I should lay out what my view of the what the role of a moderator is, and my personal standards.  

Of course the rules of the game are the ROC, and posts that violate those will be moderated.  Beyond that I feel that the role of a moderator should be more hands off than one that shapes, limits, or tries to control debates.

We are adults here, and for those with a belief in karma harsh emotions that lead to harsh words will have their own repercussions.  I will rely on posters to exercise their judgement as to what they post, provided it is within the ROC.

However, I would prefer that people not have back and forths about other posters in public posts when those back and forths are really only motivated to humiliate or alienate.  If you want to complain about someone to someone else, please use the private messaging system. 

If I don't agree with you on an issue that doesn't mean I won't try my hardest to be fair and equitable in how I handle a dispute.  As always, we all have bosses so if you feel aggrieved I will have no problem having a higher-up review my decisions.

Of course I hope it will never come to that, and I hope that my work here is pretty boring and requires few interventions. If posts are guided by the principles of the eight-fold path there should be very little call for me anyway.

Feel free to message me privately, but be aware I live in Germany and so am often moderating outside usual US time zones.

Best,

Kristi

May 15, 2012 -- 4:44AM, Bob_the_Lunatic wrote:

Welcome Kristi!

1/  You asked what could be improved:  I'd like to see an end and quick reaction to proselytizing posts and threads-we shouldn't have to tolerate that.  There is plenty of space on another board to try to convert people to christianity.  We don't need anyone here telling us Buddhism is really christianity nor trying to teach us about Jesus-it's quite obnoxious and been going on for a while.

And-I'd point out, it reminds me of "passive aggression", it's STILL aggression.  So at best, AT BEST, such posts as I describe are off topic-and should be warned, removed, whatever-but they should be discouraged and not allowed to go on.  Regardless of claimed intent, I'd like a moderator to consider actual intent:  If a poster is revealed to start a thread with the INTENT OF DISCUSSING JESUS, rather than the topic of this board (Buddhism), it should NOT BE TOLERATED, I hope you agree-as I see no reason christianity should have TWO debate boards and Buddhism be shoved out of its own board.  Disagree  with it, talk trash about it... but whatever you are talking about, starting threads about, etc... in general should be on the subject of Buddhism, not christianity.  And pimping christianity using Buddhist terms defined to fit christianity should not be tolerated and seen for what it is.  If a poster talks about how dogs are cats all day long in the cat debate board, I'd expect them to be told to take it to the dog board and discuss it there.  I don't start threads in the christianity board so I can later use said thread to discuss Buddhism at length, I'd like the same respect here.  Lastly-I see NO other reason one would come here and repeatedly discuss JESUS (in the majority of their posts), repeatedly redifine Buddhism with christian references, etc..... other than proselytizing-there is no other logical intent to do such a gross thing.

2/  I'm glad to hear your described style.... so you're saying you don't plan on attacking all those that disagree with you and then deleting good rebuttals they have to you when you run out of ad hominems and red herrings?  ( I think you should know the reference here and have a chuckle).

Thanks for this.  I will try to be fair in my adjudication of posts which express a personal view of faith, and those which proselytizing, which the ROC defines this way: 

You agree not to make aggressive, repeated, or unwanted attempts to convert another member's religious beliefs.

Read more: www.beliefnet.com/About-Us/Rules-of-Cond...

In terms of discussing Buddhism and other religions, I will 1) consider whether the discussion would more appropriately be located in the Multifaith Forum, but I would also ask for your feedback, and others here, on whether people feel that the content of a book such as Living Buddha, Living Christ by Thich Nhat Hahn, or similar topics, has a place here?

As to your second point, yes I did get the reference, and yes I did get a chuckle.

May 23, 2012 -- 1:00AM, Bob_the_Lunatic wrote:

May 16, 2012 -- 7:28AM, Kwinters wrote:

May 15, 2012 -- 4:44AM, Bob_the_Lunatic wrote:

Welcome Kristi!

