alt.religion.christian-teen FAQ (v3.5.0)
Steven Schrader
Posting-frequency: weekly
Last-modified: 24 Apr 2003
Version: 3.5.0
URL: http://arc-t.org/faq-main.html
alt.religion.christian-teen Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
This FAQ is posted weekly in an attempt to answer some of the questions likely
to be asked in alt.religion.christian-teen (arc-t). This FAQ is maintained by
Steven Schrader, and any comments or suggestions should be sent to him at
st...@arc-t.org.
Recent Changes:
* The reg list is in the new format! :) If you were previously listed as
as a Regular, then you're currently listed as a "Frequent Poster", and if
if you were previously listed as a Semi-Regular, then you're currently
listed as an "Occasional Poster". Posting frequency will be based off of
the new system starting after the next end of month posting stats.
Contents
I. Introduction to arc-t
II. Tips on Posting
III. Frequently Asked Questions
IV. Who's Who
V. Related Links
-----------------------------------
I. Introduction to arc-t
Welcome to alt.religion.christian-teen! If you're a newbie just visiting our
humble little group for the first time, then you should take the time to read
this FAQ from beginning to end. If you want to plunge straight on in, then
feel free, but don't say I didn't warn you. ;)
alt.religion.christian-teen (arc-t), while containing the words
"christian" and "teen" in it's name, has actually grown into an active group
full of Christians, non-Christians, liberals, conservatives, teens, ex-teens,
kooks and trolls. While Christian discussion is certainly welcome, don't be
surprised if it's not the only topic, or even the main one.
-----------------------------------
II. Tips on Posting
Here are some suggestions on posting that will help you get into the flow
of the group as quickly as possible:
* Avoid posting in HTML.
While your news reader may support it, keep in mind that not everyone views
arc-t through the same program. By posting in HTML you may be excluding
people who would otherwise be interested in responding to your post.
* Quote any relevant text in your replies and snip the rest.
While your point may be very clear to you, the person you're responding to may
not read your post for days or even weeks. Anyone else who is reading your
post may not understand what you're talking about if you don't include the text
that you are replying to. This doesn't mean include _all_ the text, just the
part that you're replying to. The rest can be deleted, but it's usually a good
idea to replace the deleted sections with the word *snip* (or something
similar). This lets others in the newsgroup know that there used to be text
there but that you removed it. Another good practice is to respond below the
text that you are responding to. Posting at the top of a post is known as
"top-posting" or "jeopardy posting", and while not everyone minds it, it is
generally considered to be poor netiquette as it can often make a thread very
difficult to follow.
* Keep threads intact.
To help keep things less confusing, and because it is generally considered
good "netiquette", please try to post your replies within the thread that you
are responding to. By starting a new thread, you not only make it harder for
others to keep track of the "flow" of a particular discussion, but also create
the possibility that your contribution may be overlooked.
* Get to know the regulars.
Like many Usenet groups, arc-t has a definite sense of "community" to it.
You shouldn't jump in and start flaming people anymore than you would run into
a party at a stranger's house and start yelling at the guests. Take some time
to lurk in the group and read this FAQ before you post and hopefully that will
help you to get more out of the group. :)
* Be wary of cross-posting.
Cross-posting can be a good way to get alternate viewpoints involved in a
discussion, but you should exercise caution when doing so. Most usenet folk
are okay with limited cross-posting (two or three groups total) but consider
mass cross-posting to be bad netiquette. In general, you should know about the
groups you are posting to (their FAQ, charter, etc.) and consider how your
cross-post will affect those groups. For instance, cross-posting something
that will lead to heated debate in both a large group and a small group may
introduce an unwelcome amount of volume to the smaller group. Another downside
to cross-posting is that threads are more likely to get splintered which will
make the discussion harder to follow. One way to get around this is to set a
"follow-up" in your original cross-post, so that any further discussion in the
thread is directed to one group, rather then all of the groups. Lastly, there
are some people who filter out cross-posts entirely, in which case you may be
excluding people who would otherwise be interested in responding to your post.
* Know when to post links.
PLEASE DON'T SPAM THE GROUP. Sometimes you may feel you have a web site that
is of relevance to the group, but if you're not sticking around to discuss the
link that you have posted, then you probably shouldn't be posting it in the
first place. However, if you are included a link to a site that supports or
elaborates on a point that you are making, then you're probably okay. One
exception to this is if you include a reference to a site in your signature
(provided of course that you're not just posting your sig! :D)
* Don't post binaries.
