimate intent doesn't count here.

Silly games people play to ease their own consciousness.

Jeez.

In my personal opinion, that's quite an unaware, barbed, spiked comment... in itself.

Please read my post again, several times, until you understand it better.

* Bill is trying here to maintain his principle of courtesy. :)

[joeecho]

Is that like brushing away someones tears with the back hand of a spiked glove?

Apparently ultimate intent doesn't count here.

Silly games people play to ease their own consciousness.

Jeez.

In my personal opinion, that's quite an unaware, barbed, spiked comment... in itself.

Please read my post again, several times, until you understand it better.

* Bill is trying here to maintain his principle of courtesy. :)

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/COlVl1SU8AEYnQo.jpg:large

[Bill Ryan]

joeecho, you're out. You have a history of snarkiness that anyone can look up.

Enough. I don't want you back here. Please take your slimy attitude elsewhere. I was sincerely and transparently opening a serious discussion.

As I explained: (paraphrased here another way)

It's not what you say, it's often how you say it. You should be old enough to understand that. You're not a young kid any more.

***

I'll continue with the post I was about to make, as a further explanation:

It's not about 'intent', at all.

Some people can be totally sincere — e.g. many Flat Earthers — and often very nice folks, too. But they may not all be rational and grounded enough to qualify to be an active part of this community. That's one of the reasons we have a membership application filter.

Here's what I took the time to write, personally (do other forums ever do this?), by e-mail, to unsubscribed new member jesseblenn, who posted this as his very first contribution after his Welcome thread post:

Malaysian Airlines MH370 passengers "alive and well" (Sept 2017) (http://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?99621-MALAYSIAN-AIRLINES-MH370-PASSENGERS-ALIVE-AND-WELL--sept-2017-)

That was 100% pure nonsense. If anyone disagrees, please just go elsewhere. (And I do mean that respectfully.)

