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The rule concerning "personal attacks" applies to every forum on Free Republic. It takes more than verbal badgering or hurt feelings for something to be a "personal attack." Personal attacks are removed by the moderators when they see them. Posts in the Smoky Backroom push the envelope on "personal attacks."

Like pornography, the moderators know a "personal attack" when they see it.

The guideline concerning "making it personal" applies only to the Religion Forum. Attributing motives and other forms of mind reading are "making it personal." However, for something to be "making it personal" it must be addressed to another poster, personally.

For instance, if I said "Baptists believe" that would not be making it personal. But if I said "You believe" that would be making it personal.

If I said "Evidently, you are ignorant" that would not be making it personal because it would be expressing my mind, not reading yours. But if I said "You are ignorant" that would be making it personal.

And if I said "Do you think" that would not be making it personal because I am asking, not mind reading. But if I said "You think" that would be making it personal.

However, making the thread "about" individual Freepers is also a form of "making it personal." It causes the discussion to move away from the issues into ad hominines and flame wars ignite. It disturbs the forum for everyone else.

The following remark by Quix is not a personal attack. And it is not mind reading. It is however making the thread "about" another Freeper and is therefore "making it personal."

You are welcome to suck rocks or chase ducks, if you wish.

Both of you are oldtimers on Free Republic so I'm confident you have run across the kind of poster whose only debate skill is to "kill the messenger." Such posters are not welcome in theological debate because people tend to be very sensitive about their beliefs. Moderators lose patience with trouble-makers, especially on the Religion Forum. For that reason, I will not tolerate a non-believer coming onto a Religion Forum thread just to stir things up by ad hominines against one side or the other.

Discuss the issues all you want, but do not make it personal.