Posted by Moderator104 [Moderator104] on November 04, 1999 at 07:00:16 {yxewwqp4aACuspFhnTUgUtG2kkzAsw}:
In Reply to: To Mod 102 posted by Alan on November 04, 1999 at 05:54:52:
Warning to New Visitors
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[ HOURGLASS2 OUTPOST ] [ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ FAQ ]
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Posted by JW's at H2O, expires on 11:59:59 12/31/99:
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Dear brothers & sisters,
Requests for clarification on key points relating to this site and its contents has prompted those running Hourglass2 Outpost (H2O) to respond with a few questions and answers.
Friends, we know you are likely eager to investigate the board. However the few minutes you spare to read this posting (and reply in accordance with our Forum Participation Policy if you like) will be well worth your time, and could help you steer clear of possible problem areas.
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[ 1 ] Question:
Are apostates allowed to post on H2O?
Answer:
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H2O is unable to judge hearts and has no authority from Jehovah God to brand anyone "apostate."
However, we do advise caution. If you see a post by a known apostate, we advise extreme caution. You must decide, however, what to do when seeing a post by someone who is a known apostate.
Sometimes, apostates are difficult to spot. Consider how we allow the world to enter our place of worship, and how we go to the world with the message of hope and everlasting life in God's approaching Kingdom. Sometimes, we run into "apostates" at the door.
After spending considerable time listening to someone who seemed sincere, we may discover their intentions are to subvert our faith in Jehovah God and his provisions for life in a world free from the problems we face today. Even home Bible studies can reach a crossroads where we discover our "student" is really attempting to be our teacher is disguise.
What to do? Walk away from the territory and abandon all hope for those ones? Not at all. We simply mark those who we have decided can benefit no further from the good news we once shared with them, leaving matters in Jehovah's loving hands.
H2O is no more inspired or able to protect you from apostates, than is the Watchtower Society. The Society never has said you will not encounter apostates in your territory or everyday affairs. You are armed with the complete suit of armour from God to protect you, based on the fact you love God and accepted his provisions for salvation. (Compare Romans 13:12; Ephesians 6:11, 13)
Did you know apostates at times want to be banned from a public forum for Jehovah's Witnesses? This strategy stimulates public sympathy, and causes the world to view Jehovah's Witnesses as violators of human rights, specifically, freedom of speech. The historical facts speak clearly that we champion human rights around the world. We also allow opposers to attend our meetings, assembles, even visiting their homes periodically to see if their heart condition has changed favourably.
H2O recommends you mark ones who are not upbuilding, and not select their posts in the future.
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[ 1 . 1 ] Question:
Is H2O an apostate site, or cloaked apostate "shill" as some have charged?
Answer:
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No human is able to judge hearts and has no authority from Jehovah God to brand anyone administering, funding or backing H2O as "apostate." The Bible is even silent on whether the "faithful and discreet slave" has authority to judge mankind during these last days. God fearing Christians who have studied their Bible have come to realise that only Christ Jesus was given authority to judge by his father Jehovah God. H2O is not an apostate site, and those Jehovah's Witnesses in good standing with their congregations backing it are not apostates.
However, we do advise caution. If you see a post by a known apostate, we advise extreme caution. You must decide, however, what to do when seeing a post by someone who is a known apostate. H2O cannot violate Caesar's laws on freedom of speech by prohibiting apostates to speak. Jesus set a precedent for modern-day Christians by not prohibiting his enemies from vocalising their misguided and often hatefully motivated opinions and beliefs against him and in contradiction to his teachings during his ministry on earth.
What did Jesus do when confronted with aggressive apostates in the countryside during his ministry? Walk away from the territory and abandon all hope for those ones? Not at all. He simply mark those who he decided were "goats" and could benefit no further from the good news he and his apostles once shared with them, leaving matters in Jehovah's loving hands.
H2O is no more inspired or able to protect you from apostates, than is the Watchtower Society. The Society never has said you will not encounter apostates in your territory or everyday affairs. You are armed with the complete suit of armour from God to protect you, based on the fact you love God and accepted his provisions for salvation. (Compare Romans 13:12; Ephesians 6:11, 13)
Did you know apostates at times want to be banned from a public forum for Jehovah's Witnesses? This strategy stimulates public sympathy, and causes the world to view Jehovah's Witnesses as violators of human rights, specifically, freedom of speech. The historical facts speak clearly that we champion human rights around the world. We also allow opposers to attend our meetings, assembles, even visiting their homes periodically to see if their heart condition has changed favourably.
H2O recommends you mark ones who are not upbuilding, and not select their posts in the future.
