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BBS-FYI
Relevant Material Recently On-Line and Related Information
A B O U T T H E B B S - F Y I
The mission of the BBS-FYI is to report on the religious influence of
non-Christian and unorthodox Christian elements within the world of
computer technology. Secular and Christian computer resource information
that is of general value to apologists is also covered.
Volume One of the BBS-FYI was bundled with version 2.5 of the free
apologetics bibliographic resource databse, CRI TEXT. Although CRI
charges for CRI TEXT in order to cover its handling costs, the software is
free and should be available from the source where you received this file.
Unfortunately, there is no update for CRI TEXT planned for 1995.
If you are aware of resource information of a similar nature to that which
is mentioned in the BBS-FYI, please feel free to contact me so that it may
be shared with the rest of the BBS-FYI readership.
I pray that the secondary purpose behind the BBS-FYI bears fruit for
countless others; that they might catch a vision for how they can utilize
computer technology to enhance ministry and to draw many more into the
work of defending the faith.
Rich Poll
Research Resource Manager
Christian Research Institute
January 27, 1995
richpoll@iclnet93.iclnet.org <-- preferred
richpoll@aol.com
72642.2555@compuserve.com
(Having posted my eaddresses, please understand that I can not always
respond to all who write. At times I get plenty more e-mail than I can
manage.)
----------------------------------------------
BBS-FYI 2:1
February 3, 1994
RESPONSE
Here's the kind of response I like to pass on to you readers, Talbot prof
Alan Gomes faxed me news of a semi-local Urantia BBS named Compendium of
Wisdom, (818) 904-1656. It reportedly has the entire cultic Urantia Book
(2,000+ pages = 3.5 megs, compressed) including search software available
for download at 14.4kbps! Thank you Alan!
"Internet Resources for Religious Studies" -- thanks to Dave Harmeyer at
Campus Crusade's International School of Theology Library for this one.
Non-conservative academia here. Mentions Michael Strangelove's Electric
Mystic's Guide (see BBS-FYI 1:9) but only gives it a brief hit.
Incidentally, you can get updates to the Guide via e-mail with the
message GET MYSTICS V1-TXT <and> V3-TXT from listserv@uottawa -- but
beware, its a monster. A source is given for updates to Diane Kovacs'
Directory of Scholarly Electronic Conferences (send the message GET
ACADLIST.README <and> FILE4 to listserv@kentvm). Selected online
discussion groups are briefly noted. The Mystic's Guide also includes
descriptions for many of the items. In a list of electronic journal and
newsletter descriptions there is an entry for Offline, "a column by Robert
Kraft which has appeared for a number of years in The Bulletin of the
Council of Societies for the Study of Religion and in Religious Studies
News. It concentrates on the use of computers in religious studies." The
author says to GOPHER it as a way of getting this item for yourself.
Finally, CONTENTS: the Religious Studies Publications Journal
"electronically archives reviews, abstracts, conference papers, theses and
dissertations, bibliographies and other documents and announces their
availability to subscribers" (SUBSCRIBE CONTENTS <YOUR NAME> to
listserv@uottawa). In addition, SUBSCRIBE REVIEWL <YOUR NAME> will get
you the full text of reviews and book notes announced in the journal.
College & Research Libraries News, Dec '93 (54:11), p635. Thanks Dave!
TELESTATS
"CompuServe is currently claiming some 1.5 million subscribers and
projects the addition of another 400,000 in 1994." Boardwatch, Jan '94,
p32a.7
"The Colossal Hold of E-Mail" -- reports that e-mail use grew 300,000
percent last year. I've seen the 300,000 figure twice now. Los Angeles
Times, Dec 31 '93, pB11.
"US Looks at Germany's Example in Recycling Computers" -- now here's a
stat for you: "By 2005, more personal computers (PCs) will be in landfills
than in operation...." Christian Science Monitor, Jan 24 '94, p6.
NET NEWS
"New York Times to Begin On-Line Service" -- America Online gets another
player. The story reports AOL's publication list as: Time magazine, The
Chicago Tribune, The San Jose Mercury News, The New York Times, and
growing. From this article its closest competitor appears to be
CompuServe with US News & World Report. However, if you read the rest of
this BBS-FYI, you'll suspect there is a bigger story. In addition CI$ is
also said to work with "Gannett newspapers in Florida and in the suburbs
north of New York City." Prodigy is reported to be "planning on-line
services with Media General Inc., which has newspapers in the South, Cox
Enterprises, which owns The Atlanta Constitution and other newspapers, and
The Times Mirror Company, which owns The Los Angeles Times, The Baltimore
Sun and Newsday on Long Island and in New York, in addition to other
papers." All text is "available for only 24 hours beginning shortly after
midnight on the day of publication; the reviews will be available for
longer periods." One would presume the deleted text is archived and
accessible for a fee in some database environment. New York Times, Dec 17
'93, pC15.
Anton Hein just let me know that a news wire where he works said AOL hit
the half-million subscriber mark late December and that it is now moving
past 660,000! No mystery. It looks like AOL is THE best deal among the
commercial services at $9.95/month with access to nearly everything at
$3.50/hour once your five free hours are used up, even at 9600 baud; and
no prime-time access surcharges. Before today I didn't realize that all
e-mail is free with no limits -- including Internet e-mail! That is still
hard to believe. If anyone knows different, please let me know. Anton
also said that he learned from a conversation with Jerry White, the
founder and leader of AOL's Religion & Ethics Forum, that Jerry is
currently trying to interest AOL in carrying Christian magazines. AOL may
be interested in a reciprocal relationship (We give you exposure; you do
the same for us).