My personal e-mail to jesseblenn:

~~~



Many thanks, Jesse — I sincerely appreciate and respect your enthusiasm and eagerness to get at whatever the truth may be.

As you've already seen, we quickly realized we made a mistake when we approved your forum membership application. We're very open-minded here, and are not debunkers, but this is not the kind of impossible notion we can support. Without wishing any slight on you, this is not a tenable idea. Period.

We sincerely wish you well, and as Paul wrote to you a short while ago, this is not the forum you are looking for.

With our best wishes ~ Bill and the Project Avalon team

[Hervé]

...
https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--t9ty2S0R--/c_scale,f_auto,fl_progressive,q_80,w_800/198wdyq1g2b6jjpg.jpg

[Joe from the Carolinas]

I really like the direction this is heading. Thanks Bill!

[Chester]

You are on a roll today, Bill (referring to your post over here (http://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?99222-20-and-back-and-claims-of-age-regression&p=1177603&viewfull=1#post1177603)) -

I have written the following on this forum before, but if ever there be a thread these thoughts best belong, it is this one.

What I learned the hardest of ways resulted in my formualtion of what I believe to be the most healthy process for considering the anomalous, especially one's own anomalous experiences.

There is always the experience (sometimes this is one's experience of the description another of their own experience).

It is important always to consider that there is an experience and then there is what one perceives of that experience - thus "an experience occurred" (something happened) and then there is "what I believe I experienced" (or "what was described to me by another).

There is then the element I refer to as "the interpretation" of the experience. There's a grey area between what one believes they experienced (the perception) and the interpretation. An example is someone saying... "I saw what appeared to be a hazy, animated form and that form had the shape of a bear." In this example, "hazy, animated form" is what was perceived and "the shape of a bear" is the interpretation.

This is where things can get dicey. Often folks will take the next step which I refer to as "drawing conclusions." In using the same example as the one above, the experiencer may then say, "I believe what I saw as indeed the ghost of a bear."

And the next step (even more dicey) is what I refer to as "the paradigm phase." This is the phase where a conclusion either supports an existing paradigm and/or is used to create a new version of an existing paradigm or is used to create a new paradigm.


What I have all too often observed is that when a story teller moves from the description phase of what they believe they experienced into the conclusions phase, if they do not (both in their own mind as well as what they speak) make it clear that their conclusions are at best speculative... then they have ventured into the troubled land. This all too often leads to a "story competition" where embellishment and then outright "continuous, creative story development" starts to creep in and this all to often is either picked up by a third party who happens to be a proponent (and often spokesman... and all too often, a spokesman who benefits in fame and/or fortune... all too often both) of an existing paradigm. In some cases, the storyteller themselves finds a convenient paradigm to "fit their story into" and/or takes an existing paradigm further.) In some cases, the story teller and/or a third party creates a brand new paradigm.

IMO all paradigms "limit" and the best example of a limiting paradigm is any religion.

This is why Bill's point about "open mind" is essential to retain throughout all phases being ever most careful of the last two phases, conclusions and paradigm support/creation.

[Bill Ryan]

I really like the direction this is heading. Thanks Bill!

Thanks, Joe: much appreciated. :highfive:

It's a really tricky balance, which is never that easy to negotiate. As many might see on other parts of the net, there's a kind of gradual, encroaching, head-way-in-the-clouds-but-feet-nowhere-near-anything-solid ungroundness that's starting to become manifest in quite a few places. And with quite a few people who have become fast-tracked to minor celebrity, but who are helping absolutely no-one and nothing at all.

I see one of Avalon's many roles and functions as being a kind of bulwark against that. But the filter has to be very fine-tuned. And, always checked for blockages.

I always used to say in Camelot days: There's a lot of crazy stuff out there, and some of it is true. Someone might carve that on my tombstone one day.

(But not quite as good as the epitaph suggested by legendary British 'Goon' Spike Milligan: "I told you I was sick." :) )

[ghostrider]

Taking care of people, with many different backgrounds, thoughts/opinions , is an art ... Thanks Bill for the keeping things grounded and respectful, and still maintaining the open embrace for those seeking to explore and expand the human experience ...

[Mike]

Well said Sammy.

I love bizarre, quirky paranormal topics, and will indulge the outlandish from time to time. But if you can think of my brain as a planet, I always keep that stuff orbiting on the outer rim, so to speak, with the most pertinent, provable, or evidence based stuff occupying the inner orbits. That's how I keep my feet on the ground while still maintaining some awe and wonder. Those topics floating around in the outer rim have to *earn* their way to my attention thru evidence and rationality and just plain ol logic.

