It seems that since coming to this site more and more questions have been put on hold, that would have elicited answers a year or so ago. I will use this question as an example; https://christianity.stackexchange.com/questions/36060/how-should-a-christian-relate-to-christians-that-hold-a-different-doctrine, was put on hold as asking for an opinion, even though there is ample guidance in the Bible on how we should interact with others, while this question https://christianity.stackexchange.com/questions/36057/the-way-a-shepherd-separates-the-sheep-from-the-goats-just-how-was-this-done: was left open. The answer to that question unless answered by a sheep herder would appear to be speculation. I am becoming quite confused about which questions I should answer as some which appear to be legitimate questions are not and some which appear illegitimate are.
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4The short answer is that there are more and more off-topic questions being asked. There has been a flood of opinion-based questions in recent weeks.– David Stratton ModCommented Jan 3, 2015 at 15:26
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1@DavidStratton I understand that many questions are being asked that are plainly off topic. What I do not understand is why some questions to which the Bible instructs Jesus followers to behave are being labeled opinion based. Since the guidance is there why is it an opinion. In the questions I asked about, in question 1. Paul gave guidance in several of his epistles and so did Jesus; Yet in the second 6the only possible answer to the question would have to come from a Shepherd of that era, and I sort of doubt any of them are still around.– BYECommented Jan 3, 2015 at 15:35
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1@DavidStratton Christmas Christians have a slightly rekindled faith for the next month or two. That's what I blame it on. We'll see it again in April/May after Easter.– user3961Commented Jan 4, 2015 at 3:35
1 Answer
The basic issue here is a miss-understanding of the basic premise of this site.
even though there is ample guidance in the Bible on how we should interact with others
The issue is not a lack of Biblical guidance. The issue is a plethora of ways that guidance has been interpreted by various groups. This site is not in the business of sorting out which group's interpretation is nearer the truth than others. We're only in the business of documenting what various folks believe. Ergo, no matter how clear you may believe Scripture is on any given issue, if other groups using the name "Christian" read something different into the mater then the question becomes "a matter of opinion" as far as the scope of possible answers goes.
I've previously gone into a bit more detail on this issue in another meta answer. Please do read that as my main purpose in writing was to help dispel the misconceptions surrounding questions that can be addressed "Biblically" and our guidelines on questions scope.
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I must add that documenting different beliefs goes beyond what a living person believes, but what a tradition - even if it's extinct, like the Gnostics - is thought to contain.– Double UCommented Jan 3, 2015 at 19:44
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Many times in history, people were persecuted for their faiths, and since dead people can't reproduce obviously, the living people reproduce and pass on their interpretation of truth while suppressing other claims.– Double UCommented Jan 3, 2015 at 19:46