Forum Moderation Guidelines for Religion & Spirituality
Hello everyone!
I would like to take a moment to introduce some additional forum moderation guidelines that we will be implementing to ensure that this community remains a respectful, constructive, and inclusive space for all members.
Note: All forum moderation will be handled by the forum moderators or community leaders.
1. Respectful Dialogue: Encourage respectful and open dialogue that allows members to express their feelings and thoughts about religion without targeting specific religious groups. Ensure that discussions maintain a courteous and tolerant tone.
2. Avoid Forced Beliefs: Remove any posts that attempt to impose personal religious beliefs on others or pressure individuals to adopt a particular faith. Our community respects diverse perspectives and choices.
3. No Shaming or Discrimination: Prohibit any posts that involve shaming, discrimination, or derogatory language towards individuals, religious groups, or spiritual beliefs. Promote an inclusive and accepting environment.
4. Focus on Personal Experiences: Encourage members to share their personal experiences and insights related to spirituality and religion, emphasizing the impact on their lives rather than making sweeping judgments or condemnations. Moderate with Sensitivity: Exercise moderation with a sensitive and understanding approach. When removing posts, provide a clear explanation to the member and offer guidance on how they can rephrase or refocus their discussion in a more constructive manner.
5. Feedback and Appeals: Allow members to provide feedback on moderation decisions through the forum@7cups.com email or messaging the admin, @CheeryMango directly for those who believe their posts were unjustly removed.
6. Consistency: Maintain consistency in applying these guidelines to all posts and members, regardless of their religious or spiritual background. Ensure fairness in moderation.
7. Community Building: Lastly, focus on creating a positive and supportive atmosphere within the religious and spiritual community, where members can freely explore and discuss their beliefs and feelings without fear of judgment or disrespect.
tagging the community taglist to be updated: @MeaningfulSilence @AffyAvo @Sunisshiningandsoareyou @tommy @theriverissinging @@Adamw12 @adripika @amiablePeace77 @Armon23 @beck1 @blindCupcake8608 @Carolincares7 @Chevy81 @courageousRiver589 @DivineLove04 @DragonView2 @easyDime4319 @egrima729 @goodAcres5039 @GoodEar1972 @Helgafy @HisLivingWaters @IamAubrey23 @ivoryDog4942 @Jaeteuk @Jenna @LoveMyMoonflowers @loyalApricot1375 @lyricalAngel70 @magnificentNutella @Mahad2804 @MalindaBelle @MeaningfulSilence @Michele2 @officialanonymous @ovowoody @passionateSea1909 @persistentFriend274 @philosophical2741 @pineapplepeanut @PoliteOcean @politePeach9642 @rhodawoolf @RogueOne1983 @SammiSweetheart30 @soulsings @stallion3 @SunShineAlwaysGrateful @Swordpsalm @ThatChristLover @TheJenInBlack @tommy @trueconfidant123 @Tulipsmile @Tyedyedbutterfly65 @yaswecan7
Extremely important to be mindful about, thank you for sharing, Mango!
@CheeryMango
Thanks for the updated guidelines!
@CheeryMango Thanks for the update!
@CheeryMango
That's a very useful post, thank you for having put it together Cheery!
@CheeryMango I like the idea of not grouping all religions into one category and saying negative things about religion as if it was all one. Every religion and every person practicing it is unique.
The way to avoid this would be to speak of one's own personal experiences with religion and or spirituality.
@soulsings Not every person (inside 7Cups or outside it) has had positive experiences with a religion--any religion. For at least a few of us, honestly speaking about our personal experiences with a given faith tradition will inevitably involve the very criticisms, emphasis of differences & stereotyping that you deplore. Stereotyping gets a bad rap (deservedly, as often as not) but the fact is, any belief system will impose some degree of conformity on its followers. That is how religions & ideologies perpetuate themselves. No religion would last for very long if it allowed its believers to all be as "unique" as possible. Thus the members of faith communities will have common doctrines, traditions, customs, habits of mind, etc. And yes, some people outside the faith community will find those things offensive--no matter what religion that community follows.
Can't say I'm surprised...in this little community, all opinions are equal but some opinions are more equal than others.
@slowdecline48 I want this community to be a place any member can share a struggle with religion - with any/no beliefs - and get support. They do need to follow the general guidelines though.
So someone converting from one religion to another might need support, someone else stepping away from religion might need support too. Both of those things may involve criticism based on their experiences, I want to see those shared as long as they are not mocking a religion as whole or insulting a broad faith community.
There will most likely be some aspects to this community that are going to be helpful to people of certain faiths and not others, and that's ok. The prayer thread comes to mind. I think that's true of almost any community.
I think there were some parts that did not start well and I personally felt unwelcomed at times because of them. I have given feedback and have seen changes.
When you say Thus the members of faith communities will have common doctrines, traditions, customs, habits of mind, etc. And yes, some people outside the faith community will find those things offensive--no matter what religion that community follows.
I agree with you on that, it does seem likely. What I hope happens is those people just avoid commenting on each other's posts. Some threads in this section will be ones open for all to comment on, in other threads those will feel less open to everyone.
So going up some replies, I DO think saying something negative about another religion can be appropriate in this community. For the sake of bashing it? No. When it comes to personal experiences - yes, if done so in an appropriate thread/sticking it in an appropriate topic (and threads can be moved to a topic to help people out too as I do find a lot gets stuck into general). Listener/member boundaries also need to be considered when doing so.
@AffyAvo You raised good points here. Member boundaries & such are why I've stayed out of certain threads myself. I know that if I were to respond to a typical post in them, I would probably be quite critical. In certain cases I would inevitably bring up something inconvenient, most likely a historical instance where religious directives to be kind & compassionate were ignored (or completely disobeyed). Or else I would start citing the more objectionable parts of their scriptures. That would only antagonize other participants, so I'm staying out.
This may well be one of my last posts in this subcommunity for the same reasons...I haven't decided yet.
@soulsings
Hi there Soulsings, the point is to NOT say anything negative about EACH religion, not because "it's like if it's one religion".
Hope that clarifies it better.
Take care
@MeaningfulSilence This actually confuses me more.
@MeaningfulSilence @AffyAvo
I think both points are valid. I think saying something negaitvie about another religion closes off communication, as does focusing on the differences between each religion as if to underline the differences rather than to find common ground.
I think generalizing aboiut any group, religious, mental health oriented., ancestry or political leanings, is falling into black and white thinking. I need to think outside of the limiited ideas that I have been taught and look at things with fresh eyes or I risk walling off people with different ideas and communication is difficult.
Rules 2 & 7 are inherently contradictory, as are 3 & 7. There may be an implicit contradiction btwn 4 & 7; however that one will likely be more manageable overall.
@CheeryMango great guidelines thanks much!