"CompuServe, a Unit of H&R Block, Cuts Its On-Line Prices" -- and after
learning about AOL there is no wonder why. Hourly rates for 15-year-old
CI$ up to 2400 baud are now $4.80 down from $8.00. 9600 baud use is
$9.60, down from $16; all of it still steep in comparison to AOL. Wall
Street Journal, Jan 14 '94, pB3.
"The Macintosh Religion" -- the sidebar heading from a MacWorld feature
titled, "The Macintosh Mystique." Opens with hyperbole and ends
rhetorically, "The Macintosh has stimulated such devotion, such
excitement, and such a firm belief in its importance among many users that
it begs a question: 'Is there a Macintosh culture that embodies the
populist ambitions of the Mac's creators?'" Quotes Chris Espinosa, member
of the original development team, as saying: "We did try to create the
religious experience." That's a new spin for the sociology of religion
crowd. Hey Ron Enroth, are you interested? MacWorld, Feb '93, p120.
I just learned Didax, the planned Christian commercial network mentioned
in a previous BBS-FYI (1:15), is not dead after all. In fact, the January
issue of six-year-old Christian Computing (p38a.8) says, "There are at
least three different companies being established that hope to go online
sometime this year, providing a [commercial] Christian online service."
Make that four. I recently received a call from someone working with
Campus Crusade and Josh McDowell Ministries who also has that idea. Back
to Didax. Dane West from the Didax office just called to say their front
end for Windows and Mac has taken longer to develop than anticipated. I
was asked not to leak the vendor's name, but you would know it and they
should be able to do the job based on past performance. As a result of
the delays Dane said the service will now truly be full-featured and
international in its scope and reach by the time it fires up. Tight lips
as to when that will be however. Stay tuned.
"Magazines Create On-Line Salons" -- a general review of the current
trend, notes, "Almost 100 magazines have signed up with on-line computer
services in the last six months and others are joining at the rate of two
or three a week." New York Times, Dec 20 '93, pC6.
"Stop the Presses: Papers Enter a Brave New World" -- more of the same,
notes that the Times Mirror Company will "develop electronic versions of
its newspapers -- beginning with the Los Angeles Times and Newsday -- in
conjunction with Prodigy Services...." Los Angeles Times, Jan 17 '94,
pA1.
"Al Gore and 900 Others in Virtual Conversation" -- reports on the V.P.'s
online press conference, a White House first, which immediately followed
his "superhighway summit" about the development and deregulation of the
Internet. This exchange was hosted by U.S. News & World Report on
CompuServe. The 900 user total is reportedly the largest crowd in online
conference history. The press account made the technology look quite
clumsy. Los Angeles Times, Jan 14 '94, pD1.
"Apple to Introduce On-Line Computer Service" -- named "eWorld" and to be
offered this April at $8.95 per month and $4.95 per non-prime time hour
after the two first for free and a $2.95 per hour surcharge for prime time
connection. Apple said it would carry over 100 publishers. Microsoft to
follow suit I understand. New York Times, Jan 3 '94, pC12.
"Online Isn't Out of Line for Apologists" -- the Catholic Answers ministry
plugs the CRNET (Catholic Resource Network) which started on CompuServe
last September and went independent after three months. CRNET contains
"the entire text of Catholic Answer's tracts," some of its booklets, and
articles from their magazine, This Rock. In addition 22 other
participating Catholic groups are listed. It uses an old-style
terminal-mode-only system, but it does have an Internet email gateway.
For more details call Trinity Communications in Manassas, Virginia (703)
791-2576. This Rock, Nov '93, p16.
The Gramcord Institute, creators of high-end software for the technical
study of Biblical Greek and Hebrew, has recently released "acCordance,"
the Macintosh version of their product line. If you've ever wanted the
scholar's ability to do a Boolean search with parsing criteria in your
exegetical studies on the Mac, this is it. Bob says it looks much easier
to use than the user-hostile PC version he has. Contact: 2218 NE
Brookview Drive, Vancouver, WA 98686; (206) 576-3000; FAX (503)-761-0626.
REVIEWS
_Modems and Ministry_, by Jim Gallagher (Lewisville, Texas: Wisdom
Research, 1993). This is a 43-page, self-published introduction to
computer telecommunications for Christians. If ever there was a
publishing market vacuum in the church to puncture this is it and
Gallagher is a key figure to sign up. He has served on the executive team
behind the GodSpeed computer Bible and is "the author of the majority of
the Christian games which are on the market today." More a paper than a
book, Modems and Ministry includes an international Christian BBS listing
(CHRBBS, "the only voice validated list in existence" originating in
1985). As one might expect, it caters more to the DOS crowd and is
Mac-poor. The "Resources" section is worth the price paid for the whole
work. It includes a fairly comprehensive list of Christian networks. The
Christian Distribution Network description is the best I've seen
explaining just what CDN is all about. To get your copy contact Wisdom
Research, POB 292786, Lewisville, TX 75029-2786; (214) 539-7855; BBS
(214) 539-9878; CompuServe 73557,2342. (And tell 'em you read about it in
the BBS-FYI.)
