Stephen Booth likes it. If it's good enough for the stalker of the UCCan, it should be good enough for you.

I can almost predict and see the games that he plays.  He want to leave obvious clues yet still deny that it the same guy, and see how long he can get away withit. on United Future he uses the name Stevie Booth and when he was not banned using that name he sweitched back to Stephen. . , and doesn't have a learning disability but plays the moderator. I syuspect that he is so well know that one of the reason for the sites inability to attract people has to do with his presence.  I know I will not particpate anymore, as any discussion can be derailed (which is his goal) 

I just notcied how in a post by Jim he professes his love for that site over this one. which goes to show you his intentions.

http://globalnews.ca/news/1157137/internet-trolls-are-sadists-and-psycho...

A recent study titled “Trolls Just Want to Have Fun,” found that people who spend a lot of time commenting online tend to have dark personality traits and show signs of sadism, psychopathy, and Machiavellianism.

>The Canadian psychologists found the same users were also more likely to report trolling as their favourite online activity – sadists, for example, troll because they enjoy it.

I just think it's fascinating to watch him troll the UCCan. On the forum, he almost sounds stable. When the chats are going on, he starts posting YouTube crap and goes off the rails about Gretta. Him and that other dude, "Dustin Germain" I think. You can't believe people like that exist.

THe problem with many sites is when the admin fail to differentiate between trolls and people with honest but unlikeable opions, and enable trolls under the false idea that it is about freedom of speech.

There goals is too make people unhappy and to destroy  communities, becasue they themselves are unable to form relationships and they get a sense of power from hurting others and the community. I have no doubt that Stephen Booth also targets teenagers and other vunerable persons online who have not caught on to his manipulation.   

I can imagine his sitting at the computer in a diaper, too enthralled by his trolling of the UCC and likely other groups around the world, to go to the bathroom.  His language and syntax also suggests to me an older guy that lives in a nursing home. He likely goes off and loses his ability to appear reasonable when he is due for another dose of drugs, or medication. Or perhaps he goes off when he is able to steal drugs from other residents in his nursing home.

I decided to take a peek at United Future. This is what I saw:

That seems pretty limiting to me and I am not surprised it is mostly populated by UCCan people. It does not seem to be a suitable replacement for WC at all.

Alex, I don't think it's necessary to paint an unflattering image of him. That just feeds his persecution complex and accomplishes nothing. Criticize him for what he does - not what you imagine does or what he looks like. We've got lots to work with already.

All I know is that he wants the UCCan, which he seems to have little connection to, to be more dogmatically rigid and right-wing. He wants to stamp out any sign of doubt or unbelief. He thinks he has biblical justification for his demands, and he's quick to share that justification with you.

From previous discussions on WC, someone has his ear. To what degree he's just a puppet, I have no idea. Maybe he's completely on his own now. I tried very hard to get people to stop replying to him back in the day and to find a way to see that he wasn't a danger to himself or others, but a phone call fell through. There will be no helping Stephen until he looks for it.

But the one good thing he does is copy my best lines from WC and emails them to a list of UCCan leaders. I only wish he properly attributed them to me, and that the emails weren't essentially unsolicited harassment.

Aaron can correct me if I'm wrong, but it's not a WC replacement. It's to facilitate discussion on the future of the UCCan. WC is much broader in scope.

But as a discussion forum, it sucks beyond words. It's a navigational nightmare, you can only see 10 threads per page and you have to scroll to see them all, it lists the threads in tabloid format, so your eyes are all over the page....it's just hideous for inviting discussion.

People have spent about 18 years improving forum software to discuss topics online. The UCCan chose one of the most awkward platforms when they opened Wondercafe in 2006 (iirc), and against all odds, managed to find a worse platform for discussion in 2014. I'm almost impressed, in a weird way.