Bill I'm seeing what you're seeing, and it's akin to David ickes "totalitarian tiptoe". The infiltration is slow and insidious. It attempts to sneak up on you, to hypnotize you thru a small series of what I call "acceptances" (they get you to gradually accept irrational crap - like the flat earth - until youre so scrambled that reality becomes fantasy and vice versa). Mind control, in other words

[3(C)+me]

Well you know the internet in general has gotten very snarky and mean and I blame it mostly on the bots acting as human (our worst traits) who knows who is real and who is a bot (I don't).
To attempt to keep this place that has smart and thoughtful threads while at the same time keeping things civil is at this point a herculean task.
I think a lot of these weirder posts are because people
are bored
their cell phones aren't working
want to stir things up
what things to keep going
have a agenda, now days it gets outed pretty quickly around here
But this is the state of the internet nowdays, a lot of distraction, the flat earth cia psy-ops, CNN outright lies, polarizing, watching the next accident or suicide or murder, live of course, on the facebook
(with blood and a lot of screaming)
But
either you say, these are the guidelines or chaos, bloodletting and a lot of yelling.

[neutronstar]

I believe in open minded skepticism as Tom Campbell puts it. I'm open to about anything (not flat earth though), but when someone makes extraordinary claims on a forum, I lean towards BS. It really muddies the water and makes it hard for people with claims that aren't so far out there to be taken seriously.

Maybe the solution is to create a section for the beyond belief even for conspiracy theorists. A section that is probably 2% true, 98% BS.

[Noelle]

When talking about my astral experiences and other topics with more unknowns than knowns, I do my best to carefully word things so that the reader understands they are my perceptions, someone else's view or, as is more often the case, just a possibility or something to consider. I can't say this enough: I know nothing with certainty. If I ever come across as if I know something with certainty, please, poke or thump me.

[Tintin]

Well you know the internet in general has gotten very snarky and mean and I blame it mostly on the bots acting as human (our worst traits) who knows who is real and who is a bot (I don't).
To attempt to keep this place that has smart and thoughtful threads while at the same time keeping things civil is at this point a herculean task.
I think a lot of these weirder posts are because people
are bored
their cell phones aren't working
want to stir things up
what things to keep going
have a agenda, now days it gets outed pretty quickly around here
But this is the state of the internet nowdays, a lot of distraction, the flat earth cia psy-ops, CNN outright lies, polarizing, watching the next accident or suicide or murder, live of course, on the facebook
(with blood and a lot of screaming)
But
either you say, these are the guidelines or chaos, bloodletting and a lot of yelling.

Oh boy, how right you are in many areas here. It is absolutely very noisy out there isn't it? And I am always gobsmacked at the enormous vitriol that always follows in comments areas below videos on youtube. Sometimes I might read threads for some sado-amusement - and no, it isn't actually funny but frighteningly incredible: I can be genuinely awestruck at the awfulness of some of that.

With the very odd exception of course, thankfully Avalon generally never descends to that level. One of many reasons I wanted to be involved here.:bigsmile:

[TrumanCash]

I really like the direction this is heading. Thanks Bill!

Thanks, Joe: much appreciated. :highfive:

It's a really tricky balance, which is never that easy to negotiate. As many might see on other parts of the net, there's a kind of gradual, encroaching, head-way-in-the-clouds-but-feet-nowhere-near-anything-solid ungroundness that's starting to become manifest in quite a few places. And with quite a few people who have become fast-tracked to minor celebrity, but who are helping absolutely no-one and nothing at all.

I see one of Avalon's many roles and functions as being a kind of bulwark against that. But the filter has to be very fine-tuned. And, always checked for blockages.

I always used to say in Camelot days: There's a lot of crazy stuff out there, and some of it is true. Someone might carve that on my tombstone one day.

(But not quite as good as the epitaph suggested by legendary British 'Goon' Spike Milligan: "I told you I was sick." :) )

Yes, Bill, Avalon is indeed a "bulwark against that". I used to use other forums (e.g., ATS, Icke, etc) and I really got tired of the trolls and the condescending, know-it-all snarkinators who were so obviously locked into the matrix that they had no clue they were. So I really wanted to come on the Avalon forum.

Ironically, ha, ha, ha, I was not allowed on the forum due to these filters! I admit that it was presumably due to my wanting to live a private life, using a pen name, etc. I thought that I could get on the forum if I could talk to Bill personally. But, I mean, what are the chances of meeting face-to-face with someone who lived in Ecuador?

This is also a story about synchronicity and how, if we go with the flow and be patient, amazing things can happen. And they did.

I actually met Bill face-to-face. I was invited to a dinner with friends in North Idaho. I was then introduced to a man across the table from me named "Bill Ryan". I was a bit incredulous at first.