DOWNLOADS
"Not Just Bibles: A Guide to Christian Resources on the Internet" -- the
latest version of this guide is available by anonymous ftp from the
address iclnet93.iclnet.org and entering
/pub/resource/christian-resources.txt.
More about the host follows below. Resources in the guide are categorized
into six sections: 1) Mail-based Services, 2) Anonymous FTP Sites, 3)
Information Servers, 4) Bulletin Boards, 5) USENET News groups, and 6)
Electronic Newsletters/Journals.
I've had the opportunity to converse with one of the two authors
(Gary Bogart), who says he is "limiting the scope of [a planned] library
to evangelical, conservative, non-ecumenical documents, and we have
contacted sites that have the same viewpoint. We have gained approval
from sources of Our Daily Bread (Radio Bible Class) and Chuck Colson's
Breakpoint." Included in the first section above under heading 1.13
"Pro-Christ" is a reference for articles from the Institute for Creation
Research, CRI, Dobson, and Swindoll. (I am supplying the text files from
CRI with the help of Bob and Pat Hunter, CRI Toronto.) If you are
interested send e-mail to server@pro-christ.cts.com with no subject and
just the word HELP in the message body. Exchange the word INDEX for HELP
to get an updated list of available files.
The host is The Institute for Christian Leadership which describes
itself as "a bulletin board and information system for the Christian
Higher Education and Professional Community." Special Interest Group
discussion areas include the Christian College Coalition, Christian
Leadership Ministries, Christian Medical and Dental Society,
North-American Professors of Christian Education, Oregon Ind. Colleges
Assoc., Inter-Varsity, Western Evangelical Seminary, and the Faculty
Dialogue Journal which articulates educational issues. I plan to telnet
there, check out the host and report back in a future issue of the BBS-FYI
but for now here is what they have to say about themselves:
The ICLnet BBS has two primary and complementary functions:
The first is to create a meeting place for those involved in
Christian higher education. The BBS provides a convenient
means for meeting and staying in touch with colleagues both
within and without your specific discipline. With the
addition of the professional groups and the InterVarsity
Graduate students, there should be ample opportunities also
to become acquainted with those who might become
prospective faculty members.
Additionally, the ICLnet BBS will provide the storage resources for
those who wish to work together on writing projects. They
can do so online, in real time, without the inconveniences
of ground or air mail. ICLnet will also provide, as files
become available, resource materials for teaching,
research, etc.
The second function of ICLnet is to encourage the use of the
Internet among the Christian colleges, seminaries, and
Bible schools. The intellectual and data resources
available on the Internet are nearly incalculable, and
provide numerous advantages to those involved in research.
Questions can be addressed to Martin Bush, System Administrator
(martin@iclnet93.iclnet.org). You get to the BBS via telnet to
iclnet93.iclnet.org and registering as a guest.
"NUREL-L" -- is a new moderated academic Internet discussion group devoted
to the study of New Religious Movements. To subscribe send e-mail to
listserv@listserv.ucalgary.ca with the body containing the command,
SUBSCRIBE NUREL-L YOUR NAME. Irving Hexham is the moderator. I've been
receiving it for a while. Let me know if you'd like to see what I have.
BBS-FYI 2:2
February 14, 1994
RESPONSE
Dave Harmeyer at the ISOT Library passes on the following by John Gresham
(greshamj@baylor.edu), "Finding God In Cyberspace: A Selective List of
Religious Information Sources on the Internet" -- I pulled the following
tidbits for your eyes:
"Online Searchable Sacred Texts" available from the CCAT GOPHER at
the University of Pennsylvania, (address:
CCAT.SAS.UPENN.EDU: /Text Archives/Search Scriptures/)
which offers "Search online Bible (RSV or KJV), Greek and
Hebrew Scriptures, Quran, Book of Mormon, Apostolic
Fathers." The "Not Just Bibles" guide, mentioned in the
previous BBS-FYI, described the contents in more detail
adding: "morphology of Greek New Testament, Pentateuch;
Greek and Hebrew Alignment; KJV, RSV, Vulgate, and
Apostolic Fathers. ASCII text libraries: KJV Bible,
Apostolic Fathers: Augustine, Clement, Barnabas, Didache,
Diognetus, Hermas, Ign. Ephesians, Polycarp, etc."
And from the Center for Scientific Computing in Finland (address:
ftp.funet.fi: pub/doc/religion/bible/texts) you can grab
"Bibles and New Testaments in Finnish, German, Latin,
Greek, Turkish, and Swahili." No joke, it is just wait'n
there for you.
Then there is something called WIRETAP in "California" (hardly
specific either) at WIRETAP.SPIES.COM /Wiretap Online
Library/Religion OR /Electronic which holds "Books"
including "Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress, Milton's Paradise
Lost, Paradise Regained, Bible, Quran, Westminster
Confession, Book of Common Prayer, and many other
electronic texts including 'Theology of David Koresh' (look
in 'Fringe' folder)."
Also, there is the Classics & Archaeology Gopher at
(ROME.CLASSICS.LSA.UMICH.EDU) which has the free online
"Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit (text and graphics), maps, field
reports, & more."
