On what it takes to make it on TOL. :up:
:first:My Top Twenty for Surviving on TOL, in no particular order:
1. Pay for a subscription every year or more
2. Don’t take the bait—ignore those that continue to annoy and/or provoke you
3. Start your threads with descriptive titles
4. Don’t tug on Superman’s cape—respect the Admins/Mods
5. Review a thread before jumping in so you understand the topic and contexts
6. Do your homework and get to know your opponent—review their previous posts
7. Cast pearls wisely, as the entrenched are not worth much effort, 2 John 1:10-11
8. Quote posts accurately—forging quotes is dishonest and a sure sign of desperation
9. Learn how to post content and get familiar with BBcode
10. Engendering strife is not Biblical, Phil. 1:15; 2:3; 2 Tim. 2:22-26; James 3:14, 16
11. Offer correction Biblically, per Galatians 6:1; 1 Peter 3:15-16
12. Don’t make drive-by posts just to get noticed or increase post counts
13. No gamesmanship—if you have a point, make it—versus asking vague questions hoping for a “gotcha!”
14. Never draw first blood in a discussion—mud slung first is ground lost
15. Be a good steward of your gifts and time—not everyone deserves it and you are not obligated to give it unworthily, Romans 12:6-8, Ephesians 5:15-17; Psalm 90:12; Isaiah 49:4
16. This is a discussion site, not a blog—master the difference
17. Confrontation is not a bad thing (but see #10 and 11 above), Ezekiel 33:6; 2 John 1:7-8
18. Obey the rules and get to know the biases of the management
19. Keep your post on point and try to keep its length manageable
20. Before you act, pass the “glorify God” litmus test, Romans 11:36; 1 Corinthians 10:31; 2 Corinthians 10:5; Philippians 4:8
As to the second part of the question, I will just say that those that have not or won't survive, typically trip over not a few of the above.
AMR