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[ 1 . 2 ] Question:
Rumour has it that H2O is in fact sponsored by J-a-n H-a-u-g-l-a-n-d, K-e-n-t S-t-e-i-n-h-a-u-g, and other known "apostates." Is there any truth to this rumour? (Note: Names were dash-spaced to prevent search engines, robots and spiders from associating this site with these names and thereby giving a false impression there is a connection.)
Answer:
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Anyone who tells you this is either intentionally or unknowingly lying. H2O is not sponsored by these or any other known apostates. These individuals are not involved in an advisory, technical, or other capacity behind the scenes at H2O. Visitors are asked not to spread any rumours passed on to them in this regard, but to refer anyone spreading these rumours to this page.
The only site that H2O has carried occasional announcements (and therefore links) is not considered "apostate" but rather involved in serious reform of the organisation, and is run by "Liberal Elder." H2O does not endorse Liberal Elder's site officially but believes his efforts to correct material errors in medical teachings involving the scriptural use of blood is necessary to prevent Jehovah's wrath against the organisation. Those involved in H2O directly have given prayerful consideration to whether carrying these announcements is a form of "compromise" has charged by some individuals who have lodged complaints in emails or postings. The conclusion is that the facts presented on Liberal Elder's site speak for themselves.
H2O carries the following disclaimer here to avoid any confusion regarding the separation between H2O and Liberal Elder's site:
DISCLAIMER
Particiants on H2O (as defined by the term "participant" in the Forum Participation Policy or FPP posted on this site) understand that when selecting a link to an "announcement" that transports them off this site, they are no longer on H2O. In other words, they understand that they are on Liberal Elder's site or other site they have jumped. H2O takes very seriously its responsibility not to provide links that will transport visitors to spiritually dangerous areas othe internet, but visitors must accept the final responsibility for their choices in making these jumps. Visiting any web site does not constitute endorsement of its contents. You are not either endorsing or supporting this site, Liberal Elder's site, or any other site by jumping to it. However, you are advised that you transport off this site when clicking a link to another site, and by doing so, you are no longer under the jurisdiction of this site for purposes of administration. H2O posts time-sensitive announcements to Liberal Elder's site under the expressed understanding, based on email correspondice from Liberal Elder, that he performs no I.P. tracking and visitors thereby remain anonymous. H2O also performs no I.P. tracking and visitors thereby remain anonymous. Most ISP's as standard practice, however, track I.P.'s as a matter of security so visiting any site on the internet is not invisible to ISP's themselves.
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[ 2 ] Question:
I see posts that are not upbuilding, but the board says H2O is, and I quote, "For Jehovah's Witnesses & Other Interested Ones." What weight or meaning does this statement carry?
Answer:
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By being very selective you can find precious gemstones scattered throughout the board.
As you see from the answer to the first question, H2O faces the same predicament the Watchtower Society faces in deciding where to draw the line when apostates attend meetings or conventions. As the Society doesn't use high tech surveilance equipment at meetings or conventions to determine if conversations in the foyers (before, in-between or after public discourses) is of wholesome and approved content, so too, H2O cannot devote fulltime resources to reading over 200 posts daily (over 18,000 todate, like attempting to read the entire Encyclopaedia Britannica). The brothers and sisters at H2O have real jobs, real families, and attend all meetings and field service activities. Precious little time is left for this site.
This is a resource that must be treated in the same manner as attending the summer District Conventions. Become a selective reader and skip posts you know are written by unwholesome types. This requires effort, and Jehovah's Witnesses are not lazy, but willing to put forth this effort to improve the quality of their board experience at this site.
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[ 2 . 1 ] Question:
I see posts that give the appearance of Jehovah's Witnesses posting, even containing links to the Watchtower Society's web site at www.watchtower.org. Some of the posts give the world a very dim representation of Jehovah's Witnesses, by attacking, accusing, condemning, and then offering the Watchtower Society's web site link as an alternative to H2O. How can I be certain these are real brothers and sisters?
Answer:
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By being very selective in what you accept as the truth, you can find precious gemstones scattered throughout the board from true baptized brothers and sisters who have cultivated the fruitages of the spirit.
The ugly truth, brothers and sisters, is that many ex-Jehovah's Witnesses pretend to be in good standing in an attempt to discourage you from continuing your worship of our loving God. Some attempt to stumble you by impersonating brothers and sisters in good standing, even giving the Watchtower Society's web page link to add credibility and convince you they are "for real." Some attempt to behave like weaker ones they observed in their congregation, a form of impersonation intended to "prove a point." They want everyone to get turned-off to Jehovah's Witnesses and give the Society's link to create an association between their reprehensible impersonations and information provided at the Society's site, with the intent of subtly discouraging ones from going there. Don't be fooled.
