Moderators

[TheGreenMonkey]

Is freedom of religious expression allowed on this forum?

 

[BigMac]

Re:

Is freedom of religious expression allowed on this forum?

Yes, in theory.

 

[Netserk]

Re: Re:

Is freedom of religious expression allowed on this forum?

Yes, in theory.

What is it lacking in practise?

I haven't seen anyone get edited/deleted/banned for expressing their religious belief (when it's on topic/relevant to the discussion). Now it is very much possible that it has happened without me noticing, but has it?

Just as people are free to express their religious beliefs, those who are not religious are allowed to express theirs as well, no?

Just because multiple other posters don't share ones belief and argue against it, doesn't in any way mean that one is less free to express oneself.

 

[BigMac]

Re: Re:

Is freedom of religious expression allowed on this forum?

Yes, in theory.

What is it lacking in practise?

I haven't seen anyone get edited/deleted/banned for expressing their religious belief (when it's on topic/relevant to the discussion). Now it is very much possible that it has happened without me noticing, but has it?

Just as people are free to express their religious beliefs, those who are not religious are allowed to express theirs as well, no?

Just because multiple other posters don't share ones belief and argue against it, doesn't in any way mean that one is less free to express oneself.

I dindn't mean it's lacking in pratice. I don't know if anyone has been censored over it or not either. In theory because I assumed the OP had some sort of complaint about it. Go easy on me, you know sometimes I don't express myself very well.

Anyway, you know what it is all about?

 

[Netserk]

No, as I wrote, I haven't seen any kind of censoring religious expression.

Sorry for not reading you right, BigMac.

 

[BigMac]

Re:

No, as I wrote, I haven't seen any kind of censoring religious expression.

Sorry for not reading you right, BigMac.

Cheers it was my bad.

 

[TheGreenMonkey]

No complaints, just a question.

 

[Netserk]

There's a religion thread Here if the topic interests you.

 

[TheGreenMonkey]

Re:

There's a religion thread Here if the topic interests you.

Thank you but not quite what I meant.

I am still awaiting a reply from a moderator.

 

[Eshnar]

Re:

Is freedom of religious expression allowed on this forum?

yes. As long as it is on topic and isn't meant as baiting/flaming/trolling/whatever.

Which means yes. It is allowed per se.

 

[TheGreenMonkey]

Re: Re:

Is freedom of religious expression allowed on this forum?

yes. As long as it is on topic and isn't meant as baiting/flaming/trolling/whatever.

Which means yes. It is allowed per se.

So if I post what I genuinely believe on a topic being discussed and I do so in calm way I will not get into any trouble even if my beliefs might be at odds with societal norms or be consider to be extreme?

 

[Netserk]

Isn't common sense that things that aren't against the rules (like religious expression) are allowed as long as it isn't done in a way that break other rules.

 

[King Boonen]

Re:

Isn't common sense that things that aren't against the rules (like religious expression) are allowed as long as it isn't done in a way that break other rules.

You'd think...


99% of forums can be negotiated with two rules:

1. Stay on topic.

2. Don't be a di*k.


This has the feel of trying to back the mods into a corner over something the poster knows is likely to be offensive and just wants a stick to beat them with after people complain.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

There might be a wise discretion in considering not just whether you think it is relevant to the topic, but whether most people are likely to agree.

Other than that, I don't see much objection to including such matters so long as you are thick skinned enough to deal with other people's responses to what is presumably important to you. For example, if you have a religious objection to the letter A, and believe that any ill fortune that befalls a rider who includes that letter in his name is a just divine retribution, then brace yourself for strong opposition to your views.

 

[TheGreenMonkey]

Re: Re:

Isn't common sense that things that aren't against the rules (like religious expression) are allowed as long as it isn't done in a way that break other rules.

You'd think...


99% of forums can be negotiated with two rules:

1. Stay on topic.

2. Don't be a di*k.


This has the feel of trying to back the mods into a corner over something the poster knows is likely to be offensive and just wants a stick to beat them with after people complain.

Yes and no. I do not want to do the wrong thing so I wanted it clarified so I don't do the wrong thing. I also would be rather upset if I got banned for something I had first checked would be in the rules and was told it was only to have that contradicted.

I have been recently banned from a completely different forum based around a completely different subject when I did what I am asking about and they did not like it, I do not want that happening again. Perhaps it is paranoia taking over.

 

[Netserk]

Re: Re:

I have been recently banned from a completely different forum based around a completely different subject when I did what I am asking about and they did not like it, I do not want that happening again. Perhaps it is paranoia taking over.

A completely different one?

 

[King Boonen]

Re: Re:

Isn't common sense that things that aren't against the rules (like religious expression) are allowed as long as it isn't done in a way that break other rules.

You'd think...