And you can always dish up the World Wide Web (provides hypertext
and hypermedia access to many of the FTP and Gopher sites
described above) Christian Resource List at URL:
http://saturn.colorado.edu:8080/christian/list.html
Another item of interest was found by Dave on the listserve list "ATLANTIS
<ATLANTIS@HARVARDA.HARVARD.EDU>" (same source as the above): from Andrew
D. Scrimgeour, (Dean of Libraries, Regis University, Denver, Colorado
80122; [303] 458-3556, andrews@regis.edu) who writes "Bob Kraft's OFFLINE
column in AAR/SBL's quarterly newsletter, 'Religious Studies News,' is the
best updating source for the whole range of electronic and
telecommunications developments for religious studies. He works closely,
too, with Strangelove. The column is available on email, too, so the
information that ultimately sees print is progressively seen on-line."
Boardwatch magazine has found these to be the top three reasons people use
online information services:
1) Downloading data
2) Electronic mail
3) Chat/conferencing in real time
Boardwatch, Feb '94, p11c.5
NUREL UPDATE
The Internet NuRel listserve list on New Religious Movements moderated by
Irving Hexham recently included:
The most extensive description (id AA20720; Sun, 6 Feb 94) of a
"Bruderhof (also known at times in its history as the
Society of Brothers and the Eastern Communities of the
Hutterian Brethren), founded as an intentional community in
the 1920's in Germany by Eberhard Arnold" [phew], spinoff
that I've seen yet. Its main focus is on the group behind
the KIT Newsletter, the most common point of contact here
in the States. The newsletter is described as being
published by "a group of Bruderhof apostates." KIT (Keep
In Touch) "consisted of letters received from
ex-Bruderhofers scattered all over the world." "...KIT now
operates under the umbrella of a tax-exempt Peregrine
Foundation. KIT sponsors annual reunions at the Friendly
Crossways Youth Hostel in Littleton, Massachusetts, site
of an earlier Bruderhof search for asylum in America."
"...KIT folk feel compelled to express their outrage at the
official Bruderhof apologetic and to recount events leading
to the Great Crisis that differ from Bruderhof history."
Here's something else and a bit on the wild side, Andrew Wilson,
(71623.2434@compuserve.com) who teaches Old Testament at the Unification
Theological Seminary, responded (id AA10807; Thu, 10 Feb 94) to a
discussion with what he felt was biblically justified in the area of
heavenly deception.
TELESTATS
"[The] Prodigy/Internet gateway is passing some 200,000 personal e-mail
messages monthly...." Boardwatch, Feb '94, p28a.9
"The Internet Index" -- statistical trivia:
Somewhere a new network host is hooking up to the Internet every
ten minutes.
The Internet host network total grew from 1,776,000 in July '93 to
2,056,000 in October.
The average DAILY number of Usenet newsgroup postings grew from
35,000 in February of '93 to 43,000 in December of '93
(which equates to 81 megabytes from 9300 users).
The total number of countries anywhere on the planet you can reach
by e-mail is currently 137.
Annual growth of Gopher traffic is 997%
Boardwatch, Feb '94, p57.
NET NEWS
CompuServe reports that it now has over 90,000 Euopean subscribers. No
other commercial online service has even a fraction of the size
internationally. Boardwatch, Feb '94, p28a.6
I missed something in the January issue of Christian Computing. On page
38 a brief introduction to Christian BBS efforts in general included some
sources. Different list files were mentioned and there was one named
"CAPNET.ZIP - Christian Apologetics Network" (CAP). I called over to the
Virginia BBS said to have the file and snarfed it up. CAP seems a bit
home grown. It originates from something called The Christian Apologetics
BBS in Birmingham, Alabama (Sysop Jeff Brumlow, [205] 808-0763.) From
what I could tell, CAP predominantly uses Watchman Fellowship data. Anton
Hein has had some contact with this "network." Here's what he had to say:
Charles Wooten's "Servant of the Lord" BBS [source of the
CAPNET.ZIP file] is an interesting case. He runs the Online
Bible College [in Florida], which seems to attract lots of
people. It is really connected with some prophetic outfit
affiliated with Dr. Harmon. Can't recall the name of the place,
but it's one of those that sends out newsletters full of "the
Lord told us" type of articles. Wooten took over the BBS about
one year ago. I have stopped calling over there (but Wooten
still calls Abba II). He doesn't appear to have enough
discernment and/or knowledge to screen the files he posts very
well. Jeff Brumlow is a frequent Abba II caller and is staunchly
Calvinistic. He has been trying to get an apologetics network
off the ground for quite some time, but its never gone very far.
Jeff is friendly, though he's not one to give any ground. I
would describe him as one who subscribes to the J. Vernon McGee
method of apologetics: ("You may believe something different than
I do, but I think the Lord will reveal the truth to you in
time.")
I think Harry Jones [who set up Watchman Fellowship's online
presence] may have migrated to Brumlow's BBS after SALT went
down.
Boardwatch magazine reported (Feb '94, p8) that there were two
"surprisingly insightful" documentary shows reviewing the online world of
cyberspace. One was an ABC Prime Time Live show of about 20 minutes and
the other was a week-long series on NBC's Nightside. Both ran toward the
end of last December. I which I had the video... Other tidbits:
Microsoft's new commercial online service is to supposedly be called
InfoServe.
