Guidelines on Hatred and the Religion Forum

Religion Moderator | June 22, 2012 | Religion Moderator

[Religion Moderator]

It is within the bounds of “open” Religion Forum town square style debate for a Freeper to express his hatred of a belief. But such posts are never allowed on RF threads labeled “prayer” “devotional” “caucus” or “ecumenical.”

It is never within the bounds on the Religion Forum for a Freeper to express his hatred of people who hold a particular belief when any Freeper is part of the belief group.

For example:

It is ok to express hatred towards MormonISM on “open” Religion Forum threads. It is never ok to express hatred towards Mormons because some Freepers are Mormon.

It is ok to express hatred towards CatholicISM on “open” Religion Forum threads. It is never ok to express hatred towards Catholics because some Freepers are Catholic.

It is ok to express hatred towards ProtestantISM on “open” Religion Forum threads. It is never ok to express hatred towards Protestants because some Freepers are Protestant.

It is ok to express hatred towards SatanISM and Satanists both because no Freeper is Satanist.

Some political posters are now venturing onto the Religion Forum probably because Romney’s beliefs are at issue in this election.

If you don’t know whether you are on the Religion Forum, look at the top of your internet browser window. If the current address (URL) begins with http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/ then you are on the Religion Forum.

If you do not wish to see RF posts, do NOT use the "everything" option on the Free Republic browse option list. Instead, browse by "News/Activism." When you log back in, the browse will reset to "everything" - so be sure to set it back to "News/Activism."

Finally, whereas posters may argue vigorously for and against beliefs on “open” Religion Forum threads it is never tolerable to use ad hominems in religious debate because they invariably lead to flame wars when the subject is one’s deeply held religious beliefs.

For something to be "making it personal" it must be speaking to another Freeper, personally.

"Protestants are heretics" is not making it personal. "You are a heretic" is making it personal. "Catholics worship Mary" is not making it personal. "You worship Mary" is making it personal. "Mormons worship many gods" is not making it personal. "You worship many gods" is making it personal.

However, when a poster paints with a brush that accuses an entire religion of criminal behavior - his post will be pulled as flame bait. For example, posts that say "Protestants kill babies" or "Catholics molest children" or "Mormons kill non-Mormons" will be pulled. However, if the post is specific about a non-Freeper, I will not pull it. For example "Rev. Doe says abortion and infanticide are not sin" or "Father Doe was convicted for molesting those kids" or "Mormons killed non-Mormons at Mountain Meadows" would not be pulled.

Statements formed as questions are rarely "making it personal."

"Are you a heretic" is not making it personal. "You are a heretic" is making it personal.

Forms of "making it personal" include mind reading, attributing motive, accusing another Freeper of telling a lie (because it attributes motive, the intent to deceive) - making the thread "about" individual Freeper(s), following a Freeper from thread to thread and badgering a Freeper over-and-again with the same question.

When in doubt, avoid the use of the pronoun "you" and Freeper's names - or put yourself in the other guy's shoes.

Despite all these efforts to eliminate ad hominems, there is nothing I can do to keep you from "taking it personally."

If you keep getting your feelings hurt because other posters ridicule or disapprove or hate what you hold dear, then you are too thin-skinned to be involved in “open” RF debate. You should IGNORE “open” RF threads altogether and instead post to RF threads labeled “prayer” “devotional” “caucus” or “ecumenical.”

[Tax-chick]

Comments, anyone?

Who has time for negativity? Hostility is bad for the blood pressure and digestion.

Celebrate freedom, while we have it, by doing something good for your neighbor and sharing the love of God.

(general comments, not directed at you personally ;-).

[samtheman]

Thanks for the explanation. It makes everything very clear.

I made the mistake a year or so ago of not paying attention and became too argumentative on a Religion thread until one of the posters I was arguing with pointed out the distinction to me.

I’ve since wised up. :)

Anyway, thanks for posting this. In this political season, it’s an important distinction for FR posters to be aware of.

[grey_whiskers]

“Your Church is filled with adulterers, liars and hypocrites.”

So is my chair right now.

Well, kick the girl off of your lap, then. /sarc>

Cheers!

[Notwithstanding]

What about this situation:

Mr. Z is known claim no label at all regarding his own religion, but has a habit of critiquing other religions .

Mr. Z replies to Mr. X (an adherent of Religion X) by posting “Religion X sucks canal water” or “Religion X is of the devil” or “Religion X is filled with malingerers and criminals” or “People of Religion X love sin” or some other derogatory remark.

Mr. X replies to Mr. Z “Your religion also sucks canal water” (etc.)

_________

Please explain how the RF rules apply to that scenario.

The adherent of Religion X then RESP

[Notwithstanding]

What about this situation:

Mr. Z is known claim no label at all regarding his own religion, but has a habit of critiquing other religions .