99% of forums can be negotiated with two rules:

1. Stay on topic.

2. Don't be a di*k.


This has the feel of trying to back the mods into a corner over something the poster knows is likely to be offensive and just wants a stick to beat them with after people complain.

Yes and no. I do not want to do the wrong thing so I wanted it clarified so I don't do the wrong thing. I also would be rather upset if I got banned for something I had first checked would be in the rules and was told it was only to have that contradicted.

I have been recently banned from a completely different forum based around a completely different subject when I did what I am asking about and they did not like it, I do not want that happening again. Perhaps it is paranoia taking over.

The problem is it's going to be very difficult for a mod to answer the question as they no doubt have to look at many things on a case by case basis. You are of course entitled to whatever views you have, as is everyone, and the mods seem pretty lenient on discussing things as long as they are in the relevant threads so I would think that as long as you follow the basic tenants of 1) stay on topic and 2) don't be a di*k, you'll be fine. To expand on the second one:

Post not poster

Don't troll just for reactions

Be prepared to have people disagree with you (they should also follow these points) and don't take that disagreement as a personal insult

Know when to walk away.


Obviously I'm not a mod, but those guidelines seem to do me well.

 

[TheGreenMonkey]

Re: Re:

I have been recently banned from a completely different forum based around a completely different subject when I did what I am asking about and they did not like it, I do not want that happening again. Perhaps it is paranoia taking over.

A completely different one?

I guess it is not great English, what is your point?

 

[mrhender]

I think King Boonen would be an excellent mod...

Sign up KB...

 

[krebs303]

There was a post several years ago, religious in nature, a cartoon I believe. It was removed because someone complained and a bit of skirmish ensused though not as massive as the Babe on Bike war. It's the only time I've come close to being banned. I should have been. There was talk of banning religious talk but had had the religion thread for quite sometime with no problems.

 

[King Boonen]

Re:

I think King Boonen would be an excellent mod...

Sign up KB...

No chance

 

[Eshnar]

Re: Re:

Is freedom of religious expression allowed on this forum?

yes. As long as it is on topic and isn't meant as baiting/flaming/trolling/whatever.

Which means yes. It is allowed per se.

So if I post what I genuinely believe on a topic being discussed and I do so in calm way I will not get into any trouble even if my beliefs might be at odds with societal norms or be consider to be extreme?

Just check the religion thread dude. If you're not gonna post anything more extreme than some of that stuff (and there's pretty crazy stuff there imo) you'll be fine.

 

[Merckx index]

Can we cut to the chase? I think GM is upset because s/he had a couple of posts on the World Politics thread deleted. At least I think that's the case, because I remember seeing two such posts that aren’t there now. Both were very short. One of them, IIRC, said that God had intended marriage to be between a man and a woman, and the other was similar in nature, i.e., something, I think, about God determining what is right and wrong.

Am I right, GM? And if I am right, can the mod who deleted these posts identify him/herself and confirm this was done? The rest of this post assumes that this did happen; if I’m mistaken, I still think what I have to say may be useful.

FWIW, if I were a mod, I wouldn’t delete posts like that, but I would point out that there is no evidence whatsoever that God, whatever that means to someone, intended for marriage to be between a man and a woman. On the contrary, there is reams of evidence that marriage understood in this way evolved because of benefits it provided to the species.

While not advocating suppression of religious expression, it seems to me that views like GM's have to be supported by something more than “it says so in the Bible”. The spirit of a forum, I should think, is that we debate issues based on logic and evidence, not on authority, particularly authority that has been shown again and again to be out-dated if not downright archaic. So if GM or someone else constantly expressed views like this, unsupported by any evidence, I think we could make a case for deleting the posts, just as may be done when someone constantly expresses some view in another forum that is clearly contrary to a great deal of evidence. Indeed, thehog is still on a six month vacation for allegedly doing this, as far as I can tell.

But GM has made his/her point, and nothing more. So I personally think the posts should be allowed to stand. They provide some insight into who s/he is and what s/he believes, which should (almost) always be welcome in a forum. Moreover, the point was made in the context of a vote supporting same-sex marriage, which is certainly a topic worthy of debate. Others in that thread have expressed views similar to GM’s, and while I don’t agree with them, they have made some attempt to rationalize them based on something more substantial than religious fundamentalism.

 

[King Boonen]

Good post MercxIndex, although if what you say is what all this is about, GreenMonkey's post stating "even if my beliefs might be at odds with societal norms or be consider to be extreme?" then seems a bit strange. The views you point out are hardly extreme and they are probably similar to a large section of society.

 

[TheGreenMonkey]

I have had no posts deleted.

I decided to delete them because I thought they perhaps went too far and I thought it might be better for the forum if they did not remain. I was just going to edit them but then I was surprised to see I could delete them so I did.

I had actually edited the second post before I deleted it, it was initially a very short response that I then expanded greatly, I suspect Merckx Index only saw the short version.