1/  You asked what could be improved:  I'd like to see an end and quick reaction to proselytizing posts and threads-we shouldn't have to tolerate that.  There is plenty of space on another board to try to convert people to christianity.  We don't need anyone here telling us Buddhism is really christianity nor trying to teach us about Jesus-it's quite obnoxious and been going on for a while.

And-I'd point out, it reminds me of "passive aggression", it's STILL aggression.  So at best, AT BEST, such posts as I describe are off topic-and should be warned, removed, whatever-but they should be discouraged and not allowed to go on.  Regardless of claimed intent, I'd like a moderator to consider actual intent:  If a poster is revealed to start a thread with the INTENT OF DISCUSSING JESUS, rather than the topic of this board (Buddhism), it should NOT BE TOLERATED, I hope you agree-as I see no reason christianity should have TWO debate boards and Buddhism be shoved out of its own board.  Disagree  with it, talk trash about it... but whatever you are talking about, starting threads about, etc... in general should be on the subject of Buddhism, not christianity.  And pimping christianity using Buddhist terms defined to fit christianity should not be tolerated and seen for what it is.  If a poster talks about how dogs are cats all day long in the cat debate board, I'd expect them to be told to take it to the dog board and discuss it there.  I don't start threads in the christianity board so I can later use said thread to discuss Buddhism at length, I'd like the same respect here.  Lastly-I see NO other reason one would come here and repeatedly discuss JESUS (in the majority of their posts), repeatedly redifine Buddhism with christian references, etc..... other than proselytizing-there is no other logical intent to do such a gross thing.

2/  I'm glad to hear your described style.... so you're saying you don't plan on attacking all those that disagree with you and then deleting good rebuttals they have to you when you run out of ad hominems and red herrings?  ( I think you should know the reference here and have a chuckle).

Thanks for this.  I will try to be fair in my adjudication of posts which express a personal view of faith, and those which proselytizing, which the ROC defines this way: 

You agree not to make aggressive, repeated, or unwanted attempts to convert another member's religious beliefs.

Read more: www.beliefnet.com/About-Us/Rules-of-Cond...

In terms of discussing Buddhism and other religions, I will 1) consider whether the discussion would more appropriately be located in the Multifaith Forum, but I would also ask for your feedback, and others here, on whether people feel that the content of a book such as Living Buddha, Living Christ by Thich Nhat Hahn, or similar topics, has a place here?

As to your second point, yes I did get the reference, and yes I did get a chuckle.

In answer to your question, I could make a comparison to criminal law:  What is considered in a crime is intent.  For example... did the man pick up the bag thinking it was his own?  Or did he knowingly pick it up to deprive the rightful owner of his property?  Only the second one is a crime:  His intent was to steal.  The first is just an honest mistake.

So-what is the nature of the post?  Is it to honestly discuss the similarities and differences?  Or is the nature of it to pimp jesus.  It's not always such an easy line to see... but that "repeated" part comes in handy when identifying it at times.  Look at me for example, I might bring up Buddhism 1/100 posts (more likely even less) in the christian or atheist forum.  But usually in response to someone else saying it-or when it just so happens to be on topic (like a good buddhist quote fitting the point) etc... Why?  Cuz I'm not there to discuss Buddhism-or it would look like I was at times.  Anyway, that's a far cry from what I've seen here which fits ROC to a tee, subtle, clever or not.  It is what it is, and if happens again, look closely-and you too will see the true nature of it.

Just a note to say that I have read this, and thanks.

*hands Kristi a large bottle of asprin.*

May 23, 2012 -- 9:05PM, Kartari wrote:

Sg,

May 23, 2012 -- 8:30PM, Sacrificialgoddess wrote:

*hands Kristi a large bottle of asprin.*

Was it something I said? :o

Absolutely Not!  I have just done the mod job on these boards before. And they should have an asprin subsidy in the paycheck.

not that there is a paycheck...