Llwellyn Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 One of the reasons why I am so comfortable here on this forum is because I don't have to worry about my threads being deleted or about my username being banned by moderators. I've posted messages on other forums -- some religious forums, some general interest forums -- and I've often had my commentary censored by moderators there. It's a real pain in the neck to have a thread deleted for no apparent reason. You can't really feel at home on a forum when you know that the next time you check it, you might see an error message saying that you've been banned. On one general interest forum, I posted a poll with the simple question of "what is your religion?" It generated a good discussion, until the thread was deleted a few days later -- probably because there was too much talk that threatened the meme. Years back as I was developing a lot of questions about the religion and exploring Christian Universalism, I discussed these issues on www.christianforums.com and was banned from there. That forum was extremely "ban-happy," however this should not be a surprise: 2 John 1:10 (New International Version) If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take him into your house or welcome him. Anyone who welcomes him shares in his wicked work. It's really nice to be somewhere I won't be banned from, even if I write openly and honestly. Have you all had issues on other forums? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Margee Posted March 10, 2012 Moderator Share Posted March 10, 2012 I was once 'banned' before I even got to post because I apparently broke one of the most important rules of the site???? I was soooo angry. I couldn't believe it affected me the way it did!! I did everything to find out how I could find the moderator and couldn't get back into the site to find out what I did wrong. Right to this day....I am banned!! Another site I joined a couple of years ago - same thing you are talking about Llwellyn.... ..the moderator continuously was writing me and telling me critisisms about my post or deleting them and then I would recieve a note as to why they were deleted. I took great pleasure the day I wrote and told him to fuck off. Just made me feel better. I know, I know.....2 wrongs don't make a right.......I don't give a shit about these 'sayings' at my age!! This site, the people and the moderators are awesome!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Legion Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 I very much enjoy the freedom we have here. I enjoy the functionality and layout of the forums themselves. And I enjoy the people here at ex-C. But I do think that 'social capital' is a delicate thing sometimes and that while it can be built only with investment and work, it is easily destroyed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Akheia Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 I like how this board is moderated. In my brief time here I've seen a couple of folks get banned, but they got really out of hand and frankly were tolerated way longer than I personally would have liked (one of them I didn't even realize was banned till apparently weeks after it'd been done as I'd used the board's "ignore" function--lovely to have that feature!). I lurked here for some time before deciding this was somewhere I could participate--like you guys I've seen other boards that were way overboard on moderation and refused to hear other viewpoints, and religion can be a touchy subject. Any board that welcomes any non-Christian is going to see a wide variety of viewpoints that will be difficult to juggle. The mods obviously care a lot about this board, and it shows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ro-bear Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 Most of the really bad actors end up banning themselves. That is a practice I approve of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mymistake Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 Looking at ChristianF terms of service: http://www.christianforums.com/rules/#faq_rule_0 I wouldn't want to post on a forum where you can't say it's wrong to hate a certain group. They define acceptance of homosexuality as promotion of homosexuality. So of course pointing out the real nature of human sexuality would fall under acceptance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lunaticheathen Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 I'm only involved with 3 boards, including this one - and one of the others, I visit rarely. This board is run quite well, imo, and I expect a certain level of freedom of exchange - granting that it's actual exchange, and not just being an ass. The Kemetic Orthodox board I'm on has slightly stricter rules, but the mods are excellent at resolving many things in private message, rather than just posting public, or swinging the ban hammer. I like that attitude as well, and trolls are given a chance to straighten up - and one was just tossed off those boards recently, but it was either insane, or just playing the part very well. One can disagree with how we honor the Gods, but to claim everyone in the religion that hosts the board are heretics and blasphemers.....yeah, buh-bye. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lunaticheathen Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 I was banned from "The Childfree Life" for objecting to a post where the OP was bragging about having kicked a toddler on an airplane out of anger that the child was being fussy one row ahead of her. I told her that her behavior constituted assault, and that she sounded personality-disordered to me. I say this as a CF person, myself. Hours later, about fifty zillion regulars started insulting me with zero consequences; and when I went to respond, I found that I had been banned. Typical Internet bullshit... I suppose this is sexist against my own sex, but, also: Typical female-dominated environment. Uh, those people sound like psychos. Glad they're not having children!! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
London Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 It's really nice to be somewhere I won't be banned from, even if I write openly and honestly. Have you all had issues on other forums? This is an unofficial notice to let you know you have been banned because you are too nice. Just kidding. I think this forum allows real freedom of expression. And I believe that 99.5% of people here respect that and act accordingly. I was once part of a forum where no one moderated. 10 or more people had to complain to get something done about the trolls (who owned the board), and it took days to get action. No one ever responded to the requests. They either banned the person or deleted the thread. And within 1 hour that person came back. And that went on for over 5 years. It was one of the nastiest, meanest places. And thankfully it no longer exists. One of the best things about Ex-C is that you can just be a person. No one swears too much, or complains about the same subject over and over, or tries to own the board, or bullies people. People speak their mind in the way they want and everyone reads and understand without being offended. The deleted board I was on would have every freak posting their lame opinion about everything just to start a war. I personally appreciate the world that has been created here. I may not agree with everyone but I do come here because of the diversity of views. That to me is what makes the world interesting. If I wanted someplace that only had people that completely agreed with me, I would just spend all day in front of the mirror. And even then I might end up in an argument. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackpudd1n Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 I suppose this is sexist against my own sex, but, also: Typical female-dominated environment. Clique of overgrown girls in a locker room á la Stephen King's Carrie... I don't think that's sexist, just honest. I don't have children either, and I won't be, and I would have taken umbrage with such a post myself. I live next door to a house with four kids, and the kids in the neighbourhood are frequently around. Sure it gets noisy, but they're just kids being kids. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Akheia Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 I feel your pain, as I live literally within a stone's throw of an elementary school. I don't mind a little cursing--why yes, my daddy WAS a sailor. I'm an old timer from Portal of Evil, SomethingAwful, fark, Turtle, /b, you name it, I love a bit of snark and I think I can give as good as I get. But meanness in civil discourse I do mind, and I find this board fascinating because it embraces so many mindsets so gracefully. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeCoastie Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 Too many forums in the past have crazy moderators with Napoleon Complexes. Its funny how being in charge of an online message board can get to people's heads. The mods here are quite all right. I loved prowrestling.com forums and was loved there too, but suddenly one of the mods had it out for me. He banned me. I returned. I made the comment that he was a "draconian asshole" and I got banned again. How draconian. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R. S. Martin Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 I got banned from my first forums--no warning and no reason stated. It felt like I had been locked out of my home. The next place kicked me out, too. But since I got settled in here and on WLC's forums there's been no problems. Getting settled in here took some time but people were patient and now I'm really comfortable here. Looking at ChristianF terms of service: http://www.christian...les/#faq_rule_0 I wouldn't want to post on a forum where you can't say it's wrong to hate a certain group. They define acceptance of homosexuality as promotion of homosexuality. So of course pointing out the real nature of human sexuality would fall under acceptance. I looked at the rules you linked. There's no way I could post there. I couldn't say anything honest or substantial without getting kicked out. Anything honest I'd say would be considered blasphemy against either Christians, their religion, or their object of worship. I'm afraid even asking critical questions would be seen as such. On William Lane Craig's forums you're allowed to say pretty much anything you want so long as you're civil (if you're atheist; if you're Christian the rules are somewhat more lenient) and actually saying something of substance. They don't like atheist cowboys riding in there with guns blazing, to paraphrase a post I read before coming over here just now. But you can set up your podium, adjust the mikes, and do a lecture on how you know God doesn't exist, citing all the classical authorities of the past five centuries and disproving all the Christian apologists, if that is what you want to do. They will deny it, but I did my research and I know they want us there in order to sharpen their own debating skills. Listen to , starting about Min. 3:00. Made me feel really ambiguous about being there--like I was just a bone for them to sharpen their teeth on. That school invited Hitchens to debate Dembski for no other purpose than to show their kids how it's done. But I find myself loving the debate so much for its own sake. Not to mention that by now there's a whole batch of atheists (non-believers of some degree) over there so that we sometimes pretty much run a show by ourselves--or an entire thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dyanaprajna0 Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 There's only one other forum I post on besides here, and it's a general religion discussion and debate forum. Both here and there the mods do a really good job of keeping things in line, although it's gotten kind of out of hand with a few of them over there as of late. But it's still a pretty good place. I like the openness of this board, and the level of involvement with the other people here. As far as most xtian forums go, they won't allow you to post if you're not one of them. The slightest disagreement gets an automatic ban. They don't even tolerate open discussion, much less different opinions. I couldn't handle being part of a forum where I couldn't speak my mind, where I had to fall into place along with everyone else. This is why I generally avoid xtian boards. There's no point in being there. I hope one of these days xtians who come here and post, as long as they're respectful and courteous, realize just how much better it is here than at one of those intolerant xtian boards, and realize who really is the more kind and loving out of the two. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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