Ziff Davis, the mega-sized computer trade magazine publisher is going
to start their own commercial online service (notice another trend here?)
by the name of Ziff Davis Interchange Online. Boardwatch has received a
preview and says, "We found it to be the most innovative new magazine
publishing platform we've yet seen with a Windows interface,
photo-realistic images and a hypertext 'shared data space' that has to be
seen to be believed."
Consequently, you might have an idea of why Boardwatch editor, Jack
Rickard, predicts the Internet will experience gridlock before the end of
the year from overload. (All the above came from the same column.)
MCI is pumping an incredible investment of cash into its own international
digital network infrastructure to build and become a competitor to the
Internet. You read that right, they are dropping $20 billion clams for
hardware alone and have hired Dr. Vinton Cerf (elsewhere described as "the
father of the Internet"). These folks are serious. They have seen the
Golden Goose and they are out to clone it ASAP. Did you know that all the
commercial services depend on the Internet backbone as their foundation?
If the Internet locks up like Rickard thinks it will, MCI could clean up
big time. But will it be ready when and if the time comes? The frantic
pace of the Information Age continues to accelerate. Boardwatch, Feb '94,
p28b.4
ERRATA
I overlooked something in the "Not Just Bibles" guide. In section 2.8
"Soc.Religion.Christian.Bible-Study Archive" (Anon FTP to:
ftp.spss.com/pub/bible and pub/bible/INDEX) the contents description
includes simply the word "apologetics." I don't know what it holds
however.
BBS-FYI 2:3
February 28, 1994
RESOURCES
Internet Mailing Lists, Edward T. L. Hardie and Vivian Neou, editors (PTR
Prentice Hall, 1993). Did you know the Internet often gets confused with
two other worldwide, independent networks named BITNET and USENET? Both
BITNET and USENET are usually included where you find the Internet. As I
understood the editors, BITNET handles the bulk of what could generally be
called mailing list email. In the same sense USENET holds most of the
newsgroup (bulletin board messaging) traffic. Another term you'll hear
related to USENET is UUCP which stands for the Unix to Unix Copy Protocol
which USENET utilizes. "So what?" Right? This book catalogs the
holdings of the BITNET system. As such, it includes what is known as the
Listserv List of Lists. A listserv list is a lot like having someone
automatically snatching the content of a bulletin board topic and sending
it to your own private email account. Instead of you having to go out in
cyberspace to capture it, the activity is sent directly to you. The NuRel
list on new religious movements that you read about in the BBS-FYI is one
example.
Well, I only found two new lists related to apologetics worth passing on
to you in the whole book. The first is URANTIAL, "a forum for the
discussion of ideas presented in The Urantia Book." To get it email to
listserv%uafsysb.bitnet@cunyvm.cuny.edu with the command SUB URANTIAL
<your first name> <your last name> in the body and nothing in the subject
field.
The second list is UUs-L, "a global meeting place for Unitarian
Universalists and anyone going our way." Subscribe by sending email to
listserv@ubvm.cc.buffalo.edu with the command SUB UUS-L <your first name>
<your last name> in the body and nothing in the subject field. For what
it's worth, Mac fans can get a free weekly technical journal named TidBITS
this way too. Subscribe by sending email to listserve@ricevm1.rice.edu
with the command SUB TIDBITS <your first name> <your last name> in the
body and nothing in the subject field.
An ad that Paul Carden photocopied for me (without source credits <ahem>
presumably from New Republic) introduced The Electronic Newsstand which
provides free Internet access to the partial contents of 100+ magazines
including New Age Journal, Skeptical Inquirer and Yoga Journal. Hostname:
gopher.internet.com (seriously) will get you there via telnet and the
login of "enews" (no password required).
TELESTATS
Anton Hein snatched up the following for the BBS-FYI from America Online.
In 1993 the total number of online service subscribers grew 19.3% to 7.9
million. Of that the consumer service user count grew the most at 28.2%
with 5 million. Further, the big three -- CompuServe, Prodigy, and
America Online -- make up 63% of that pie with AOL growing a whopping 166%
in 1993 compared to 41.6% for CIS. Prodigy appears to be stalled with only
a 5% figure. In the two other subscriber service categories mentioned,
business and professional (e.g., Dialog and Lexis / Nexis) grew 6.5%, and
financial services rose 6.2%. SIMBA / Communications Trends, Feb 25 '94,
(BW713).
NET NEWS
CT joins the publishing race in cyberspace. Christianity Today staffer
Tim Morgan emailed me recently to say 1) CT is now using the electronic
address of 73211.2347@compuserve.com and, 2) the CTi parent company "is
actively considering the use of a major vendor for online services" which
is, I presume, regarding electronic access to the content of at least some
of its eight magazines. All he left me with was, "We will be saying more
about this later."
My strongest FidoNet contact, Debra Bouey, recently had the following news
for the BBS-FYI. "A bunch of new echos have been added (generated thru
Christian Distribution Net and FidoNet coming off the satellite
downlink)...like CCN_WORD [discussions on Word Faith movement], CCN_CULTS,
CCN_LDS [Mormon], CCN_WATCHTOWER and lots more." That's right, satellite
technology is being utilized by sophisticated BBS operations and it is
resulting in even more accelerated growth for FidoNet. If the Internet
ever shuts down due to overload, these folks will take up a lot of the
slack. Add the above to existing FidoNet echos such as:
APOLOGIA Defense of traditional Christianity
CULT_AWARENESS Keep up about cults
CULT_INFO News about the cults
CULT_WATCH Discussions _with_ the cults
EVOLUTION (just what it says)
MORMONISM About the LDS church
M_P_D (Multiple personality disorder)
So far I have had no success in getting access to any of these so I can
make a report, but I'm work'n on it.
