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I was thinking … thinking thinking thinking … as usual. There are some forum communities that setup a separate forum area for less-moderated, more free-for-all discussions. It goes a little beyond an “Off Topic” style section. It usually allows topics and posts the go beyond the rules. It doesn’t have to be exempted from language and common decency though. These forum areas are usually clearly labeled as such, so that people know before jumping into them. Would there be value to this here at StayLDS?
It might create a place for people with solid ideas to discuss that don’t fit our strict mission guidelines. It also creates a form of public “Parking Lot” to put controversial topics that are culled out of the normal forums. Instead of making them disappear (if they are valuable), they are sent to the “demilitarized zone” for those interested in true debates, or for more controversial content. It might be a way to broaden the tent some without losing the focus on the mentoring we do in the regular forums.
On the other hand, those topics will still show up in searches when people look for stuff. They will be a part of the site, so we are still responsible for and associated with the content. Also, it will create more moderation work as we have to police users who don’t get the nuance of changing their tone when jumping between the two areas of the community. It really might be best to leave this harder stuff to other sites that cater to that.
My main concern with doing something like that would be the first-time searchers (especially more conservative members who are looking for a place to lurk and read to find help in understanding a spouse or family member or friend who struggles) who find content there and assume it’s representative of the entire forum. I know we can’t avoid being seen as a risky site by some people, but I don’t want to become a more public Open Mormon – even if it’s a distinct portion of the overall site. I’m sure we all know we’re walking a fine line, and I am ok with making it as fine as possible, but we need to be able to attract the conservative lurkers if we are to do everything I think we want to do.
Here’s a thought I’ve never considered:
How about a section that is dedicated to “faithful believers” and the existing section for those who are struggling? The first would be focused on how faithful members can fulfill the plea in “Concern for the One” to understand, accept, appreciate and value those who struggle; the second can be what it is now. The first could be more closely moderated, explicitly focusing only on understanding people and reconciliation assistance; the second could be less closely moderated, like what we are doing currently.
I don’t think we have enough moderators and admins to handle more than two sections, and even two would require time and effort – and I personally would like to move in the direction of helping active, believing members understand rather than bring in a more free-wheeling group.
We mostly target the disaffected for mentoring right now. We could look at mentoring faithful believers too. That’s sort of the opposite pole from my OP, but also an interesting idea to consider. We could use the same experience and skills we are developing with the disaffected to cross over and also mentor faithful, traditional members on how to deal with the disaffected members in their life. I think there are quite a few options for those who are outside our negativity scale – maybe not lots of great ones, but certainly palces to vent. I’m not sure there’s anywhere like what I envision for more traditional members to try to understand those who struggle – with that specific focus. Faces East is the closest of which I know, but it’s not really what hit me in my last comment. I’m not talking only about those dealing with struggling family members, but more generally those who want to understand and help. If that really isn’t the direction everyone else wants to take, I am ok with it. I need to consider it more fully myself, since it really isn’t something I’ve considered carefully yet.
Jumping in to help the disaffected, I feel no conflict or competition with the Church on that issue. To me it is clearly a service to others, and I don’t feel compelled to seek their permission to help by brother or sister in need (crisis, etc.). You just help someone when they need help. I don’t think the Church on various levels really knows how or is able to help these people many times. We can help them in whatever way we do, so that’s good. Training and mentoring faithful members though, members who are still “normal” … that might bring us into direct conflict with the Church as an organization. In that direction we might actually draw fire from on high. We’d sort of be stepping in place of the Church at that point by competing with them.
I like the idea though still on some level of being a resource to faithful members, like I try to do over at FacesEast.
Brian Johnston wrote:Training and mentoring faithful members … In that direction we might actually draw fire from on high.
That sounds fun!😈 Let’s go for that one!Just kidding.
Would the website stats tell us who is visiting which forums, even lurkers? We could run a pilot for a while with new forums for both ideas and it would be interesting to see the traffic flow.
I dunno…I’ll think on it some more overnight and see if I have any other input…I don’t want to fix something that’s not broke. Or were you thinking about this because something does need to be addressed with the current forum and mission?
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