Are you the Bill Ryan? I asked. I was so surprised I think I appeared to be a groupy of sorts because he was not wearing his hat and I could barely recognize him without it.

I later asked if I could talk with him about my experiences so he pressed the record button and did an interview. I also told him later that I had been blocked from getting on the forum so he took care of it.

Since then I've always appreciated the efforts of Bill and the moderators to keep the Avalon forum from becoming like "the others".

So thanks be to them.

TLC

[Lifebringer]

Yes the world was lied to, and the veils ar lifting on man/wombman.
What's a pirate's favorite alphabet? Rrrr! not ar.
Veils are lifting, blindfolds are off and they want to know who and how many.
All of us are waking up at our own pace to learn.:inlove::bearhug:

[Lifebringer]

That's cool enhearting story/experience, proof of what we desire with good intent happens/is brought forth. We are connected, I believe before coming to Avalon and send that frequency drawing us together worldwide.
Amazing!

[zen deik]

Provable facts... Personal experience...not always easy... Being sensitive is..

[Ewan]

Well you know the internet in general has gotten very snarky and mean and I blame it mostly on the bots acting as human (our worst traits) who knows who is real and who is a bot (I don't).
To attempt to keep this place that has smart and thoughtful threads while at the same time keeping things civil is at this point a herculean task.
I think a lot of these weirder posts are because people
are bored
their cell phones aren't working
want to stir things up
what things to keep going
have a agenda, now days it gets outed pretty quickly around here
But this is the state of the internet nowdays, a lot of distraction, the flat earth cia psy-ops, CNN outright lies, polarizing, watching the next accident or suicide or murder, live of course, on the facebook
(with blood and a lot of screaming)
But
either you say, these are the guidelines or chaos, bloodletting and a lot of yelling.

Oh boy, how right you are in many areas here. It is absolutely very noisy out there isn't it? And I am always gobsmacked at the enormous vitriol that always follows in comments areas below videos on youtube. Sometimes I might read threads for some sado-amusement - and no, it isn't actually funny but frighteningly incredible: I can be genuinely awestruck at the awfulness of some of that.

With the very odd exception of course, thankfully Avalon generally never descends to that level. One of many reasons I wanted to be involved here.:bigsmile:

I sincerely hope I am not veering off topic here.

Text, as we all know, is bereft of all the normal signals humans rely on to help them understand communication. Nuance of speech, subtle facial clues etc.

I can be 'triggered' sometimes just by what I read. Sometimes I even catch myself begining to reply in strident fashion; but, there is something wrong, I literally feel uncomfortable whilst I am typing, to the point that if I try to continue I feel worse and worse, literally feeling bad. So of course I stop, I erase what I have written or refresh the page and sit quietly. Sometimes it can still irritate for even a day or two, I wanted to say something back!

That's habit there, habit from a time when I was still asleep. When ego needed to fight or defend 'itself'.

I periodically browse 8chan politics threads, often I will see news items there that otherwise I would never have seen. Some replies, often, as you point out TQ, are nothing short of amazing. But push comes to shove these same people, if challanged to back up there point, will suddenly produce links that verifies what they are saying. So whilst their previous six posts insulted everyones mother and defamed the worlds jews or people of ethnic stripe there was still a cogent person behind that persona.

The only difference I can see between what they write, and how I feel on the odd occasion I am triggered, apart from sheer crudeness, is that they are simply not awake. They have not yet developed or opened the connection that allows them to self-monitor their own behaviour.

Maybe?

[Foxie Loxie]

Nothing wrong with being polite to each other, is there, Ewan? :yo:

[Tintin]

Well you know the internet in general has gotten very snarky and mean and I blame it mostly on the bots acting as human (our worst traits) who knows who is real and who is a bot (I don't).
To attempt to keep this place that has smart and thoughtful threads while at the same time keeping things civil is at this point a herculean task.
I think a lot of these weirder posts are because people
are bored
their cell phones aren't working
want to stir things up
what things to keep going
have a agenda, now days it gets outed pretty quickly around here
But this is the state of the internet nowdays, a lot of distraction, the flat earth cia psy-ops, CNN outright lies, polarizing, watching the next accident or suicide or murder, live of course, on the facebook
(with blood and a lot of screaming)
But
either you say, these are the guidelines or chaos, bloodletting and a lot of yelling.

Oh boy, how right you are in many areas here. It is absolutely very noisy out there isn't it? And I am always gobsmacked at the enormous vitriol that always follows in comments areas below videos on youtube. Sometimes I might read threads for some sado-amusement - and no, it isn't actually funny but frighteningly incredible: I can be genuinely awestruck at the awfulness of some of that.