An America Online press release dated Feb 17 announced that the service
has added Reuters' and Scientific American's digital publications. Which
is where you would get stories like this one Anton Hein forwarded to me:
"Women's WIRE: On-Line Service Especially for Women" by Eric Coyne
--"...it's a good resource. Especially if you're interested in legislation
that affects women." Only "15 percent of the users [of most online
services] are women," says Women's WIRE co-founder Ellen Pack of the
system which was launched January 22 in South San Francisco. The Fresno
Bee via AOL, Calif. Knight-Ridder/Tribune Business News, Feb 22 '94. As
always, let me know if you're interested in seeing the whole story. I've
got a companion article on the subject from the Los Angeles Times (Feb 24
'94, pE5).
DIDAX, the long overdue commercial service for Christians and headed by an
Evangelical, sent me a form letter admitting embarrassment but not making
promises either. Look for it a year late toward the end of summer.
HANDSHAKE
Finally got a solid electronic address for James White of Alpha and Omega
Ministries. Use james.white@f105.n114.z1.fidonet.org and tell 'em where
you got the lead. He made the following observation, "Seems Fidonet is
firmly in contact with Internet now. Glad to see it!" [POSTSCRIPT: See
BBS-FYI 3:1 for an update.]
LOW TECH NOMINATIONS
Question: What in the online world surpasses the numb-minded lack of
foresight behind the archaic DOS eight-character-name convention? Answer:
Compu$erve's incredible six-character-name limit on all file library
uploads!
I SPY
News from the Internet newsgroup "soc.religion.christian" --
Subject: Bob Larson: FTP FILES
Message-ID: <Jan.27.02.55.26.1994.12953@athos.rutgers.edu>
Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu
Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu
--------------------
Bob Larson's Talk-Back is heard daily on over 170 stations in North
America. The Denver-based ministry that Larson heads is supposed to be the
"cutting-edge" in Christian broadcasting (or that's what Larson would like
you to believe ). But the real Bob Larson, and the real motives of his
work with the ministry is becoming more apparent as critics are now taking
a probing look into the radio show, the ministry, and Bob Larson himself.
This is a collection of files that discuss the perceived problems with
Bob Larson's ministry.
README Description of this file collection
LARSON1.TXT Christian or Charlatan?
LARSON2.TXT a CPR review by Ken Smith
LARSON3.TXT Looking out for Number One
LARSON4.TXT Bob Larson (sort of) Talks-Back
LARSON5.TXT Sex and the Sinful Minister
LARSON6.TXT Bob Larson: The Cowering Inferno
LARSON7.TXT Twenty Questions: Ken Smith Talks Back
LARSON.ZIP Bob Larson collection - updated as new files are added
The archive may be retrieved by sending an email request to:
server@garg.campbell.ca.us Include in the body of the message the command:
get \religion\garg\misc\larson.zip
quit
-Scott Mikusko
21922sm@msu.edu
Thanks to Gary Bogart, co-editor of the "Not Just Bibles" guide to
evangelical Christian resources on the Internet, for this one.
Bob Hunter, working with CRI Toronto, reports the following:
Brigham Young University (Provo) has available, via the Internet,
nearly 10 megabytes of files entitled "Writings of Early Latter-Day
Saints And Their Contemporaries." Compiled by Dr. Milton V. Backman,
Jr., in cooperation with Keith W. Perkins, Religious Studies Center,
Brigham Young University, some of the topics include: Joseph Smith's
Pre-LDS Beliefs; Joseph Smith, Miracles; Joseph Smith, Prophecy;
Joseph Smith, Visions; Miracles; Persecution; Transfiguration;
Visions.
Also available as a file are seven accounts of Joseph Smith's first
vision, together with one account of his hardships as a 5-to-10-year-old
(huh?).
Bob snagged much of this stuff. You can reach him at
[hunter44@flexnet.com] for more information. Bob also found some material
on David Koresh that I've forwarded to our in-house Koresh team. I'll ask
them to let you know here in the BBS-FYI if it's any good.
"Germany: Nazis Online" -- a brief, digital news wire story passed on to
the BBS-FYI by Anton Hein. Notes the existence of the Thule BBS Network,
"claimed to have become the communications backbone of Germany's neo-Nazi
scene." It also reports that the Thules are "seeking links with US
comrades such as Nebraska-based neo-Nazi Gary Lauck, who ships neo-Nazi
hate literature to Germany." Newsbytes, Feb 4 '94.
Additional source detail: "Newsbytes News Network is the largest
independent computer industry news service in the world" -- Wendy Woods,
Editor In Chief, Carriage House, 406 W. Olive St., Stillwater, MN 55082,
ph: 612-430-1100, fax:612-430-0441. Newsbytes is yet another Ziff Davis
publication.