Mr. Z replies to Mr. X (an adherent of Religion X) by posting “Religion X sucks canal water” or “Religion X is of the devil” or “Religion X is filled with malingerers and criminals” or “People of Religion X love sin” or some other derogatory remark.

Mr. X replies to Mr. Z “Your religion also sucks canal water” (etc.)

_________

Please explain how the RF rules apply to that scenario.

[netmilsmom]

>>Some Freepers have changed their religious beliefs because of the contentious religious debate on Free Republic. <<

I believe this is untrue and a fairy story that some person made up to continue the debates on FR. If they did, they were not very strong in the first place and simple information,rather than the “mob” would have changed their minds.

As a person who worked many years of Psych, I can tell you that debate in addictive, being part of a mob is addictive and belittling others (even in backhanded ways) to make one’s self feel good is actually a diagnosable disorder.

The debates on the Religion Forums are filled with projection and mob mentality. Many posters who are allowed to continue debating through different font, cut and pastes and backhanded insults need help. An intellectual discussion is good. The mob ganging up IS NOT. Those threads where no one debates are actually MORE informative than the long infights that are posted on other websites to point out our bigotry. Some of the best FReepers I’ve known in my 10 years have been chased off because of these mobfests. But it’s apparently what the Mods want.

My opinion.

[netmilsmom]

Is Mr.Z Catholic or Mormon? Is he talking about Catholics or Mormons? If he is not Catholic or Mormon and he is posting threads about Catholics or Mormons then I have been told it is PART of his religion to talk that way. (And have asked for the denomination that encourages it, but have yet to be told)

In that scenario if Mr. X is Catholic or Mormon?

Smackdonw or Zot

[Elsie]

Is the above considered flamebait?

No, Ma'am!

We STILL are the only church on earth that operates the way JESUS intended!

[Elsie]

Yes to each question.

[Elsie]

I can see sharing something that inspires you.

So; you do NOT want to hear about things that just %#$%#@ folks off?

[Elsie]

Come to the Wesleyans!

http://www.wesleyan.org/

We have the original doctrine still intact (more or less - hee hee)

[Elsie]

You cannot, the same as I cannot, love those sorry maggots UNLESS I have the love of God in me.

---

I was walking across a bridge one day, and I saw a man standing on the edge, about to jump off. So I ran over and said, "Stop! Don't do it!"

"Why shouldn't I?" he said.

 

I said, "Well, there's so much to live for!"

He said, "Like what?"

 

I said, "Well...are you religious or atheist?"

He said, "Religious."

 

I said, "Me too! Are you Christian or Buddhist?"

He said, "Christian."

 

I said, "Me too! Are you Catholic or Protestant?"

He said, "Protestant."

 

I said, "Me too! Are you Episcopalian or Baptist?"

He said, "Baptist!"

 

I said,"Wow! Me too! Are you Baptist Church of GOD or Baptist Church of the Lord?"

He said, "Baptist Church of GOD!"

 

I said, "Me too! Are you Original Baptist Church of GOD, or are you Reformed Baptist Church of GOD?"

He said,"Reformed Baptist Church of GOD!"

 

I said, "Me too! Are you Reformed Baptist Church of GOD, reformation of 1879, or Reformed Baptist Church of GOD, reformation of 1915?"

He said, "Reformed Baptist Church of GOD, reformation of 1915!"

 

I said, "Die, heretic scum", and pushed him off.

-- Emo Phillips

[Elsie]

Romney is to 2012 America as King Ahab was to ancient Israel.

And I fear as Rehoboam was to Jeroboam, too!

[Elsie]

FR has helped me learn, grow, and it has toughened my resolve, and it was due to the Religion Moderators.

AMEN!

(Even when it was a MORMOphilic one!)

[Elsie]

Oh YEAH?

You should see my MIRROR!

[Elsie]

Protestants treat it like a sacrament.

Indeed it is!

[Elsie]

The only Mormon I ever asked about it said he believed in the Trinity.

I'll bet not very loudly!

[Elsie]

The only Mormon I ever asked about it said he believed in the Trinity.

I'll bet he was a NEW mormon convert that had been a nominal, lacking in KNOWLEDGE 'christian'; or a 'mormon' soon to be out of the yawning maw of MORMONism.

[Notwithstanding]

It IS great to be part of the Church whose members eats the very flesh and blood of Jesus Christ every day, and whose members confess their sins and receive absolution from a priest with apostolic authority, and whose members have the assurance that the successor of Peter still holds the keys.

[Elsie]

I will pass along your suggested software enhancement.

While you are at it; can you get them (John?) to add the post number a person is replying from when using the PRIVATE REPLY tab?

It is really frustraing to get a private reply from someone and not have a CLUE as to which post number they are replying!