With the very odd exception of course, thankfully Avalon generally never descends to that level. One of many reasons I wanted to be involved here.:bigsmile:

I sincerely hope I am not veering off topic here.

Text, as we all know, is bereft of all the normal signals humans rely on to help them understand communication. Nuance of speech, subtle facial clues etc.

I can be 'triggered' sometimes just by what I read. Sometimes I even catch myself begining to reply in strident fashion; but, there is something wrong, I literally feel uncomfortable whilst I am typing, to the point that if I try to continue I feel worse and worse, literally feeling bad. So of course I stop, I erase what I have written or refresh the page and sit quietly. Sometimes it can still irritate for even a day or two, I wanted to say something back!

That's habit there, habit from a time when I was still asleep. When ego needed to fight or defend 'itself'.

I periodically browse 8chan politics threads, often I will see news items there that otherwise I would never have seen. Some replies, often, as you point out TQ, are nothing short of amazing. But push comes to shove these same people, if challanged to back up there point, will suddenly produce links that verifies what they are saying. So whilst their previous six posts insulted everyones mother and defamed the worlds jews or people of ethnic stripe there was still a cogent person behind that persona.

The only difference I can see between what they write, and how I feel on the odd occasion I am triggered, apart from sheer crudeness, is that they are simply not awake. They have not yet developed or opened the connection that allows them to self-monitor their own behaviour.

Maybe?

Communication in text form does have its limitations but of course how a lover may have communicated with another, in older times, by letter: it still has merit and resonates. Now, it travels more instantly. I would nicely challenge anyone who could only write anything by hand to witness its patience; the expression of feeling and time taken to share feeling and thought therein. May be we could all take time to write something in handwritten form to someone we love, and experience its patience, and how well it may be received. And apply that same attitude to how we may express ourselves with these means, may result in a kinder and more thoughtful message, and reception.

[Ernie Nemeth]

The way I look at it is a bit different. I disagree that we are in a position to determine what is real and what isn't, or even what most likely is not real, except from our collective understanding of reality, which we know is compromised and biased.

What I do hear is an alert by the founder of the forum, one of a few others, warning of a growing trend of deceit in the alternative community.

I agree with that notion. I would emphasize that we keep our eyes on the ball - the organized sophisticated psi-ops in virtually all areas of knowledge and the over-arching direction that gambit is heading toward.

The truth of this reality is well beyond even the most astute and dedicated seekers. The best we can do is become aware of the deceit and protect our minds from further attempts to inculcate us with an agenda and ideology counter to our best interests. The methods employed are slick, insidious and often subliminal. Remaining aware in the midst of the constant bombardment of entrainment from multiple sources is heroic enough.

All we can say is that we are living in a lie. But the lie itself is still shrouded in mist and through that mist we wander with only a random clue and a vague hope. Our best defense is to remember: that if there is a lie there is also a truth already born.

[Chester]

Hi Ernie, I was unable to find where it was implied that "we are in a position to determine what is real and what isn't."

What I thought had been featured was the idea that when material that cannot be determined as "real" is being presented in threads and/or posts as real (with implications the reader should "buy the information as true), that perhaps Avalon is not the best place for those types of threads to develop or posts to be made.

[neutronstar]

The only difference I can see between what they write, and how I feel on the odd occasion I am triggered, apart from sheer crudeness, is that they are simply not awake. They have not yet developed or opened the connection that allows them to self-monitor their own behaviour.

Maybe?What you are describing is what Eckhart Tolle talks about in the "Power of Now". You seem to be making choices from your higher self rather than your ego.

Most people have no idea what that means and they live entirely through their ego. Once I got into Echart's teachings I can see the ego at times and stop identifying with it for a short time. The Ego is cunning though and just like he says, once you identify it, it will slip right in the back door and I will start identifying with it again. lol

[jake gittes]

I was a teenage werewolf.

Any questions?

[Ernie Nemeth]

Sammy, if we are here to vet every story and claim, AND only allow those threads that are 'real' to develop, then half of the topics in this forum would have to be removed.

There are many claims being made but not any have been proved beyond a doubt. Even our own science would have to be thrown out since it is false to an extensive degree. I understand the idea being propounded and I agree, but with this caveat: nothing in our reality can be proven to be true 100% of the time.

