Forums may be closing soon

[stonehearted]

I think that Jahnava Nitai has come to this decision after careful consideration, and we should not pressure him otherwise. I think the Spiritual Discussions forum, potentially the most useful, has fallen far short of that potential for precisely the reasons he listed. Others have tried this and given up rather quickly. Sparky (Ksamabuddhi) tried two or three times, and decided it was not worth the aggravation, etc.

Any of you who think this forum is still useful are welcome to get on egoing yourselves.

[Bart Happel]

Originally Posted by bhaktajan ... If any one knows a cure for accidental emissions during public address conferences. ...

First, warn the watercooler. If it doesn't listen, then turn it off.

[bhaktajan]

I love it!

It's much more exciting than cricket, Right?

Thanks Mukunda, I couldn't do it without that inspiration only you can give.

[Kulapavana]

Originally Posted by stonehearted Any of you who think this forum is still useful are welcome to get on egoing yourselves.

I am an administrator on a Polish speaking devotee forum Vrinda. We have had our share of problems but we have not given up. IMO the key is having clear rules and enough moderators to make sure they are enforced. There are quite a few devotee regulars here who can be moderators.

Once you have something popular going you should not give up easily when there is trouble. Internet is the brihat mridanga now, more so than books.

I am amazed how easily devotees give in in face of difficulties. Closing down temples, farms, and other preaching projects. Prabhupada was very critical of such easy surrenders.

[kaisersose]

The Spiritual section is the only section that is seeing problems - due to people like myself. The problem is, it is hard for one to sit back and watch misinformations disemminated by people who do not know what they are talking about. If A were to stick to what A knows and believes, then everything is fine. But when A starts posting incorrect material on B's beliefs, then we have a receipt for disaster.

Possible solutions:

1. Ban people who argue and fight. They are only a handful (including myself).

2. There should be no generic "free for all" section.

Cheers

[suchandra]

Originally Posted by Kulapavana I am an administrator on a Polish speaking devotee forum Vrinda. We have had our share of problems but we have not given up. IMO the key is having clear rules and enough moderators to make sure they are enforced. There are quite a few devotee regulars here who can be moderators. Once you have something popular going you should not give up easily when there is trouble. Internet is the brihat mridanga now, more so than books. I am amazed how easily devotees give in in face of difficulties. Closing down temples, farms, and other preaching projects. Prabhupada was very critical of such easy surrenders.

These are all good points by Kula Prabhu and Theist Prabhu! It might look that there're discrepencies among different camps but this can only overcome when working on it and not by closing audarya. In fact fronts get even more hardened by avoiding discussion. Especially by writing things can be solved much more easy than by any other method.

[yogesh]

It would be if the forum does close.

I can understand Jndas's argument for closing the forum. I have seen quite a number of quarreling and boys/girls behaving badly But I just avoid those topics I personally find not to my liking.

Somedays when I need inspiration I just come to Audarya and read topics that are uplifting and positive and avoid those that are nasty/negative in nature.

I will truly miss those dear posters that I have come to enjoy over the years such as "Old timers" like Thesitji, Mahakji, Pankaj-ji, Radhe-Radhe, Kulaji and Stone(y) hearted personalities that can melt your heart to young gifted honey bee like personality Indrulekhaji. Devotees from various parts of the world like Bija prabhu from down under quirky fellows with so deep way of saying things like Bishadi the kitten

I have also seen the dark side (you know who you are) I may not agree with many and so I take what is good and reject that what I do not agree with.

If Jndas does close this site then I will trulely be sad because there is no other forum where spiritual topics are discussed. I have avoided other chat forums like facebook and the likes because i find the topics so mundane.

If this is to be my last post on Audarya then with sadness in my heart Say farewell and I would like to Thank those Personalities who have posted positive and uplifting messages and would like to send my sincere appologies to those I may have offended.

Please accept my humble obeisance Vancha kalpatarubhayas ca Kripa sindhubhya eva ca patitanam pavenebhyo vaisnavebhyo namo namah -

Translation - I offer my respectfull obeisances unto all Vaisnava devotees of the Lord who can fulfill the desires of eveyone, just like desire trees, and who are compassion for the fallen souls.

All Glories to the assembled devotees of the Lord

Hare Krsna/Krishna
All Glories to H.D.G.Sirla Prabhupada

[theist]

Jndas,

I think you can see from the above quick response that many are helped towards God consciousness by your forums and how many others have received at least some measure of help through the years we can not say.

I have thanked you beforew and I thank you again for providing such a unique spot to express these ideas but 'the thanks you's' will never be adequate to the blessing received. That is the way of true blessings.

It is unfortunate we the participants are too immature and false ego driven to conduct such disscussions free from fault finding and animosity. The fact is we are all basically the always short lived, quarrelsome, unlucky and always disturbed (and disturbing) residents of kali-yuga.

We are also great in number and so will always bring our bad habits to any site we visit. This means that your desire for mature discussion for the benefit of the newcomer will always be frustrated unfortunately.

So the question is how to keep the positive and even increase it while curbing the negative. The present spiritual discussion forum format will never work as it is. This one board needs strong moderation. And I might add the moderaros should not be so aloof as to never give a reason why any action is taken or to ignore questions when put to them. Whenever I post a question as to why a post of mine was deleted the only response I get is to have tha post deleted also. EXTEMELY RUDE AND IMPERSONAL IMO.

So I can only suggest keeping Spiritual Discussion open if it can be moderated properly and if it can't be just delete it.

There are plenty of good boards on AF to take up the slack.

[bhaktajan]

How ironic it would be if Jahnava Nitai was a very young and very fixed up brahmacari who simply feels that all such talk is prajalpa and we should stop it and just go away and chant our rounds.

Sound familiar?

[bhaktajan]

OK OK I can't keep it in any more, PLEASE don't close it down!

I got nothing else going on in my life!

I'm addicted to this forum, I need it brother and I need it bad!

OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD!

Who else? Where else? I ain't talking to nobody at the mandir that would resemble the posts of ________ --I'd never even look their way.

OH JESUS CHRIST! I need to say these things to somebody--and if not here, then any where else people would think I was nuts --oh oh, this is not helping my case, is it?

Oh Krishna what will happen to me?
Oh Krishna what will become of us?

Administrator, tell the world my story! (Neuman)

[Bart Happel]

Originally Posted by bhaktajan How ironic it would be if Jahnava Nitai was a very young and very fixed up brahmacari who simply feels that all such talk is prajalpa and we should stop it and just go away and chant our rounds. Sound familiar?

Then why start a forum anyway?

[Bart Happel]

I miss you already Pankaja_Dasa.

[Bishadi]

I think that Jahnava Nitai has come to this decision after careful consideration, and we should not pressure him otherwise. I think the Spiritual Discussions forum, potentially the most useful, has fallen far short of that potential for precisely the reasons he listed. Others have tried this and given up rather quickly. Sparky (Ksamabuddhi) tried two or three times, and decided it was not worth the aggravation, etc. Any of you who think this forum is still useful are welcome to get on egoing yourselves.

after reading the posts within this thread it seems a few really enjoy to communicate in this fashion.

where are the comments from the moderators who are unhappy?

please do not suggest the reason is because of arguments.

If that was the case, who would ever even attend a religious discussion.

and if it is because the moderators cannot address the questions or are frustrated, then how could they be appointed moderators or the guidance personnel?

if and i mean if, this 'i' is a cause for the loss to others, then please say so and i will never return to this site.

Jahnava PM me if this i is considered a 'bad' cat.....

otherwise I am considering a trip to california, to meet with a few

p/s ....is the person who opened up this http://www.bvashram.org/articles/130...ted/Page1.html

the same Jahnava?

in which it is written

Thus for anyone who takes to bhakti, even in the smallest way, liberation is guaranteed, and only the time factor acts as the seperator between perceptible and imperceptible realities. In this way, even the most neophyte devotee is factually liberated by the divine will of the Lord, but in the initial stages it will be imperceptible untill the passage of time (and accumulation of devotional credit) raises him to the level of 100% pure devotional attachment to the Lord. It is like the filling of a vessel with water. Even if only a drip of water is droping continuously into this vessel, it is slowly filling more and more, and at some point it will become full. The path of bhakti involves filling our heart with love for Lord Krishna. Even if only one or two drops of love have entered our hearts, the flow has begun and it is only a matter of time before we are filled with unalloyed devotion to the Lord. Thus from the very beginning liberation is guaranteed, as it is the Lord's divine will to liberate anyone who comes in contact with his devotion. Because there is never any loss or diminution to our accumulated love for the Lord, it is certain that it will continue to increase and increase until we attain perfection, at which time liberation becomes perceptible. In this way we are on a one way path to liberation, with no chance of turning around towards material bondage. Since it is a one way path, and since there is never possibility of diminution on this path, therefore we are all liberated, but imperceptibly. We will only perceive it once the time factor (Sudarshana) has acted and assisted us in performing 100% pure devotional service to Lord Krishna. Yours in service, Jahnava Nitai Das

Devotion is something that no one can steal from another!

It is simply by our choices; so no argument should be considered the cause of one falling from the pure good or their intent to serve.



If the devoted are not truly of compassion; then they we not in bhakti in the first place.

[Pankaja_Dasa]

Ha. Just come here to get what i need thats all. VRINDAVANA was okay, except for one devotee, but i held my tongue. As i liked in temple many cool devotees. That why i build my own math one day. For my guru.

[Bart Happel]

By the way, what happened with the 'poll'? It looked so good for the forum! 1 vote against and 567 votes in favor, if I remember correctly.

[bija]

I think you should follow your decision to close down. And even consider removing threads which have been grossly offensive, which serve no use to anyone - especially the listener (and future readers).

I would like to apologise for two things while being here, finding my way in this computer realm. This forum was my first encounter online, and first sense of Hindu (Vaisnava) association.

1/ for the times I have argued and identified with false ego. I tried not to do this, but have not lived up to my standard (aspired for).

2/ for supporting things which are not in line with my tradition and disciplic succession due to lack of maturity and understanding. Which is misleading. Dark Warrior and Theist please accept my apoligies. Recently I have discovered the truth of Srila Bhaktivinoda and Srila Bhaktisiddhanta's heart in this book: http://mybloop.com/go/BUub45 At their lotus feet I ask for shelter. But saying this I offer respects to all jiva souls - aspiring for the vision of the love that Sri Krsna has for all his children.

In reference to point 2, showing one's gradual growth on a forum may be of use to a discerning reader. But if I have spoken offence, that is not much use to anyone.

My master would often instruct me to never hear criticism of anyone. I failed that advise coming here, which did produce bad fruit in my heart (which is my failing). In the early days of coming to this forum, I was new to computer and Hare Krsna community.

The only way to have an offence free forum, is to moderate every post before it is published.

The attraction to this forum was the amount of posters. If it had been moderated strictly, it would be a great blessing to the world.

Thank you Jndas, I have learnt so much here in some ways, and grown to love Theist, Mahak, Kula, Krsna, Stone, Pankaja, Jan, gHari, Dark Warrior...and all other regulars who had a sense of community. I consider them my brothers, and I will miss them, as we carried each others imperfection. And I long to meet them in the kingdom of God oneday, to serve them. I choose now to not look at the shadow - but to the heart which is pristine!

Love and blessing to you all here. When I come to Puri, I would like to hopefully visit Lord Jagannatha at real life Audarya.

y.s. fallen bija (Nava)