ATTN ALL POSTERS: You Are Responsible To Read This Thread!! (church, Christ)

[Alpha8207]

As many of you know, June and I have been learning the ropes as moderators here over the past two weeks. It's been challenging, educational, and fun. We have some comments and observations that we'd like to share on issues that we've faced so far. Your assistance on these matters will help keep us from having to do little more than just post like we did before we were asked to moderate:

1-Basic Christianity Sub-Forum Guidelines:
This sub-forum should simply contain topics that would be less interesting to people of other faiths who are not solely interested in the Christian perspective of a particular topic. Everybody is welcome to post in it, however debating the merits of Christianity should primarily be reserved for the main forum. That being said, some challenges to the Christian faith may be allowed as long as it's done in accordance with the ToS and doesn't hijack or take the thread off-topic. The CD forums are places to share ideas and differing points of views and every forum and sub-forum needs to be a place welcoming that.

For those members who are composing originating thread posts(starting new threads), please consider who you want your audience to be prior to starting a thread. Moderators will be slow in moving threads from forum to forum since an argument could be made to validate the existence in either. Posters, please leave your opinions on the proper location for individual threads to yourselves or via DM to the appropriate moderators.

2-If a thread is on a specific topic, please keep to that topic. We (Christianity forum posters) have a tendency to crack some one-liners or interject humor into to a thread that an OP meant to be taken seriously. While we(mods) have no issue with a light hearted comment as part of serious post, the recent standard procedure is that something is said as just a comical one line post and for the next page or so of posts it's all jokes and fun or more of a 'chat room'. There's currently threads running for that (Pink Bunny Church, Heavenly Hunger Hut, something UPBEAT!, etc) We're just asking you to respect an OP's thread and keep the discussion from becoming a joke at the expense of an OP.

3-If you have an issue with something we've done or some action we've taken, please use DMs for questions. Making comments like 'mods, delete my last post' isn't proper. Please use the DM feature.

4-Please use the 'report post' feature to report a post that you feel violates City-Data's Terms of Service. You do this by clicking this symbol . When you do, a thread is automatically started in a moderator zone and an email is sent to the appropriate mods. This will help us help you and will keep us from having to read each and every thread. The decision on what happens to the post you report will be up to the individual moderator that receives your report, but it's sure to be looked at.

5-Remember that moderating isn't personal. We use the City-Data Terms of Service as our reference point in this process, not our own personal opinions of the subject matter.

Following these simple guidelines and the Terms of Service makes our job easier and improves the quality of discussion here overall.

Your cooperation is appreciated.

Alpha and June

[Alpha8207]

Updated 10/29/07

[Alpha8207]

Gang,

When you are going to be posting information/data that is not original, please ONLY post a snippet (a few sentences of the most important points) and a link. We are looking for original content, regardless if the information is actually copyrighted or not. We can't chase down the copyright info for every source someone quotes here, so please keep this in mind.

If you're in doubt, DM June, Gizmo, or me and ask away, that's what we're here for. But be patient, we may not be online or we may need to ask other folks as well.

We certainly don't like editing anyone's posts for any reasons, and we'd hate to cut something you felt was important.

Thanks.

Your religion/Christianity mods.

(PS After a few days, this thread will be merged with the Christianity Sub-Forum guidelines thread)

[Dave_n_Tenn]

A short observation by Bill Hybells.... " copy from one source is called plagiarism, from multiple source's is called research".

I admit... I plagiarize the Bible a lot.

[Alpha8207]

Posters, please be aware that CD is instituting a zero tolerance policy for copyright/non-original material. If you are posting information that you are not the author of and/or that is posted on another site, please post one or two key sentences and a link to that article. The volunteer and senior moderators do not have the time or resources to run every copyright disclaimer down and assure that we have complied to the source's wishes. As such, when moderators see a post that violates the measures outlined herein, we will warn, infract, and then ban(for serious cases there will be no warning and an immediate ban). We can not run the risk of jeopardizing the integrity of this site for the sake of a handful of posters who can't seem to grasp that CD is looking for and expecting original material. This topic is gravely serious to the owners/operators of City-Data.

Thanks for your cooperation.

[dojilynn]

What about Bible verses? Can we post them? If so, is there a correct way to go about it?

[Alpha8207]

Originally Posted by dojilynn

What about Bible verses? Can we post them? If so, is there a correct way to go about it?

Per previous discussions with Senior moderators, biblical quotes are OK.

Thanks for bringing that up.

[Alpha8207]

Just a reminder to everyone to be alert to internet marketers, internet scams, internet panhandlers and anyone trying to solicit you for money and/or help.

We have had some instances lately of spammers and 'real' posters who are hunting for business or freebies from the good folks here at CD.

Please report any suspicious activity or solicitations to one of the moderators and we will try and address. Sad to say that there are some folks out there looking to prey on the good nature of folks and unfortunately the internet makes it easy to hide behind nice words and facades and predators abound.

Just an FYI and please don't feel like you're betraying someone if you ask us to look into it. There might be a little 'Something' inside sending you some red flags. We will be as discreet and confidential as possible when dealing with the situations.

Also, make sure you use the report post feature ( ) when a suspect thread appears. We're sure to be on those ASAP.

Thanks all and DM me with any questions or concerns you might have.

Thanks

Alpha

[ptsum]

The Administration has determined, due to numerous complaints, that the use of the term "Google is your friend" or "Let me Google that for You" or the use of the term Google in the context of a rude or inappropriate comment is against the "TOS" and will be deleted by the Moderators and possible infractions imposed. If the Moderators determined that it is being used in a legitimate and sincere manner you will be directed to the Search Tool at the top right hand side of the Forum.