We live in a consensus reality. We decide what reality is for us. There are those things that we take for granted to be inescapable fundamentals of reality like gravity, hunger, air, but other than that everything is up for interpretation. We decide then we tell our kids how it is. Our kids take the ball and run with it. They kick the can of our consensus reality down the road of time and make further interpretations, which they then teach their kids, and so on. Many times there are parts of reality that have never been checked for veracity but still accepted as 'real', like religion for instance, or the model of how the sun works. Sometimes the reason something is accepted as 'real' has to do with being unable to come up with a better picture or explanation and sometimes it has to do with 'vested interests' and sometimes because the resources to verify a fact do not exist.

With all that in mind, all we are really doing is a 'best guess' sort of retreating action - loosing ground to the official and sanctioned story because there is no way to prove them hands-down wrong.

Also, Sam, as you are aware, we have all grown here in this forum, and most of our views are no longer the same as when we first arrived here. We are way ahead of the curve. The populace is not with us. They know something is wrong but they do not know exactly what so they hang their hat on one then the other scape goat until all the usual excuses and suspects fall away. Then they are left where most of us were before we got here.

I'm on board but I will always cheer the underdog and hold up the loosing side in an argument. It is my purpose. When people get too complacent and begin to think they know how things 'really' are I will be there to tell them they are wrong to think they know it all.


Jake, that is exactly what I wanted to post on another thread but failed to think of it. I erased my post because it missed the mark. You hit it right on the head.

[Spiral]

I was a teenage werewolf.

Any questions?

So was I, but I'm alright noooooooooowwwwWWWWWWW





:blushing:



Back to topic, that's quality moderating, it really is !

It's always the nutters & the snarks that are the hardest to deal with, esp when the subject matter of the forum is what it is, it's a very hard course to steer at times !

:wizard:

[Chester]

Hi Ernie - Thanks for the reply. Your post was filled with many points and I can understand and agree with many of these. I wish to respond to the first, specifically.


Sammy, if we are here to vet every story and claim, AND only allow those threads that are 'real' to develop, then half of the topics in this forum would have to be removed.

I still have never read anything in the OP, from my own posts or from the posts of others in this thread where there was any sort of implication of imposition by Bill, PA, myself or another poster in this thread as to what someone else should decide is "real" or not for themselves when it comes to unprovable, other worldly experiences. I see nothing but encouragement that folks have a place to share those types of experiences.

When it comes to anything whereby data can be used to support or cast doubt on extraordinary claims stated all too often as fact, surely there should be no problem folks share their data/counter-data and thus share their opinions as to the likelihood (or not) that some of these claims may be true or not. Bill gives two great examples of this - the Nazca Mummies and the 24,000 year old (possible) Romanian pyramid. He sets odds the mummies are human (98%) and he seeks the advice of a geologist who he respects for an opinion on the pyramid. Rational, grounded... done courteously where he rates how open his mind is with the mummy claim (that they are non-human) where there's still that all important 2%.

But all the above is secondary to Bill's actual point and (IMO) the key line in the entire post.

It's all about what people are urging others to believe, or even 'follow'. Or not. That's the critical factor.



He then shares suggestions as to how we do this - we strive to be

courteous
open-minded
rational
grounded.

...and I doubt anyone does this perfectly. I know I don't.

I took his message to be addressed to us all, the staff and perhaps a self reminder as well.

At the same time, I understand the tremendous job the staff has to do (all volunteer by the way) and I understand that no two members and/or readers will ever always agree on how matters are or should be handled.

I have seen far too many members get twisted up about one of these matters and then fall on their own sword.

[Ernie Nemeth]

Your points, Sam, are exactly why I am glad it is not me making those decisions for this forum. It is a difficult and potentially divisive job, and one that makes this forum what it is. Like I said, I know decisions have to be made. Sometimes action has to be taken. I am not in a position to know all the details in any particular instance and so, whether I like it or not, I must either accept the decisions...or not. But so far the level-headedness of the mod team and Bill leaves me confident this is a place of import and I feel honored to serve a small part in its intended function.

[Joe Akulis]

I think it's happened to most of us at least once, the longer you're a member and the more threads you get involved in. Someone's response to something you wrote just comes across as too much of a challenge to leave alone and then over the course of the next 24 hours, a thread goes down the tubes with the back and forth trading of shots between the two parties.

We should make a "Coach" button there next to the Thanks button. Something we can click to say, "Okay, 20 people think you may want to avoid posting on this thread again for a minimum of 2 days." Heh heh.

