Replies

First, when a poster asks not to be pinged – for any reason – comply with his request in order to keep the peace on the forum. It doesn’t matter why he doesn’t want to be pinged and nobody here is a mind reader. Attributing motives to a poster who asks not to be pinged is “making it personal.”

Second, this thread has gone into all kinds of directions and many of them so personal and so pitiful – if it weren’t for the good sidebars that are still active on this thread, I’d lock it as “toxic.” And if things don’t improve, I may still do so.

Discuss the issues all you want, but do NOT make it personal!

Third, there is nothing wrong with being “anti-“ another confession on an open thread. That is the point of religious debate in the town square. But there is a tipping point where the “anti-“ sentiment drips with contempt for the other confession. When those kinds of posts incite flame wars, they not tolerable.

I pulled one post of that type from this thread. But there were other posts dripping with contempt from other sides of the debate and if I were to pull them all, sections of this thread would look like swiss cheese.

It is possible to love a person from another confession and hate the confession. But many cannot receive it. The reasoning goes since if you hate the Son, you hate the Father therefore if you hate the mother, you hate the son and if you hate the church, you hate the member, etc.

If contempt bleeds through your post, such posters will take it personally no matter what you say and there will be a flame war – or worse, personal grudges that carry over from thread to thread.

And whereas I notorious can and do intercede to keep people from “making it personal” – I cannot keep anyone from “taking it personally.” On the other hand, I cannot permit an obvious flame war to ignite.

Therefore, when I believe members of the target confession will be infuriated by a post, I must pull it.

BTW, it is to the credit of some confessions that I do not feel the need to pull such posts addressed to their confession, religious leaders, etc. For instance, Calvinism and LDS both “take a licking and keep on ticking” very well.

Because of your post, am understanding the parameters better. Thanks. This was a helpful post to read. Hadn't quite thought through all those very valid and important points.

And, I really do Hate making your job unnecessarily difficult.

I to appreciate the thick skins of the Calvinist and LDS folks.

I also think that there are a great many fruitful sidebars and a wealth of reference material on this thread. Only the enemy, imho, would be served by locking it down and/or away.