A suggestion for Admin

[Biradar]

To curb the menace of foul mouthed extremists of all stripes, progressive, orthodox and sunni, I suggest the Admin create a new sub-forum called "Trash". Basically, if someone posts a nasty thread, the Admin should not delete it, but simply put it in the "Trash" sub-forum and let those involved in the mud-slinging finish their ridiculous fights there.

As it stands, this forum is getting polluted by people who are fundamentally opposed to anything to do with bohras or Shias in general, and, even worse, rant on and on, slinging mud on each other in the most lowly and disgusting way possible. We do not want such people here. Please lets clean up the forum so the more sane contributors, like porous, Humsafar etc can return and, once again, we can talk about real issues and not witness fights between juveniles.

Also, I urge all the more reasonable members not to get involved in these fights, and to contribute meaningful topics. We should stop calling our fellow bohras (even if they are orthodox) names and stop using the word "manhoos" etc. Please, it just shows a very juvenile and gutter mentality. Grow up, and think about issues before venting. And if you are feeling angry, please just go outside your room and shout, scream, beat your chest, but, please, for Allah's sake, stop polluting this forum with your nonsense.

[anajmi]

I don't think that is the reason for the absence of porus. porus is absent because he got injured. After 10 years of shooting practice, the best he managed to do was to shoot himself. He will be back after he recuperates.

[Admin]

Biradar,
We do "park" all unpalatable topics in a hidden forum, just to take them out of circulation. Allowing members to fight it out would tend to encourage the mentality and behavior we are trying to curb. We agree with you about cleaning up the forum and are trying our best. Many members are helping us monitor the Forum and alert us to offending posts and language. As we have said many times before the responsibility of keeping the Forum clean and vibrant is ultimately with the members. With the freedom comes responsibility. Unfortunately, not everyone understands this. Because of this we have become quite strict in recent months. This Forum belongs to everyone who comes here to read and participate, and each one of us is responsible to keep it clean, healthy and worthy of rational, engaging discussion.

[Al Zulfiqar]

biradar,

i am surprised that you should re-surface after a long gap with such a silly proposal. the last time you were on this forum you had accused me baselessly of being ignorant of world history and stupid. i had responded to that unfounded outburst of yours, but you chose to disappear.

as then, this proposal too of yours smacks of arrogance and intellectual vanity. i'll explain why.

1. it assumes that only a few members like you have the required sense and maturity to post on this forum. the rest are all juveniles and imbeciles.
2. would this forum have any credibility left if it had a sub-forum named "trash"? if its trash, why have it in the first place?
3. i agree that there are some members who keep posting the same stuff ad nauseum and have a one-track mind, but i think admin has shown the good sense to monitor and restrict such members from their repeated attempts to derail each and every topic.
4. the very essence of this forum is to promote and encourage debate in a free and democratic manner. some liberties will be taken by members during the course of heated arguments. that does not make them "gutter level". even porus and humsafar have responded sometimes when provoked, with conduct normally not expected of them. porus and anajmi have had very public spats of name calling in the past and humsafar too has called certain fanatic orthos as 'pesticide' etc. we are all human and venting is part of human nature. there are very rare individuals like bhai insaf who can maintain their composure in the face of outright abuse and slander.

we need to monitor and report members who cross the lines of civility and decency, not denigrate them as ‘trash’.

[Biradar]

biradar,

1. it assumes that only a few members like you have the required sense and maturity to post on this forum. the rest are all juveniles and imbeciles.

Please don't get excited and hysterical.

Yes, it is possible that only a few have any sense and maturity. The evidence is here for all to see. This forum has very little credibility to start off with, simply because most people are completely ignorant about their history, philosophy and literature. They talk about things they have no clue about, and spread the most odious rumors and use the most vile language. It is worthy of trash.

There are several online forums where the concept of "trash" exists. Essentially, it is a way to shame members who hurl abuses at the drop of a hat. Public shaming is sometimes needed to discourage such juvenile behavior.