Posting binaries outside of a binary group is a real good way to make enemies
in just about any newsgroup, not just arc-t. If you just have to share with us
that picture of you in nothing but a tube sock, then include a link to it
instead.
* Don't ask for penpals.
Please don't post in the group just to ask for someone to email or be a penpal
with. You'd have better luck checking out one of the groups made specifically
for that purpose, such as alt.penpal
-----------------------------------
III. Frequently Asked Questions
1) Isn't the name of this newsgroup alt.religion.CHRISTIAN-TEEN?
2) This newsgroup sucks.
3) What's the difference between a Semi-Regular and a Regular?
4) When am I considered a regular?
5) Will (insert name) ever respond to my posts?
6) Okay, this is all nice and everything, but I still don't get why there
are non-Christians posting here?
***
1) Isn't the name of this newsgroup alt.religion.CHRISTIAN-TEEN?
Why yes, it is. But this doesn't mean that all of the discussion within will
necessarily be pro-Christian, or even of a Christian nature at all. The name
of a group is meant to guide its content, not to limit it. At least, that's
the way it works in the alt.* hiearchy. :)
2) This newsgroup sucks.
Not really a question, but it comes up often enough that I thought it should
be included here. Every person who has ever said the above sentence, or any
variation thereof, has always received the same answer: "You get out of a
newsgroup what you put into it."
3) What's the difference between a Semi-Regular and a Regular?
Not much really. Regulars contribute the bulk of the posting in arc-t, and
as such are responsible for a good deal of the group's atmosphere and sense of
community. These are people you are likely to meet within a day or two of
your first post. A Semi-Regular is someone that contributes to the atmosphere
of arc-t but is unable to post as often or as much. These are people that you
are likely to meet within a few weeks of your first post.
4) When am I considered a regular?
Read the "So You Want To Be a Regular?" FAQ located at
http://arc-t.org/faq-regular.html
5) Will (insert name) ever respond to my posts?
Maybe, but probably not. There are several posters who like to post, but
appearantly can't be bothered to actually engage in a discussion. You'll find
the odd assortment of conspiracy theorists and doomsayers, plus one or two
posters who just like to post Bible verses for some odd reason. Unless you like
talking to yourself, you're probably better off ignoring them.
6) Okay, this is all nice and everything, but I still don't get why there are
non-Christians posting here?
You'll find that there are all sorts of reasons why _anyone_ chooses to post
to arc-t, Christians and non-Christians alike. Just remember that it isn't a
Christian group, but rather a group about Christianity, a small but important
distinction. If you'd like to read the various reasons people have for being
in arc-t, many of them have been compiled at
http://arc-t.org/archives-polls-whydoyoupost.html
-----------------------------------
IV. Who's Who
This is a quick introduction to the Regulars that inhabit arc-t. If you'd like
your blurb changed please contact Steven Schrader at st...@arc-t.org. The arc-t
homepage is also a good place to get information about the people listed here
(See "Related Links" for the url).
---------
* Amy (Llama) - Frequent Poster
Resident animal, not christian, actual teen. She's been here since June 7,
2000, and pops in and out.
* The Astute Andrew - Frequent Poster
Andrew Van Hout, known as The Astute Andrew in Usenet circles, leads a
relatively quiet life. He is a 17-year-old Roman Catholic teen who holds
views that aren't dissimilar to orthodox Catholic teaching, with a few major
exceptions. Occasionally, because of the stress of taking advanced or honor
classes, Andrew will be seen in fits of insanity and will have nagging
existential doubts about his own existence.
* Blade - Occasional Poster (Bl...@mysanctuary.demon.co.uk)
Blade, resident atheist biochemist. If you think that evolution violates
the second law of thermodynamics, don't tell me unless you enjoy people
shattering your ignorance.
* Charos - Frequent Poster (zarathust...@yahoo.com)
Existential atheist with tappings into almost any belief system he's looked
into to any degree (Shamanism, Paganism, Christianity, Nagualism, Buddhism,
Taoism etc.)
* Jonathan Downie - Occasional Poster (jona...@downieland.freeserve.co.uk)
Jonathan is definetly here too much, possibly enjoys it and will probably be
a babe magnet one day... :-)
* Ben Ferguson - Occasional Poster
Ben is a Christian who is neither right nor left wing. He can be stubborn at
times. He also wants several changes to take place in modern society (although
he realizes most won't take place.) Other than that he's normal and kinda
boring :).