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HIGHLY CRITICAL NOTATION: No person affiliated with H2O will ever ask you for personal information that can identify who you are or even your congregation name (which can be easily used to track you down), in a chat room, on the board, or by private email. Please report anyone claiming to represent H2O by emailing security@hourglass2.org immediately. Never divulge this information to anyone you have not verified! Insist on first getting their congregation name, and Presiding Overseer's name, and call their Kingdom Hall between 1 hour and 30 minutes prior to meetings. Speak with the Presiding Overseer first and then ask to be put on the phone with the person. THIS ADVICE ONLY APLIES TO THOSE WHO ASK YOU FOR PERSONAL INFORMATION. Never offer this information to those pressuring you to give them this information, and please, never pressure anyone to provide this information unless they first pressure you.
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This is a resource that must be treated in the same manner as attending the summer District Conventions. Become a selective reader and skip posts you know are written by unwholesome types. This requires effort, and Jehovah's Witnesses are not lazy, but willing to put forth this effort to improve the quality of their board experience at this site.
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[ 3 ] Question:
Does H2O remove posts that violate its Forum Participation Policy?
Answer:
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Yes!
H2O is blessed with many volunteers who are Jehovah's Witnesses, to remove posts that violate its strict posting policies.
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[ 4 ] Question:
What should I do if I see a post that violates the Forum Participation Policy, and it's still there?
Answer:
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No matter how many moderators we have, we all have personal lives and commitments. Sometimes abusive posts slip through the net of detection.
H2O has installed an early detection system to filter posts and remove obviously bad language. However, some language that is inappropriate slips through this automated sentry.
After carefully reviewing the Forum Participation Policy, if you determine a post should be removed, contact H2O immediately by email.
In emergencies where material of highly illegal or damaging content is up, please post a new topic such as "MODERATORS, HELP!!!!!" and give the post number, date, topic, screen name. This will expedite removal.
Send email reporting emergencies to the first address, then "cc:" the email to the second address as backup:
security@hourglass2.org
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[ 5 ] Question:
Can I volunteer to become an H2O moderator?
Answer:
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Yes! The more moderators in all time zones on Earth, the better we are equipped to handle emergencies where the board comes under attack. More moderators also help bring posts violating our policies down faster at all hours of the day and night (since night in Australia is day somewhere else).
Those whose offers to volunteer as moderators are accepted, will be given web access to an area of H2O's site that is heavily armed with the necessary tools to perform post removals.
See H2O Volunteer Moderator Program for more information on the prerequisites for volunteering.
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May your visit to Hourglass2 Outpost be an upbuilding a positive experience, as it has been for many others.
Did you know that based on server statistics, H2O receives upwards of 10,000 new visitors every month? Our counter only records an initial "hit" for a visitor, until they reload. H2O estimates that the majority of visitors rarely if ever reload. (New browser versions save bandwidth by uploading only changed information and this doesn't register on our counter.)
The long and short of it, brothers and sisters, is that in the last 8 months upwards of 375,000 new visitors have been to H2O at least once. This adds up to 8 members of each congregation on Earth who have visited H2O at least once! At this rate of exponential expansion, we expect 80 publishers out of every congregation to have visited H2O at least once in the next 2 years.
Our thanks can go only to our Heavenly Father, Jehovah, for having blessed our site through his beloved Son, Jesus Christ. Let all give thanks for this global channel of communication that can transmit in seconds new postings to every continent.
Thank you for visiting and feel free to comment. Good netiquette is to help your readers upload your post on slow connections, by deleting all quoted text except text you are specifically commenting about. Thank you, and may Jehovah our God be your strength and your might.
Our Christian love is sent by
your brothers & sisters
HOURGLASS2 OUTPOST
Pressing BACK returns you to previous page.
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Follow Ups:
Forum Participation Policy Hourglass2 Outpost Expires on 11:59:59 12/31/99
H2O Tutorial: World Chat Zones for Jehovah's Witnesses Rick Expires on 11:59:59 12/31/99
Email Contact Addresses at H2O Hourglass2 Outpost Expires on 11:59:59 12/31/99
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: Dear brothers & sisters,
:
: Requests for clarification on key points relating to this site and its contents has prompted those running Hourglass2 Outpost (H2O) to respond with a few questions and answers.
:
: Friends, we know you are likely eager to investigate the board. However the few minutes you spare to read this posting (and reply in accordance with our if you like) will be well worth your time, and could help you steer clear of possible problem areas.
:
:
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