"Hacking For Jesus: 2001" -- a review (also found by Anton, this time via
America Online) of Larry Burkett's "astonishing mutant Christian
techno-thriller, The Illuminati." The review was published by Wired
magazine, the avant garde periodical of the "Digital Generation" and just
another one of the many publications available on AOL. The mocking tone
of the review seems to accuse Burkett of pumping out lame conspiratorial
doomsaying speculation. The review would be funny if it didn't make the
Church look like a group of naive, narrow-minded bigots.
Here's some interesting detail regarding Wired and its background:
circa. February, 1993 -- a "small start-up company puts out its first
issue of a new magazine. News coverage, newsstand sales, incoming
subscriptions, advertiser interest and email inquiries explode. Tired
cliches like 'The response has been overwhelming' wouldn't do justice to
the level of interest shown by people all over the world. Some on the
[Inter]Net, but many not. At the close of our first year - Wired is now
distributed throughout North America and in 30 countries, with a total
circulation of over 210,000 issues monthly." Talk about puncturing a
market vacuum! FMI, WiredUSA@aol.com will get you started.
SOURCE CREDIT
God has raised up a special resource for the BBS-FYI in Anton Hein.
Computer Intelligence InfoCorp is a major marketing research firm and
subsidiary of the Ziff Davis corporation. It has the world's largest and
most up-to-date database of information about installed computer and
communications technology. That database is completely updated every
month, and is 98% current. The Computer Intelligence part of the company
operates not only in the U.S.A. but in Europe (five offices), and Japan
(not coincidentally all places where Ziff Davis has computer
publications).
InfoCorp (the two companies recently merged), uses the CI database to
provide expert analytical perspectives, industry forecasts, and hands-on
business solutions. In other words, CI gives a picture of what's out
there, while InfoCorp shows companies what to do with it and and how to
use it. By the way, Ziff Davis is America's third largest publisher.
Even more surprising is that 3 out of 4 newsstand sales are Ziff Davis
magazines - again, mostly computer publications. The Lord has placed
Anton in the position of personal assistant to Anita Hill, the Vice
President and Business Manager of Computer Intelligence InfoCorp.
There is an amusing trend for many CRI fans that I've met whilst
support raising over the years to have a view of CRI that mirrors the
prowess of CI InfoCorp. They expect CRI to not only have thought through
and have an established position that is ready for air time on everything
that is going on but also to have current published material ready to be
shipped to them on every new periodical article, book, tape, and broadcast
as soon as it goes public. Add to that the expectation of our ability to
review the many unsolicited manuscripts and tapes submitted to us for
analysis on a weekly basis. It strikes me that while these people appear
to have no idea of how much capital it takes to drive such an information
machine, there must be a way of using that conceptualization or, perhaps
more appropriately, reputation to communicate the distance we need to go
to get there and what it takes from our supporters to arrive... an odd
circumstance of vision in advance of challenge.
DOWNLOADS
Here's an update on files of interest to apologists that have been
uploaded to CompuServe since the BBS-FYI last reported on the subject
(1:18).
[76337,1022]
TORCH.MAC/Bin Bytes: 7808, Count: 8, 08-Dec-93
Title : FARRAKHAN'S FIRST BOOK
Keywords: MINISTER LOUIS FARRAKHAN NATION ISLAM BLACK MUSLIMS
Info on Minister Louis Farrakhan's first book, recently published. MS
WORD 5.1 document for Macintosh. (It was also uploaded in other formats.)
==========
[100100,327]
STOTT.ZIP/Bin Bytes: 19222, Count: 72, 14-Dec-93
Title : Homosexual Marriage by Dr. John R. W. Stott
Keywords: GAY SEX MARRIAGE HOMOSEXUAL LOVE CHRISTIAN
The Rev. Dr. Stott addresses the critical arguments set forth by the
Christian gay community in the second volume of his book, Involvement:
Social and Sexual Relationships in the modern world (Revell, 1985).
Christianity Today presented this adaptation in the issue of Nov 22, 1985.
Captured and uploaded with permission of the author. (Veteran CIS users
will note the uploader's unusual ID. Makes me wonder how close it comes
to an affiliation with Stott himself...)
==========
[76170,3610]
RIOT./Asc Bytes: 18183, Count: 105, 27-Nov-93
Title : San Francisco church attacked by homosexual mob
Keywords: HOMOSEXUAL RIOT CHURCH SAN FRANCISCO GAYS LESBIANS CHILDREN
In Sept. 1993 a mob of homosexuals surrounded a church in San Francisco to
protest the appearance of a guest speaker at the service. The protest
quickly turned into a riot. Church property was destroyed, members of the
church were attacked and the mob attempted to break down the doors of the
church while yelling "give us your children". This file is the news
release of that church which describes what happened.
==========
[73310,1001]
MAR94.ZIP/Bin Bytes: 81956, Count: 7, 13-Feb-94
Title : Hinduism Today, March 1994 Issue, Compressed pkzi
Keywords: HINDUISM HINDU NEWS RELIGION TODAY MARCH 1994
Hinduism Today March 1994 issue, pkzip compressed version. This is the on
line version of America's leading Hindu newspaper, carrying dozens of
articles and short items of current Hindu news. (I have downloaded this as
well as the Jan and Feb '94 issues and the Oct '93 issue. The Oct issue
has multiple stories on the Parliament of World Religions. Let me know if
you'd like to see the entire 657K collection.)