* Jane Hall - Frequent Poster (lafs...@nc.prestige.net)
Jane is arc-t's Grandma. She's a Christian whose philosophy is "love,
acceptance, forgiveness", and she loves to laugh and have a good time.
* Inky - Frequent Poster
What is a theist semi-achristianist? Theist= one who believes in God.
Semi= partially. A= not. Christian= a supposed follower of Christ. Ist=
(this part is just stuck on to make the tagline sound better). Inky is a
person who believes in God but does not believe that many so-called
Christians are truly following Jesus.
* Pastor John - Frequent Poster
Pastor John is a 54 year old United Methodist Pastor. He speaks for himself
and not any church and tries to be caring. However, he believes strong in the
Christian faith and is not afraid to say so.
* Juggernaut - Occasional Poster
Juggernaut is also known as Antonio and is a conservative Catholic Christian.
He has been in arc-t since July 27th, 1999 He's married, has a daughter, and
is 31 years old. Likes to discuss theism, Catholicism, morality, politics and
social issues, and music.
* Kelly - Occasional Poster
A 38-year-old mother of three who is obsessed with Nick. Gravitates toward
silliness and levity but can become serious and reverent when the situation
requires.
* Michelle - Occasional Poster
Fairly quiet, semi-Chrisitian.
* Renita - Occasional Poster (mousewit...@hotmail.com)
Resident Mennonite and said to be a "very level-headed Christian."
No longer a teenager, but in many ways a kid at heart.. Prone to occasional
fits of conservatism, but primarily liberal and tries to be open minded.
Loves to tell people about how much cooler the Mennonites are than the
Amish :)
* Sam Rusling (Cow Jam) - Frequent Poster (co...@hotmail.com)
Sam may not be a teenager, but he is a Christian. He's also consistently
inconsistent, contradicting himself on a regular basis. His spelling is
atrocious, which he puts down to a liberal attitude towards communication.
So, if you see him contradicting himself in a post full of typos, don't
worry about it, just remember "dippy".
* Steven Schrader - Frequent Poster (st...@arc-t.org)
Never shuts up. :) He maintains this FAQ and the website, so he's a
good person to contact if you have any questions.
* Jon Seymour - Occasional Poster (nlg...@hotmail.com)
Jon is now someone who can make up his mind. He still maintains an open
mind, but he's an atheist until given a good reason not to be, like
maybe evidence. He's as courteous as he wants to be, which isn't all
that courteous at times. But overall, he's in the same boat as everyone
else: with one leg in the boat on the search for truth, and the other
leg in the boat fighting against stupidity and illogical reasoning. He
also isn't too fond of newbies who ask questions easily answered in
Steve's FAQ.
* Suzi - Frequent Poster
Suzi needs no blurb; Suzi is simply Suzi...and very indecisive, too.
* Leslie Terrell - Occasional Poster (maadh...@yahoo.com)
Before you ask, yes, she really is a Christian. She has some very
liberal views and some very conservative views and rest assured, you'll
probably hear about them. She's not as mean as she sounds, if she
seems mean or angry with you when she responds to your thread she's
probably not irreversibly against you (just temporarily irritated). She's
19, and anglo-catholic. (Episcopal).
* The Steel Wolf - Occasional Poster
A lover of all things esoteric, The Steel Wolf is a seeker after
spiritual truth. A philosopher at heart, he tends to nitpick and to
play devil's advocate, which can make his actual beliefs a bit
difficult to nail down at times. Like Charos, his beliefs are rather
syncretistic in nature, though he identifies himself as a Christian.
He is Episcopalian, which is fortunate as it is probably one of the
few denominations that would willingly have him.
* wersh - Frequent Poster (Z...@wersh.com)
wersh is wersh... He's a rather odd fellow, and you never quite know what
to expect from him. Unpredictable at best, irrational at worst, the wersh
can go from deep, thought-provoking conversation to totally insane banter
in a heartbeat.
-----------------------------------
V. Related Links
This section will contain various links that the members of the group often
cite or feel may contain information relevant to the discussions in arc-t.
* The arc-t Homepage - http://arc-t.org/
As you can probably guess by the title, this is the homepage for this
newsgroup. It contains this FAQ, bios for the regulars, post archives (just
the good ones of course) and lots of other assorted goodies.
* news:news.newusers.questions
news:news.answers
news:alt.answers
These newsgroups are a great resource for users new to Usenet and looking for
information. You'll find information on netiquette as well as the FAQs for
many different newsgroups.
-----------------------------------
This FAQ was first written on November 02, 1998 by Steven Schrader.