I do not credit him with any belief what so ever. He just finds things that will annoy people, or in the case of sending quotes of yours to UCCan leaders, is trying to tie up the resources of the church, and in particular make Womdercafe too time consuming. He does not care about what you write, he is just a troll who enjoys what he does. And he spends a lot of time doing if you remebr the time he was pretending to have a learning disability.  ,

 If he is getting any help or being help it is from one of many TRoll sites that exists where trolls share information on how to annoy and disrupt others. He is not a puppet, and when he does delve into theology it is very remensicent of a group of people in the UCC during the seventies and eighties, who believed the UCC was heretical and who are all old or dead now, and who had no group of younger people take up their cause.  He is just using what they have left behind to inform his trolling.  If he (or if he had a puppet master" wopuld not be so annoyiung if their intent was sincere,. Their intent is to annoy, disrutp and to feel that they have some power, even if it is just to hurt or annoy others

I had a comment by Stephen Booth on my post/blog on United Future, and I didn't understand what was bothering him.  As much as some of his posting annoyed me on WC, I think some of the comments above about him are excessive.  I am worried that someone who has not been on WC for months bothered or hurt people enough on this site that mentioning his name is able to provoke the responses above.  My personal inclination is to feel sorry for him -- whatever his motivation and reasoning may be for what he posts, he seems to be a very unhappy person, and, writing from my point of view as a follower of Jesus, he is still my brother in God's family.

His posts have not been a big issue there.

I recognize that United Future is aimed at UCCan members, but with close to 3000 clergy and many members, it seems to be getting little participation.  Part of that may be lack of interest in the UCCan beyond the next couple of years; part may be the reluctance of people to participate in online forums; but I suspect the clumsiness of the site is an important factor.

I can't extrapolate that far, and I don't care to try. He's comic relief at this point for me.

Yes, United Future is not intended as a replacement for WonderCafe. Its purpose is to facilitate discussion on the future of the United Church, specifically on the work that comes out of the Comprehensive Review process. Because of that, it naturally appeals and is directed to those involved in the denomination. There are plans afoot to redesign the United Future discussion forum now that it has a "critical mass" of posts and users. 

I hope that some of the early posters on United Future will continue to be involved.  It seemed that the number of people participating declined between December and March.

I found the United Future forum unweildy and didn't stay long.  As the site is geared towards UC members discussing the future of the UC I refrained from adding any words. Obviously that doesn't include me. My experience indicates that the platform itself is vitally important if the idea is to get people to contribute, read, discuss.

The other important issue is the topic, of course.  So far I haven't found anyone in my 'real' life who is even a teensy bit interested in United Future discussion.  Actually, just like Emerging Spirit, it comes across as a well kept secret that the actual church members know nothing about.  

The UC FB page is pretty much a waste of space too, in my opinion. 

I looked around on United Future a couple of times and found a couple of the discussions interesting. It was a little ho hum compared to WC- it lacks the 'fire' of WC and I'm not talking about the proverbial emotional 'flame wars' that happen here sometimes, but the passionate interest in topics of discussion wasn't there like it is here- and I didn't like the way the threads are organized. But maybe it's an acquired taste- a little milder- a new format to get used to. It has room for improvement. It can get better. On the plus side it'll probably be less addictive than WC can get.

Hi Jim Kenney,

I suspect that reaction may be triggered by the awareness that there are several members of WonderCafe.ca that Stephen Booth has persistently followed outside of WonderCafe.ca.

GordW in particular appears to be a favourite target.  I certainly have never attempted to foster any connection with Stephen beyond WonderCafe.ca.  I have had to take extra measures to actually discourage further connection.

His presence on United Future is one reason that I have reluctantly registered.

Not yet.  Traffic is slow there so nobody is getting a great deal of attention.

Yeah.  If you are going to throw a party make sure the space is ready before folk arrive.

United Future is so not ready for any kind of conversation.  

Grace and peace to you.

John

Hi John,

Thank you for the additional information.  Since I started this thread, Stephen has been increasingly active in United Future, and he has found our church's Facebook page.  He seems to be carrying hurt or anxious feelings that can express themselves in unhelpful ways.  He will probably be reading this post, so I will invite him to imitate Jesus in primarily going to public spaces and to spaces to which a welcome has been given to him.  I do admire his passion for discussing the futureof the United Church, and hope he will carefully review comments from others in finding ways to helpfully participate (respond carefully to what has actually been posted; no judgement; no long quotes from anywhere; and no short quotes that add little to the discussion -- instead offering his interpretation of what was quoted:  example:  John 3:16:  I am glad that God loves us more than we can understand).

Now I am getting too wordy.

Hi Jim Kenney,

There is absolutely no doubt that he will read it if he hasn't already.

Grace and peace to you.

John