Before I explain OMF for those who are lacking in comprehension of the greater purpose, from the perspective of a co-creator of OMF,.....
I'd like to say
Hi to my friend Nib and answer some of his queries. I think this would be helpful to other's understanding.
Jake- Nice to talk to you again! lol, umm I personally have little compassion for Bren. I mean, a 17 day ban on me for posting a cartoon picture of George bush?
? PHHHlease........... He did that himself.
Face it Jake- Leaders Lead. Bren was not around at all after Source A crashed.
He developed an illness. Seriously. He and his family became a higher priority. Perhaps that might help you with some context.
I support this statement.
Actually, he was the most amiable of the Admins. The rest of us had less patience than him. The only other Admin who came close to Bren's tolerance, was Lee (Ufonaut). All of us were less amiable and tolerant then Bren. Including me.
Perhaps. I won't say one way or the other.
But this was the Bren of the past, the Bren of today is a different beast/man/hybrid. (pun intended)
The only time he reached his limit of tolerance, was when he felt some views where being given greater latitude then others.
This is true, but it all depends on the "context" in which you say it and mean it.
["...he reached his limit of tolerance..."]
True.
["...was when he felt some views where being given greater latitude then others."] A vague statement that can mean many things.
I believe his response was to impose his "belief benchmark" through moderation unto the forum.
He weighed it against what he found acceptable. Anything not found acceptable (even if historical) was going to be shown the door, and excluded.
During my last bout with him, I kept saying that if he did this,
Some would dominate and others would be short sold.So I proposed, if you [Bren] don't have the stomach for it, throw it all out or find someone whom can stomach it. Like it was done with Politics, it should be done with spirituality.
The other Mods raised their voice against this but some of them saw the logic...they just didn't like the idea of the ramifications it would lead to. That was my intent and message from the very beginning!
If you want to have spirituality in the mix then you have to allow all of it. Satanic and Christian, Buddhist and Hindu etc.
What you don't agree or like, along with what you do.
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If you only allow what you like, then all that you don't like must be excluded. That is the truth of it.
He objected to some of the things I wrote of on the forum. Of how people in ancient times used to put people to death for witchcraft in a Christian settlement.
Even when I voiced the logic and was opposed to it, he found it extremely offensive. He mixed phrases and sentences from my many posts and some of nibs most extreme words against magfrey and then concocted an argument on why this ~kind of talk~ should not be allowed.
I shot back the idea that if you don't allow well established ideas in religious society because they are historically unpalatable then you will force one particular belief system to contort and contract itself due to ideological differences.
He somewhat accused me of supporting such ideas. I shot back that I thought it was draconian and stupid because people were never going to be sure. I pointed out the rest of my stance and why I thought it was idiotic...and most of all ineffective.
When I was on top of the argument and he noticed the others understanding my point of view and the varied consequences it would lead to, he wanted to shut me up.
I refused/insisted on not being pushed into a private conversation. He seemed to be "unsettled".
The argument ended when He finished accusing me of making up the threats about the ETs. Pissed off two mods, then apologized to them but not to me.
Then told me to talk to him in PM no more than 24 or 48 hours (fuzzy) "or else".... (not at all fuzzy)
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I responded to him via his "Demand for a private appearance" via PM, and that is when he gave me the ultimatum. I either agree he is correct in his assessment, or I am not fit to be a Mod.
The rest is history.
Thats when he began his power trip in being a king/dictator and less an Admin.
The abuses of power escalated from there....is it any wonder why everyone left him? Conspiracy? Mutiny? Even GW. Go look, at what GW said before he created his new forum.
I think it is that everyone saw shameful things. Enough to make them want to part ways.
Even the people whom were not informed knew something was up. That the nest was on fire.
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To turn away the nose of even the most hardened OMie...you have to be made of "a special constitution".
I can say so much more....that is sure to leave a crater where Brens credibility once was.
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But I am now realizing that the more I think on the past, the further my anger grows as I dwell on it. The Truth is better stowed away under a heavy Tarp at Area 51.
I thought on what Jake told me, and I found a reason to forgive him.
I would rather not think about the past anymore. The guy has been beaten senseless with all that has happened and has lost what took years to build. He has lost everyone whom aided and worked alongside him. He lost their trust.
What more could you do to Bren to make him feel any worse than this?
What could torment him any more than he has already been tormented?
The Bren of the past would never have allowed this to happen. He is a different person. Either by illness or stress or paranoia.
Whatever it is, it has left him in shambles.
To quote a few people at TOP....I prefer not to beat a dead horse senseless.
His nightmare starts when he wakes up, and ends when he goes to sleep every night. My anger or my bad sentiments about him have no where to reside in his life.
He is already defenseless. Anything or anyone whom can come to his aid would have to hold him up with a half baked truth or a half baked lie.
Pass me the tarp and lets cover up the Truth. It is painful and worrisome to look at or to keep remembering anymore.
He named the forum "Open Minds"
partially because he felt that as long as people could remain civil in discussion, any view would be permitted to be discussed. His favorite phrase was:
"It's all good."---Bren (in memoriam)
