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Religion threads in Off Topic

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Southeaster
Nov Member 2014

Southeaster

Posts: 15,318 Opal Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
I wanted to reply to this post on another thread which was locked before I had the chance to do so:

Maynne said :
Mrs Ana, there is no specific instruction to act against the current religious-themed threads that are already existing in Off Topic section.

Right now, I see no problem with the already existing religion-related threads. The used to be heated arguments within them generally-speaking already died down earlier.

Unofficially, we can say they are grandfathered. New religion-themed threads will be dealed with in a case-to-case basis, but I see no problem on the horizon.

Edit: Nex, my post was a direct response to Mrs Ana's statement, I am not in the agreement of using my post for whatever agenda you have in-mind.

Could we get some official clarification from a Jmod regarding threads pertaining to religion?

Will existing threads be closed for discussion?

Will new threads be allowed for discussion?

Assuming that existing threads will be left open, will they be subject to stricter moderation, similar to the former political threads?

If anyone else has any other grey areas they are free to point them out. Runescape Forumers Discord Server

11-Aug-2020 13:29:09

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11-Aug-2020 14:13:24

Mod Kari

Mod Kari

Jagex Moderator Forum Profile Posts by user
With the Code of Conduct having been updated to remove the rule permitting religious posts, I can understand your confusion. Allow me to clarify it for you here.

Religious posts, like all other posts, will be handled on a case by case basis. They are not currently disallowed like political threads.

F-Mods are within their rights to close a religious thread if it descends into bickering, discrimination or breaks any other rules.

Should religious posts be disallowed in the future, an update will be given to the community as was previously done regarding political threads.
Community Manager


Needs more Ben & Jerrys

11-Aug-2020 14:17:50

Mrs Ana

Mrs Ana

Posts: 8,998 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
Thanks for adding this thread. My thread was locked before I could respond. I too was seeking clarification given the fact that religion was removed off of the Code of Conduct. I guess that Mod Kari's explanation above is sufficient for now.

11-Aug-2020 14:23:48

Nex Origin

Nex Origin

Posts: 382 Silver Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
Mod Kari said :
Religious posts, like all other posts, will be handled on a case by case basis. They are not currently disallowed like political threads.
Maybe you should update the rules to reflect that, because according to this, religious threads not permitted:

Forum Offence System
Original message details are unavailable.
Inappropriate Behaviour

Inappropriate behaviour sets to ruin the forum experience for others by causing disgust or unfair confusion to forum users. Examples of what might constitute a breach have been placed in brackets next to the offence; a full list can be found within the Code of Conduct.

Offences in this category include:

• Intolerance of sexual preference (using sexual preference as an insult)
•
Religious
, political, sensitive discussion (defame religious figures)

• Profane or vulgar posting (obscene content, bypassing filter)
• Arguing with Moderators (posting to discredit a mod, argue without merit)
• Impersonating a Moderator (claiming to represent Jagex)
• Circumventing mutes/bans (coming back on another account to continue arguing)
*whispers*

It's free real estate.

11-Aug-2020 17:38:52

Mod Kari

Mod Kari

Jagex Moderator Forum Profile Posts by user
As that thread was not updated when both political threads and religious threads were allowed, I see no reason to update it now that only one of them remains allowed. I believe it's fair to say that a rule change raised in the most recent J-Mod post supersedes previous posts, especially as it's since been reflected in the Code of Conduct.

Additionally the thread you raise here remains true. If you use religious, political or sensitive discussions to facilitate inappropriate behaviour such as in the example given in the article, it will be considered a forum offence.
Community Manager


Needs more Ben & Jerrys

12-Aug-2020 08:41:42

Nex Origin

Nex Origin

Posts: 382 Silver Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
Mod Kari said :
As that thread was not updated when both political threads and religious threads were allowed, I see no reason to update it now that only one of them remains allowed. No one else maintained it for the last 6 years, so why bother now, right? Who cares if it's highly outdated and has contradictory rules in it, people should automatically know which rules don't apply, right? O_o

Mod Kari said :
I believe it's fair to say that a rule change raised in the most recent J-Mod post supersedes previous posts Are you expecting players to somehow find a specific post in a random thread when looking up the the forum rules?

They're going to possibly looking at the Code of Conduct, the Forum Specific Rules, and the Forum Offense System thread.

The odds of them seeing your response in this specific thread is next to none.

They're going to read the FOS thread that states that religious topics are considered "inappropriate behavior". They'll also read "a full list can be found within the Code of Conduct", when there actually isn't a full list. Or rather, what is listed in the Code of Conduct is significantly less than what is in the FOS thread.

If the COC supersedes the FOS thread, then why have rules in the FOS at all, especially when they're outdated?

Mod Kari said :
especially as it's since been reflected in the Code of Conduct. What has actually been reflected in the COC? The COC went from stating that political and religious topics were permitted, to not mentioning them at all. The only place that religious topics is mentioned is in the FOS thread in which it is considered "inappropriate behavior".
*whispers*

It's free real estate.

12-Aug-2020 18:21:26

Nex Origin

Nex Origin

Posts: 382 Silver Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
Mod Kari said :
Additionally the thread you raise here remains true. If you use religious, political or sensitive discussions to facilitate inappropriate behaviour such as in the example given in the article, it will be considered a forum offence. If you use frogs to facilitate inappropriate behavior, that would be considered a forum offence. Why aren't frogs on the list too?

Because religion WAS prohibited when that thread was made, that's why it was included in that thread, in the Code of Conduct, and in the Off-Topic FSR.

When religion and politics were finally permitted, they were removed from the list of prohibited topics from the Code of Conduct, and the OT FSR, but that thread was neglected and never updated to reflect the updated rules. For years I've petitioned to either have that thread updated or removed, as moderators were still directing people to read those rules which were inaccurate, and would often cause confusion for players.

Religious discussion has been specifically listed as an offence:
Original message details are unavailable.

Examples of what might constitute a breach have been placed in brackets
next to the
offence
;

Offences in this category include:

•
Religious , political, sensitive discussion
(defame religious figures)



What's the issue with simply editing the thread to properly reflect the current rules?

There are quite a few outdated rules on that thread (and the Code of Conduct), such as the "personal information" rule, which prohibits the sharing of "messenger handles" (as defined in the Rules of Runescape), even though Twitter handles and Discord channels are now permitted.

What's the problem with simply clicking the edit button and changing the rules which no longer apply to the forums, so that players aren't being presented with contradictory rules from different sources?

What's the red tape that's stopping you?
*whispers*

It's free real estate.

12-Aug-2020 18:22:09

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