==========
[71033,645]
ISLAMH.TXT/Asc Bytes: 2120, Count: 53, 27-Oct-93
Title : Help on Islam
Keywords: ADDRESSES BOOKS NEED
* Addresses of Islamic Centers in: U.S.A., CANADA, KUWAIT, etc.. * Islamic
Books in English
==========
[73203,270] DP1_78.TXT/Asc Bytes: 20189, Count: 1, 06-Feb-94
Title : Divine Principle Study
Keywords: STUDY DIVINE PRINCIPLE UNIFICATION CHURCH
This is the last segment of the first volume(of six), of the Divine
Principle Home Study Guide. The Divine Principle contains the teachings
of the Unification Church. For further information you may contact:
Laszlo Z. Weress CServe#73203,270
==========
[70066,1656]
OCCULT.BBS/Asc Bytes: 13359, Count: 714, 30-Sep-91(06-Feb-94)
Title : Occult BBS list
Keywords: OCCULT BBS LIST MAGICK MAGIC WICCA WITCHCRAFT
This is the latest update of the list of all Occult BBSes in the U.S. and
Canada. It is updated monthly by Phil Hansford of Mysteria BBS. Blessed Be
(Note the number of downloads ("Count") this file has received in
comparison to the others.)
==========
[73117,2012]
NARNIA.ASC/Asc Bytes: 11977, Count: 26, 24-Jan-94
Title : Narnia Made Me Pagan by Paul P.
Keywords: NARNIA PAGAN MAGIC WITCHES LEWIS BOOKS REVIEW
"Narnia Made Me Pagan" by Paul P. from the Imbolc 1994 issue of _Tides_ A
Journal of Wicca and NeoPagan Spirituality. A personal reflection on the
affect of the Narnia series of children's books by C.S.Lewis on me growing
up. In ASCII.
And, here's an update on files of interest that have been uploaded to
GEnie since the BBS-FYI last reported on the subject (1:19).
********************************
Number: 2369 Name: TIME_SCI.ZIP
R.BINGHAM2 Date: 931123
Approximate # of bytes: 39552
Accesses: 2 Library: 3
Description:
This is a collection of the three files about Time's Scientology article.
A few years ago, Time magazine ran a cover story calling Scientology a
cult of greed. A paraphrasing of that article's main arguments is
included in this archive. Scientology then responded and Allen uploaded
that entire response to this library - that file is also included in this
archive.
Then I responded to Scientology's responses and put that in this archive
as well. Thanks to the new DeflatX style ZIP (most computer's got it first
in 1993) this entire archive is a good bit smaller than Allen's file
alone!
Text is in standard ASCII format so's everyone can read it easily.
********************************
Number: 2449 Name: SHROUD.ZIP
A.WERRY Date: 940117
Approximate # of bytes: 10880
Accesses: 13 Library: 5
Description:
This is a zip file containing both transcripts from the two RTCs we did
on the Shroud of Turin with Father Driesbach, a noted Shroud expert.
********************************
Number: 2422 Name: APOLOGIA.ARJ
THE.ERIC Date: 940114
Approximate # of bytes: 162816
Accesses: 3 Library: 3
Description:
This is a another set of Catholic apologetics.
********************************
Number: 2421 Name: CULTLIST.ZIP
THE.ERIC Date: 940114
Approximate # of bytes: 48128
Accesses: 282 Library: 3
Description:
Scope: Each year Watchman Fellowship publishes a "Cult Catalog" issue of
the Watchman Expositor containing thumb-nail sketches in alphabetical
order of cults, occultic organizations, New Age groups, new religious
movements, and related terms and doctrines. By listing these groups,
Watchman Fellowship is in no way implying that these people (their
followers or leaders) are evil or immoral. It simply means that such
groups promote doctrine or practices which may be considered outside the
realm of historic Christianity.
********************************
Number: 2389 Name: BIBLESYM.TXT
W.SCOTT23 Date: 931219
Approximate # of bytes: 41344
Accesses: 12 Library: 3
Description:
The purpose of this paper is to study The Book of Certitude
(Kitab-i-Iqan), the main theological discourse of Baha'i scripture, and
its application to the Holy Bible, to illumine our understanding of the
symbols in the Bible.
Baha'u'llah, the Prophet-Founder of the Baha'i Faith, lived from 1817 to
1892. He wrote The Book of Certitude in a few hours in response to
questions put to Him. It was given to the questioner in finished form 48
hours after Baha'u'llah began to reveal it, written out by the hand of
Abdu'l-Baha, Baha'u'llah's eldest son in 1852. It explains the symbolism
of the Bible and the Qur'an. The paper is written by Brent Poirier. This
file came over the Internet.
Please note: CRI's file, named BBSFYI2A.TXT is assembled verbatim,
and with permission, in five parts at ICLnet to make the file
available to our World Wide Web Readers. Please do not respresent
this file in incomplete form elsewhere without express written
consent from CRI.
bbsfyi2a-1.txt
bbsfyi2a-2.txt
bbsfyi2a-3.txt
bbsfyi2a-4.txt
bbsfyi2a-5.txt
(continued in file bbsfyi2a-2.txt)
---------------------------------------------
file: /pub/resources/text/cri: bbsfyi2a-1.txt
.