Suggestion General Apology

[CDFDiveMaster]

Dear SB Members, Staff and Users,

I want to express my apology for causing some of you to become irate and upset regarding my request to have a Title for Christian Divers. I have examined my request suggestion and found that SB is definately not the place to discuss Divers being christians or diving with christian divers however, I am an american "proud" served my country, fought for my country and have put my life on the line for those of you who have never served but use and take hold of the blanket of freedom that has been so graciously given to you by those of us that have sacrificed ourselves. My point: Freedom of Speech, Right To Bear Arms, and best of all Freedom of Religion. Thank you to SB for providing this site where we can come together and express "diving", which may include on ocassion our religious prefrence and how we apply it to "diving". Again my apologies to those I may have offended, forgive me, as it was not my intention to do such.

Sincerely,
Jay A. Canals
Christian Divers Fellowship, Pastor.

 

[Missdirected]

OK, SB'ers, Thank you for your "support", I think we have all expressed enough on this matter. Let's mount up and go diving.

Jay

Right now? I was just getting into bed! Where are we headed anyway?

 

[scubak]

I personally don't care if you want a "Christian" Thread heading...
If you don't like the forum...don't "click" on it, you don't like the channel; then change it.
I think you have an audience for your forum and it is a shame that it cannot be "recognized" on this web site.
Just my 2 cents.
Kirsten

 

[Blox]

CDFDiveMaster,
I hope you did not apologize because of that PM I sent you.
My intention merely was to make you realize, that I COULD have been offended.
While I think you have no reason to apologize for suggesting a forum for Christian Divers, I also think that the decision of those running the board not to go along was correct. After all, this board is - as pointed out by others - about the community and serves as a platform to share ideas and opinions on a mutual interest (Diving). Throwing religious aspects into into the mix is, IMHO, counter-productive, because religion does not have any bearing (that I could see) on the sport.

Some people may argue though, that the DIR movement has certain sectarian characteristics

Okay, gotta run now to take shelter

 

[Spoon]

no need to apologise bro!

 

[moneysavr]

, because religion does not have any bearing (that I could see) on the sport.

Defog your mask=
Have a Major equipment failure at 165'FSW! and dude I will bet ya you will get religion quick!

Hey Pastor I dive with a Pastor up our way and he is a hoot,I just got to keep a eye on my potty words If we cant hook into a wreck!
Brad

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I personally don't care if you want a "Christian" Thread heading...
If you don't like the forum...don't "click" on it, you don't like the channel; then change it.
I think you have an audience for your forum and it is a shame that it cannot be "recognized" on this web site.
Just my 2 cents.
Kirsten

I'll respectfully disagree ... friends are allowed to do that, right? ...

We have, in our ToS, a proscription against discussions of politics and religion because they tend to become subjects that divide us along partisan lines ... and passions can heat up quickly when you get into those areas.

As a forum that serves a worldwide audience, it's important to remember that we have active forum members representing just about every major form of faith on the planet ... and probably several non-major ones. Allowing a forum based on a specific form of faith will only open the doors to everyone wanting a representative forum, and using those forums to divide themselves alongs lines that define their faith. It would also open the doors, as we've seen the few times we've allowed such subjects to be discussed, for those with "opposing views" to disrupt any attempt at meaningful discourse. As such, we feel it doesn't promote the type of atmosphere we want ScubaBoard to be ... which is a place where we can discuss our common interests in a friendly environment.

Several of our moderators are passionate about their religious beliefs, some of them are pastors or have active leadership roles in their respective churches ... and I am certain that they have no opposition to people expressing their faith. However, they also recognize the potential for divisive discourse if we should start creating forums on ScubaBoard that are devoted to specific religious beliefs.

For this reason, I support the notion that these topics are best left to other forums. We choose to focus on that which unites us ... which in this case is our passion for scuba diving.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[CDFDiveMaster]

Ok, guy's I've parted the Red Seas and Pharaoh's army has been consumed. We're beating a dead horse here guy's. Unless your logging post stats, let's get over the issue and start diving into what we're here to discuss....diving issues. I do plan to start a club forum for CDF in the neard future, right now now I'm enjoying SB as it is. I'm actually spending more time on SB than I should...it's all good, I'm truly Blessed and Favored of the Lord. Thanks guy's for all your support. Peace, Jay

 

[cyklon_300]

If the board starts allowing titles for religious outlook then it should acccomodate every other irrelevant personal detail...

I'd like the title Libertarian/Druid/Ovo-lactarian/Ambliopic Diver please.

 

[Damselfish]

I looked at your site out of curiousity (no not interested, but I'll check out any link) and came across this - http://www.christiandiversfellowship.com/page11.html

" While on any dive be it a wreck, reef, cave, deep, night, spring basin whatever, simply leave this stainless "S.G.W. Dog Tag" pinched into something where someone else can find it...Cool huh?"

Not so cool, whatever happened to "leave only bubbles?" It seems highly inappropriate to go around leaving tags on anything down there. Perhaps you should reconsider this.

 

[drbill]

Whats there to apologise for?

As a non-Christian, but one who feels closest to the Creator in the kelp forest cathedral, I agree with Rohan and see nothing you need to apologize for. Such a forum may, or may not, be appropriate here on SB but it was certainly well within the realm of appropriateness to ask. I am certainly not offended in any way by your suggestion, nor would I be offended if SB opened up such a forum (or with their decision not to). If I didn't feel interested in it, I simply wouldn't read threads in it. There are other forums here where people discuss things related to diving that I'm not interested in. Fine and dandy!

Personally I enjoy offending people - its a sign that I'm living my life as I see fit and not as others dictate.

Here I'll differ with Rohan. I do not enjoy offending people, although I seem to do it with some frequency. I almost never do it intentionally (I'm a strong believer in the golden rule of Confucius). However, I do agree that IF I unintentionally offend someone by stating my real views, I will respect their right to disagree... but feel comfortable in my beliefs and my right to express them.