I'm the kind of guy who likes to believe first, then abandon later if it's not working. Which can cause you to waste time with things that you didn't need to. I love it when Bill or the mods hop in early and call something out right away. People I can trust have just helped steer me in a better direction.

Like with Global Warming...

JUST KIDDING! Don't reply to that!!! :-)

Much love to all on this thread,
Joe

[Bill Ryan]

We should make a "Coach" button there next to the Thanks button. Something we can click to say, "Okay, 20 people think you may want to avoid posting on this thread again for a minimum of 2 days."

That's a really good idea. :thumbsup:

Sadly, our options to modify any part of the forum structure to that extent are very limited, even with Ilie Pandia's expertise. (And he really is a world-class vBulletin expert.) We can tweak some small things, and have done, but adding another kind of 'Thanks' button would almost certainly be a miracle too far. It's a shame! :)

[3(C)+me]

I think it's happened to most of us at least once, the longer you're a member and the more threads you get involved in. Someone's response to something you wrote just comes across as too much of a challenge to leave alone and then over the course of the next 24 hours, a thread goes down the tubes with the back and forth trading of shots between the two parties.

We should make a "Coach" button there next to the Thanks button. Something we can click to say, "Okay, 20 people think you may want to avoid posting on this thread again for a minimum of 2 days." Heh heh.

I'm the kind of guy who likes to believe first, then abandon later if it's not working. Which can cause you to waste time with things that you didn't need to. I love it when Bill or the mods hop in early and call something out right away. People I can trust have just helped steer me in a better direction.

Like with Global Warming...

JUST KIDDING! Don't reply to that!!! :-)

Much love to all on this thread,
Joe

Boy, I think we have all been there, especially in the early days but at some point it wears you out and wanting to be right. The ego, I know when my ego is going "move over, I got to give this assh*le a lesson, he is nuts" but now I just resist it because it's just going to make things worse. It wears you out.
What happened to civility in this world?
definition: a civil or polite act.
I still write letters to a few friends (remember pen pals) via the mail, yes, folks, I do and civility naturally comes forward. It does change the way I express.
I am drawn to reading fiction produced before 1960 (no cell phones).
I am currently in Dostoyevsky's St. Petersburg Russia, cold but no cell phones.
I miss the old days when people were not walking around like zombies staring at a small screen and being completely oblivious the their surrounding
civility is replaced by I do not acknowlege your presence.
But :focus:
We all know when a thread is presented in a smart thoughtful way and when it is not but I could not for the life of me have to wade through all those threads without wanting to scream,
I am the wife of a teenage vampire
any questions
really.

Good Luck Bill and mod's

[Vangelo]

I enjoy watching parents in a queue/check-out line with an infant interacting with their child. Clearly loving and caring for that baby. That picture popped into my head after reading this thread.

[Callista]

https://tse1.mm.bing.net/th?id=OIP.fj6PcFbT8tVhUJoWVQNqYgEsDj&w=260&h=199&c=7&qlt=90&o=4&pid=1.7

:focus:

[gini]

Hi folks,my first post after years of enjoying this godgiven forum,my lord how much do i learn here !!tanx all for your generous efforts ,u truth loving peeps!I hope someday i can do something back for this forum...so i see this growing discussion about the dangers of all the distractive fake news ,hoaxers and psy ops and that is of course of the highest importance.Me myself i came to this forum cause i had this strange nibiru dream and then start to read all this stuff on internet and start to get pretty scared about all these predictions and eventual consequences .I was slowly getting kind of obsessed by the horrible idea,and searched for internet info to debunk it,but couldn't find good arguments.I talked with many people and begged for good contra arguments ,bot wt without luck.Till i remembeder Bill Ryan from the famous amelotstuff and checked his opinions ,wich brought me here to Avalon,and yes,bill debunked it convincingly ,aah what a relief!!Tanx mr Bill Ryan!Since then with almost any issue i check Avalon,and see quickly if something or someone is to be taken seriously.So ,all I'm saying is that i think Avalon is doing that job excellent,so please let as well the BS pass by ,so that its quickly exposed!!

[Foxie Loxie]

Nice post, gini! So many of us owe SO MUCH to Bill & the Forum for broadening our outlook on the True Reality of things. :flower: That is one reason why each of us should donate what we can, when we can, even if it is only a little bit! :clapping:

Got to keep this ball rolling! :roll:

[Clear Light]

Nice post, gini! So many of us owe SO MUCH to Bill & the Forum for broadening our outlook on the True Reality of things. :flower: That is one reason why each of us should donate what we can, when we can, even if it is only a little bit! :clapping:

Got to keep this ball rolling! :roll:

Ah, yeah, I whole-heartedly agree which is why I do make "modest" donations every now and then :flower:

If only because, not the least of it, is that the contents of these Forums are an amazing resource with a wealth of Information therein !!! :heart: