Member Poll on "News, Current Events & Politics" at DW

Tell us how you think the forum can be improved. We will listen.
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In relation to "News, Current Events & Politics", I believe such discussion...

Should continue to be allowed at Dhamma Wheel, as is, because the Dhamma can influence how we see the world, and vice versa.
8
23%
Should go back to being in the Lounge, because having a dedicated section seems to give it too much prominence.
8
23%
Is fine in theory, but has become too difficult to manage in 2018, given people's attachment to views and widespread political polarization.
3
9%
Is fine in theory, but staff need to clamp down harder on serial offenders who cannot abide by the rules of that section.
1
3%
Is fine in theory, but staff unfairly oppress me and don't let me express my views.
1
3%
Should be prohibited at Dhamma Wheel altogether, because the topics and potential disputes tend to detract from the true purpose of the forum.
12
34%
Should be prohibited at Dhamma Wheel, altogether because worldly matters and religious matters should be kept separate.
1
3%
Is... (something else altogether, please explain below)
1
3%
 
Total votes: 35

binocular
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Re: Member Poll on "News, Current Events & Politics" at DW

Post by binocular »

Kim OHara wrote: Sat May 26, 2018 12:23 pmdharma
dharma
dharma
DhaMMa.

This is a Theravada forum.
Hic Rhodus, hic salta!
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Mr Man
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Re: Member Poll on "News, Current Events & Politics" at DW

Post by Mr Man »

retrofuturist wrote: Sat May 26, 2018 12:31 am I appreciate Kim acknowledging that the staff's approach to overseeing such discussion has been "tolerant", but unfortunately in the current political climate, certain members have been unable or unwilling to reciprocate that tolerance, in the sense of allowing opposing views that they disagree with to "just be". The recent trend of people to become increasingly intolerant of views other than their own, and the need to control what others think, do, or say is an authoritarian urge that I find quite disturbing, and I'm quite disappointed to see it have any degree of prominence on a Buddhist forum. Unfortunately, from my vantage point, the majority of this intolerance comes from an area in the political spectrum accustomed to priding themselves on their "tolerance", "compassion" and willingness and ability to "coexist". I humbly suggest that some reflection may be in order, if such individuals wish to reconcile their self-image with their words and deeds in the future, so as to steer away from "aversion".
And this is the kind of thing Admin posts to a Buddhist forum

viewtopic.php?f=54&t=29216&start=540#p472905
ieee23
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Re: Member Poll on "News, Current Events & Politics" at DW

Post by ieee23 »

I don't think it should be here at all.

Plenty of places on the Internet to get into pissing contests in regards to politics.

I come here to read about Buddhism.

For all of the people well read in Buddhism here, many people here simply can't handle it. They forget about Right Effort ( getting in and staying in good mental states ) when on the Internet, as if it wasn't part of their existence. It goes in the opposite direction of what they are trying to achieve with their practice. Like going to the gym, avoiding the candy machine all day at work, and then undoing it all by picking at a cake in the refrigerator at home, thinking that it doesn't count.
Whatever a bhikkhu frequently thinks and ponders upon, that will become the inclination of his mind. - MN 19
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Kim OHara
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Re: Member Poll on "News, Current Events & Politics" at DW

Post by Kim OHara »

binocular wrote: Sat May 26, 2018 4:28 pm
Kim OHara wrote: Sat May 26, 2018 12:23 pmdharma
dharma
dharma
DhaMMa.

This is a Theravada forum.
... in English with some Pali and Sanskrit and occasionally other languages.
Dharma and dhamma are the same word - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharma#Buddhism - but dharma is the spelling I learned first and it still comes most naturally to me.

:focus:

:namaste:
Kim
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lyndon taylor
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Re: Member Poll on "News, Current Events & Politics" at DW

Post by lyndon taylor »

I hardly see how people that never use the news section should have equal say on whether it exists or not.
18 years ago I made one of the most important decisions of my life and entered a local Cambodian Buddhist Temple as a temple boy and, for only 3 weeks, an actual Therevada Buddhist monk. I am not a scholar, great meditator, or authority on Buddhism, but Buddhism is something I love from the Bottom of my heart. It has taught me sobriety, morality, peace, and very importantly that my suffering is optional, and doesn't have to run my life. I hope to give back what little I can to the Buddhist community, sincerely former monk John

http://trickleupeconomictheory.blogspot.com/
SarathW
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Re: Member Poll on "News, Current Events & Politics" at DW

Post by SarathW »

I believe one of them identifies as Hindu
What is the motivation for a Hindu or a person of any other religion to hang around in a Buddhist forum?
Especially when their behavior is giving a bad name to the forum.
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
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Re: Member Poll on "News, Current Events & Politics" at DW

Post by lyndon taylor »

SarathW wrote: Sun May 27, 2018 4:39 am
I believe one of them identifies as Hindu
What is the motivation for a Hindu or a person of any other religion to hang around in a Buddhist forum?
Especially when their behavior is giving a bad name to the forum.
This is a job for the Dhamma police!!
18 years ago I made one of the most important decisions of my life and entered a local Cambodian Buddhist Temple as a temple boy and, for only 3 weeks, an actual Therevada Buddhist monk. I am not a scholar, great meditator, or authority on Buddhism, but Buddhism is something I love from the Bottom of my heart. It has taught me sobriety, morality, peace, and very importantly that my suffering is optional, and doesn't have to run my life. I hope to give back what little I can to the Buddhist community, sincerely former monk John

http://trickleupeconomictheory.blogspot.com/
binocular
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Re: Member Poll on "News, Current Events & Politics" at DW

Post by binocular »

ieee23 wrote: Sat May 26, 2018 7:56 pmFor all of the people well read in Buddhism here, many people here simply can't handle it. They forget about Right Effort ( getting in and staying in good mental states ) when on the Internet, as if it wasn't part of their existence. It goes in the opposite direction of what they are trying to achieve with their practice. Like going to the gym, avoiding the candy machine all day at work, and then undoing it all by picking at a cake in the refrigerator at home, thinking that it doesn't count.
Not only that, but they set the tone and the example of what one needs to be like at a Buddhist forum, in order to keep up and fit in, and ultimately, be a Buddhist.
Hic Rhodus, hic salta!
binocular
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Re: Member Poll on "News, Current Events & Politics" at DW

Post by binocular »

retrofuturist wrote: Sat May 26, 2018 1:33 amJust out of interest, were you to be managing a News & Current Events section of a Buddhist forum, what measures would you implement to improve the calibre of discussion, whilst respecting the spiritual and intellectual autonomy of the membership?
That would require to do away with social pressures altogether.

This whole business of "respecting the spiritual and intellectual autonomy of the membership" is fancy in the abstract, but impossible to carry out. Not because of people's failings or imperfections, but because the idea itself is internally problematic.
Hic Rhodus, hic salta!
budo
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Re: Member Poll on "News, Current Events & Politics" at DW

Post by budo »

The more off topic this forum becomes, the more dilluted the quality of the topics, the more monks you push away, the more this place attracts people who come to argue things that are off topic. The forum will decline in participants who take the dhamma seriously and will be replaced by people who take neither politics nor the dhamma seriously.

The thing about politics and art is that they're extremely subjective and everyone thinks their opinion is valid.

If I want news I'll go to Reuters not Dhammawheel, I come here for the dhamma.

Also I agree with Sarath that there are people who come here and completely disregard the suttas and fill the boards with their Taoist/Advainta ramblings. The only benefit this has is it reminds people how much of a waste of time arguing on the internet is. Do you want your forum to be seen as a place where time is wasted?
Spiny Norman
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Re: Member Poll on "News, Current Events & Politics" at DW

Post by Spiny Norman »

SarathW wrote: Sat May 26, 2018 1:54 am I showed a Royal wedding thread to a non-Buddhist and S/he asked me how Buddhist could be so aversion towards the royal family.
Though it could be argued that all political views and opinions are expressions of craving and aversion, directly or indirectly, and that political debate only serves to indulge such expression. Hence the problem.
Last edited by Spiny Norman on Sun May 27, 2018 9:27 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Member Poll on "News, Current Events & Politics" at DW

Post by Spiny Norman »

lyndon taylor wrote: Sun May 27, 2018 5:05 am
SarathW wrote: Sun May 27, 2018 4:39 am
I believe one of them identifies as Hindu
What is the motivation for a Hindu or a person of any other religion to hang around in a Buddhist forum?
Especially when their behavior is giving a bad name to the forum.
This is a job for the Dhamma police!!
Actually it's a job for the moderators, who do have a role in keeping discussions on-topic.
Buddha save me from new-agers!
Spiny Norman
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Re: Member Poll on "News, Current Events & Politics" at DW

Post by Spiny Norman »

budo wrote: Sun May 27, 2018 8:23 am The more off topic this forum becomes, the more dilluted the quality of the topics, the more monks you push away, the more this place attracts people who come to argue things that are off topic.
:goodpost:
Buddha save me from new-agers!
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Pseudobabble
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Re: Member Poll on "News, Current Events & Politics" at DW

Post by Pseudobabble »

Kim OHara wrote: Sat May 26, 2018 12:23 pm My favourite metaphor for the job when I did it over on the other Wheel, was actually gardening: encouraging flowers to flourish and removing the occasional weed. Every gardener knows that weeds take over if left unchecked.
I like this idea - gardening is the appropriate metaphor.
"Does Master Gotama have any position at all?"

"A 'position,' Vaccha, is something that a Tathagata has done away with. What a Tathagata sees is this: 'Such is form, such its origination, such its disappearance; such is feeling, such its origination, such its disappearance; such is perception...such are fabrications...such is consciousness, such its origination, such its disappearance.'" - Aggi-Vacchagotta Sutta


'Dust thou art, and unto dust thou shalt return.' - Genesis 3:19

'Some fart freely, some try to hide and silence it. Which one is correct?' - Saegnapha
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Re: Member Poll on "News, Current Events & Politics" at DW

Post by Spiny Norman »

There are roughly the same number of votes for maintaining the status quo, and getting rid of it all together. The option with most votes is No. 2, the compromise option of moving it back to The Lounge.
Buddha save me from new-agers!
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