One needs to keep in mind that one can be a clown all the time, but clowning around is not going to solve any problems. Many people who visit this board get turned off by the extreme hatred displayed for the beliefs that are not 100% compatible with ones own. That, I contend, is the real reason why people do not participate. One does not want to enter a mud bath all the time. In fact, I believe that many people inhabiting this forum are ones that one does not wish to meet in person. I would take the company of an ordinary orthodox bohra over such any day.

[anajmi]

I think it is time to move this thread into "trash".

The Admin should create a separate forum for biradar, porus and humsafar where no one else is allowed to participate. And if you want to participate you have to demonstrate your intellectual prowess by attending Mola's waez and then posting the understanding of his enlightening tafsir by debunking the literal meaning of every ayah of the Quran. Or just be an intellectual idol worshipping idiot!!

[anajmi]

I would take the company of an ordinary orthodox bohra over such any day.

This demonstrates nothing more than frog in the well mentality. It's a pity after such a show, you proved to be nothing more!!

By the way, I am dying to meet people like you, porus and humsafar in person!! Well come to think of it, if you are hanging out with ordinary abde idiot idiots, it's probably not going to matter much!!

[KhalifatulRahman]

Abde shud just accept orders, not give them....

[Safiuddin]

A suggestion for Biradar:

So kind of you to point out the trash on this forum. It appears you've taken offense.
I personally think that all should be allowed to express their views - let them show their nature for all.
And since this forum has such little credibility to begin with, why even deign to comment?
An aala maqaam like you should be taking a bath elsewhere, since here is only mud.
Have you considered looking at other forums where the decorum and manners will
be more to your liking?
Since you prefer their company, why not check out some of the ordinary orthodox Bohra jamaats
all over the world? I'm sure they'd provide you with a very warm and non-manhoos welcome.

[Humsafar]

Biradar has a point. Abuse and foul language is a problem, and the ad nauseam shia/sunni argument (instigated by both sides) is a problem. And neither of this serves the interest of Bohras or the reform movement. It is clear that people who come here merely to hurl abuse at the kothar are mostly fly by night "passtimers" who are not interested in reforms. And people who are stuck in their shia/sunni rut are here to pursue their narrow, sectarian agenda. Often these arguments dominate the discourse here and sidelines Bohras and reform issues. This is a problem. Also, most of the time even the Bohra discussion does not rise above the level of satire and sarcasm. Agreed these are useful devices to expose the lies and deception of the kothar, but if these are the only tools in your arsenal then after a time they lose their effectiveness.
I would take issue with Biradar questioning the credibility of this forum, that was uncalled for. His angry reaction is no different from the kind of behaviour he is criticising. That said, the reaction to his post also was unnecessarily aggressive and visceral. Why has everybody become so touchy-feely? Abuse, frivolity and irrelevance of many a discussion is a valid concern, and is probably putting off a lot of people who having come here once and having seen what's going on here may never come again. This is a problem. Instead of getting defensive and justifying one's entrenched position, let's be a little mature and acknowledge these problems and let us (long-time, committed members) do something about it. Let's keep our egos and agendas aside and work towards making this forum an inviting and welcome place where people can come and express their views without the fear of being abused, ridiculed and rebuked. This is the least one can expect of those who are serious about reforms.
Bro. SBM in another thread has outlined the norms of conduct for posting on this forum- viewtopic.php?f=1&t=7968#p106301. That is a good starting point.

[anajmi]

people can come and express their views without the fear of being abused, ridiculed and rebuked.

People who are afraid of being abused, ridiculed and rebuked should visit pbs.org instead. The problem with this forum is not people getting abused, but too much whining and complaining!! You think people stay away because they don't want their feelings to get hurt and then you think these are people who are going to help you move the reform movement forward?

