New rules pertaining to our younger members...

As it didn't apply to any but the Youths, I didn't announce it....

But I will now, so that those helping our newer members are aware...

The Youth forum is now special access only...

If a Youth asks you for help in finding the forum, please have them PM me...

We limited access to protect both Youths, and TOTJO...

Also, the application has been updated, and plainly states that applications from Youths will be deleted, they are to contact me, or, whoever might be listed as Youth officer(s) in the FAQ...

If you find a bad link to the old forum, please send me a link to the page with the bad link, with location on the page in the event of multiple links...

I will redirect them to this announcement...

Questions?

Mind you, i'm all about protecting the younger members, but with the forums being on select access, it also removes the accountability and transparency.

I trust those in leadership here, but from an outsider perspective, how would someone know that you're not secretly indoctronating their children with Terrorist / Facist / Soviet-Socialst type views?

No offense but we've seen through the catholic church what happens when adults in a position of power are given access to children in a private setting.

So, in such I think this is kind of a bad idea.

The Oncoming Storm wrote: Mind you, i'm all about protecting the younger members, but with the forums being on select access, it also removes the accountability and transparency.

I trust those in leadership here, but from an outsider perspective, how would someone know that you're not secretly indoctronating their children with Terrorist / Facist / Soviet-Socialst type views?

No offense but we've seen through the catholic church what happens when adults in a position of power are given access to children in a private setting.

So, in such I think this is kind of a bad idea.

I am not saying this happens at all (because it doesn't) but there is nothing to suggest that we don't already do this so making a particular forum private that previously wasn't changes nothing in that respect

But just so you know there are legal reasons as to the handling of the data of minors (especially those under 13) in the US (we're based in Texas). I do not know all the legality behind it, but this should, I believe, actually protect us from people coming along and saying "What are you allowing minors to do and why are you allowing them to join your church?"

I understand your point but i think as i am a younger member that if we are old enough to seriously consider taking a religious path for the rest of our lives i think we can prevent ourselves from becoming some kind of Osama Bin Laden, Rudolf Hess, Chairman Mao cross over and i think that others need to understand that before they make pre-emptive judgement about us.

Hehehe. Like it or not, this is the best way to do things.

Parents will most likely have access to the forums themselves anyway, and the parents would be able to see the content.

If that doesn't scare away the indoctrinators, I don't know what would. Because in my opinion, there is nothing worse than a pissed off parent who is protecting his/her child.

Volcano859 wrote: I understand your point but i think as i am a younger member that if we are old enough to seriously consider taking a religious path for the rest of our lives i think we can prevent ourselves from becoming some kind of Osama Bin Laden, Rudolf Hess, Chairman Mao cross over and i think that others need to understand that before they make pre-emptive judgement about us.

The legal age of sexual consent in the UK is 16 and in many other countries it is higher. This is in spite of it being perfectly reasonable for those under that age to engage responsibly

Whether or not you are responsible enough would be irrelevant in the eyes of the law. You might well be responsible and reasoned enough but that in no way changes the law which is outside of our control

The same goes with drinking, marriage, joining the armed forces, driving etc...

I don't mean to look like an authority on this subject, by responding to it, as I am not. This is my take on the subject

FYI, I joined when I was 14 so understand your point entirely

Jestor wrote: Questions?

I get the impression that this doesn't really mean that it's up for debate. Questions means...are we all clear?

I am clear, thank you Master Jestor :laugh:

V-Tog wrote:

Jestor wrote: Questions?

I get the impression that this doesn't really mean that it's up for debate. Questions means...are we all clear?

I am clear, thank you Master Jestor :laugh:

V, you know me well... :laugh:

We did debate this long and hard in Council, and it has been a priority of mine since I became Youth Officer, two years ago...

As a 40 year old adult, who remembers his youth well, and father of three, and instructor of dozens of kids, I have nothing but concern and worry for children...

And none of you really know me, especially you newer folks... All admin have access to the forum as well...

Actually, most youngsters wont wanna deal with the headaches and will go elsewhere... While kinda sad to lose any potential member, generally speaking, most are not old enought to comprehend what it iscwe are doing....

Imagine a family gathering... The adults are sitting around discussing whatever we adults discuss... MOST
Children are off playing because adults are borrringggg.... lol....

My information is available to the local authorities should it be needed...

i belive this is a good idea children and youths are our future and should be whats the word

i belive this is a good idea children and youths are our future and should be protected at all cost by any means you can check everybody's background but whos to say that one particular person just hasn't been caught children are easily manipulated for example ny two yearold hated eating green beens i acted like i like them and said how good they are and now she loves them so whats to keep some old pervert form befreinding a kid up here and manipulateing them in to trouble or getting in trouble again i aprove this action

The reasons behind these decisions are that we need to protect totjo against parents/police, who may ask why we collect information (Jedi application) from children (That's why we ask they do not complete the app), and also obviously protect minors from the undesirable aspects of the internet. oaths and journals are not accessible to unregistered users, to protect our member's privacy from google. But any ill-willed individuals can register an account and track who was born after 1998 with a simple forum search... So minors get their own private forum.

In fairness Jestor it did sound, to me, like you were opening up the thread for actual questions

I would however just mention now (because I failed to earlier) that if someone does have a legitimate question or serious issue regarding this then raise it. But you will have to remember that most, if not all, issues would already have been considered and discussed prior to any change

The decision is pretty generally final unless you can find some glaringly obvious reason as to why the decision should be changed. If you can't then it's likely that it has either already been considered or other reasons way too heavily against it

I agree with you.

But, I also think that the people whom this affects should have the right to ask those questions and learn the reasons WHY you decided what you did.

If people don't challenge the rulings (even if they make sense and all things have been considered), then it moves from a fair ruling to a dictatorship, which is ok... but... hahah.

If every item brought up was addressed or open to discussion, things would take longer than they do now...

Generally, we have beat these horses to death, and then smacked them a little more, went off topic on some tangent, rerouted, back again, twisted upside down, and inside out, then, for good measure, kicked that dead horse a couple of times...

If there are serious holes, please bring them to our attention, we know we are not perfect...

But if it is just opinions, or small items that you wish to mention, please feel free to contact one of us...

Thanks!

Our main motivation was to provide a safe space for under 18s to converse. So you now need to be able to prove your eligibility in order to access those areas. It doesn't stop under 18s from participating in the rest of the site, it just means that they have a regulated space to be able to chat amongst themselves without worrying about who's listening in.

The new guidance also allows us to fulfil our obligations and motivations for protecting minors. This is a legal AND a moral thing.

i woyld like your post if it was a option

Press the "thank you" button, David.

And, Jestor, I didn't say that they SHOULD ask those questions... I am saying that the people it affect SHOULD have the RIGHT to ask those questions, which they do.

Well you can definitely choose to ask why. And then we can choose not to answer?

On a serious note, this section was created to allow the council and the members to communicate.

Sure. I don't think I'm really saying anything.