Maybe we should have a funny videos section with Tom & Jerry cartoons. That will make the forum inviting and welcoming and mature!!

[anajmi]

Here is another suggestion, Admin should a put up a warning before the forum can be accessed.

"Please proceed only if you have a pair. If not, go to the funny videos section"

[pheonix]

Here is another suggestion, Admin should a put up a warning before the forum can be accessed.

"Please proceed only if you have a pair. If not, go to the funny videos section"

SO wahabis are against women visiting internet forums now too
Shoo wahabi shoo.

[level_headed]

If Muslim First was banned on this forum, why is anajmi allowed here. He is more rabid than Muslim First. Each and every topic has been derailed by this person.
Admin - Listen to everybody. this guy needs to be in the same place as Muslim First

[Humsafar]

people can come and express their views without the fear of being abused, ridiculed and rebuked.

People who are afraid of being abused, ridiculed and rebuked should visit pbs.org instead. The problem with this forum is not people getting abused, but too much whining and complaining!! You think people stay away because they don't want their feelings to get hurt and then you think these are people who are going to help you move the reform movement forward?

Maybe we should have a funny videos section with Tom & Jerry cartoons. That will make the forum inviting and welcoming and mature!!

anajmi, don't be daft. Unfortunately this kind of childish retort is typical of you when you have nothing intelligent to say.

[SBM]

Anajmi
People who are afraid of being abused, ridiculed and rebuked should visit pbs.org instead.

This is hypocritical statement. Everyone including you are afraid of being rebuked as you refuse to release your ID and where are you based even in Private Messages. MF who is not even Bohra and he would not give his ID
Adam-Progticide-Phoenix the defenders of KOTHARI MAFIA who should NOT be afraid of any backlash from Kothari Goons are also afraid
As far as I am concerned yes I am hypocrite,afraid of being abused,ridiculed and rebuked and I do visit and am supporter/member of PBS.ORG

[anajmi]

anajmi, don't be daft. Unfortunately this kind of childish retort is typical of you when you have nothing intelligent to say.

Or nothing intelligent that I say can be understood.

[anajmi]

This is hypocritical statement. Everyone including you are afraid of being rebuked as you refuse to release your ID and where are you based even in Private Messages. MF who is not even Bohra and he would not give his ID

I am not sure you are understanding the context over here. If the only way to get rebuked is to reveal your identity then the abde idiots have nothing to fear by participating on this board and humsafar and biradar are even more wrong than I had originally thought.

You may be a hypocrite, but I am not. I have been outcast by the clergy. There are many reasons for not revealing identities on cyberspace and the last thing I am worried about is getting "rebuked" on this board. I am not sure what you are talking about.

[SBM]

There are many reasons for not revealing identities on cyberspace

That is cope out, You are even afraid to reveal your Id in PMs too. Anyway you and I live in free country and since both of us are not bound by any compulsion, I will not insist on your Id but please do not tell that (People who are afraid of being abused, ridiculed and rebuked should visit pbs.org instead. The problem with this forum is not people getting abused, but too much whining and complaining!! You think people stay away because they don't want their feelings to get hurt.) as they may their own reasons just like you who has his own reason to hide behind the flimsy excuses.

[anajmi]

Let me repeat it again, people who are afraid of being rebuked, ridiculed and abused on an anonymous forum, should visit pbs.org instead. If people are afraid of their feelings getting hurt or whatever other reasons they have for their whining and crying, then they should stay away. Yes, I am afraid of revealing my true identity over here and it is not for getting rebuked by a bunch of abde idiots or you for that matter.

[aftabm]

I agree that most of the posts in this forum turns into Shia-Sunni debates or unnecessary mine-is-better-than-yours kind of narratives. This is not the first time that readers of the forum has objected to such mudslinging. But every time, this verbal diarrhea stops for sometime and then it starts again.

It is saddening to see such a nice erudite(every one in its own way) group, denigrating to ......

Alas!!!!