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Is "Religious Forums" Too Political?

In my opinion, RF's political forums are...

  • ...simply awesome. I enjoy participating in them and they are essentially why I participate.

  • ...great. I participate mostly in the political forums, but sometimes I post in the religious areas

  • ...cool. I participate equally in both the religions forums and political forums.

  • ...nice. I mostly participate in the religions forums, but occasionally post in the political ones.

  • ...okay, but too toxic. I participate mostly in the religions forums, and rarely post in politics.

  • ...just plain toxic. I avoid them at all costs.

  • ...a cesspool of toxicity. I have actually considered leaving the forum because of them.

  • I'm here to discuss religion.

  • I'm here to discuss politics.

  • I'm here to discuss both religion and politics alike.


Results are only viewable after voting.

SalixIncendium

अग्निविलोवनन्दः
Staff member
Premium Member
**Please read the OP in its entirety before voting in the poll**

Given the forum's mission statment...

As a community of diverse cultural and religious backgrounds, our aim is to provide a civil environment, informative, respectful and welcoming where people of diverse beliefs can discuss, compare and debate religion while engaging in fellowship with one another.​

...I think the primary intent of Religious Forums is to discuss and debate religion. A few of us have been discussing behind the scenes our concerns that the political forums are in conflict with the forum's mission statement, particularly with regard to the toxicity, volatility, and lack of civility the political forum brings, particularly in the debate section.

As I look at the new threads section this morning, I'm seeing 7 out of 10 threads are political in nature, which I find a bit unsettling.

upload_2021-1-10_6-49-30.png


We have concerns, being a religious forum, that the nature of political debate may have an adverse impact on membership and traffic, particularly with those that registered here with the intent of discussing religion.

The poll in this thread requires two responses. Please read the question in the poll and select one of the seven choices that best fits your views on the political forums and feel free to reply to the thread to add any commentary. Also, please select one of the bottom three responses that best describes why you're here. The results are private and visible only after you have made your selection.

Also, please note in a reply any changes or ideas you think might benefit the community with regard to the political forums.

Thank you for your time in reading and responding to this.
 

Spirit of Light

Be who ever you want
**Please read the OP in its entirety before voting in the poll**

Given the forum's mission statment...

As a community of diverse cultural and religious backgrounds, our aim is to provide a civil environment, informative, respectful and welcoming where people of diverse beliefs can discuss, compare and debate religion while engaging in fellowship with one another.​

...I think the primary intent of Religious Forums is to discuss and debate religion. A few of us have been discussing behind the scenes our concerns that the political forums are in conflict with the forum's mission statement, particularly with regard to the toxicity, volatility, and lack of civility the political forum brings, particularly in the debate section.

As I look at the new threads section this morning, I'm seeing 7 out of 10 threads are political in nature, which I find a bit unsettling.

View attachment 46777

We have concerns, being a religious forum, that the nature of political debate may have an adverse impact on membership and traffic, particularly with those that registered here with the intent of discussing religion.

The poll in this thread requires two responses. Please read the question in the poll and select one of the seven choices that best fits your views on the political forums and feel free to reply to the thread to add any commentary. Also, please select one of the bottom three responses that best describes why you're here. The results are private and visible only after you have made your selection.

Also, please note in a reply any changes or ideas you think might benefit the community with regard to the political forums.

Thank you for your time in reading and responding to this.
Personally i am here only because of religious/spiritual discussion or debate, i did take part in political discussion in the past in RF but fully lost the interest for it.

Political discussion may be good for others.
 

Rival

Si m'ait Dieus
Staff member
Premium Member
Yes, the abundance of American politics gets annoying some days, but we should be able to easily bypass them. Maybe the 'ignore' button could be set up to ignore selected sub-forums, besides individuals.
XenForo does have this capacity but not currently on our forum. It's not free...
 

crossfire

LHP Mercuræn Feminist Heretic ☿
Premium Member
Well yeah, people are going to talk about the recent event involving the storming of the US Capitol building while they were trying to confirm the electoral votes. It's a big deal.
 

exchemist

Veteran Member
**Please read the OP in its entirety before voting in the poll**

Given the forum's mission statment...

As a community of diverse cultural and religious backgrounds, our aim is to provide a civil environment, informative, respectful and welcoming where people of diverse beliefs can discuss, compare and debate religion while engaging in fellowship with one another.​

...I think the primary intent of Religious Forums is to discuss and debate religion. A few of us have been discussing behind the scenes our concerns that the political forums are in conflict with the forum's mission statement, particularly with regard to the toxicity, volatility, and lack of civility the political forum brings, particularly in the debate section.

As I look at the new threads section this morning, I'm seeing 7 out of 10 threads are political in nature, which I find a bit unsettling.

View attachment 46777

We have concerns, being a religious forum, that the nature of political debate may have an adverse impact on membership and traffic, particularly with those that registered here with the intent of discussing religion.

The poll in this thread requires two responses. Please read the question in the poll and select one of the seven choices that best fits your views on the political forums and feel free to reply to the thread to add any commentary. Also, please select one of the bottom three responses that best describes why you're here. The results are private and visible only after you have made your selection.

Also, please note in a reply any changes or ideas you think might benefit the community with regard to the political forums.

Thank you for your time in reading and responding to this.
I think the forum should take the time to let events in the USA settle down before leaping into action. It is only natural that, at a time like the present, politics becomes salient. After all there has been something close to an attempted coup, in the world's pre-eminent democracy.

My suspicion is that this forum gets more readership and contributions on its religious threads as a result of the other subject areas that serve to attract readers for other reasons. But no doubt the staff have the statistics on whether or not this is the case.
 

Rival

Si m'ait Dieus
Staff member
Premium Member
I think the forum should take the time to let events in the USA settle down before leaping into action. It is only natural that, at a time like the present, politics becomes salient. After all there has been something close to an attempted coup, in the world's pre-eminent democracy.

My suspicion is that this forum gets more readership and contributions on its religious threads as a result of the other subject areas that serve to attract readers for other reasons. But no doubt the staff have the statistics on whether or not this is the case.
The problem is it hasn't settled down for four years.
 

SalixIncendium

अग्निविलोवनन्दः
Staff member
Premium Member
Hmm... 8 votes in the first part of the poll and 11 votes in the second part. RFers: Comprehensive readers who are great of following instructions. :p
 

Rival

Si m'ait Dieus
Staff member
Premium Member
Sure. But now it may, may it not? Not overnight, but after a year or two.
This is where I'm inclined to disagree. It seems every time something vaguely political happens in the States now it's front page news, and on RF it is too. I think this is part of an overall new normal in politics. I don't think this is going away any time soon. It seems to be part of the enraged culture.
 

Mock Turtle

Oh my, did I say that!
Premium Member
I see it as just being more topical at the moment, and has been so since Trump came to power, such that one feels obliged to contribute when one has views so opposed to what a leader of a nation espouses and which subsequently seems to draw followers (perhaps even sycophants). Normally I wouldn't and couldn't care less what political persuasion people are since I realise that what appeals to some is what they tend towards anyway, and no amount of reasoning will probably persuade them. Politics is just one bit of RF, and even if we might disagree quite vociferously, I would hope that rationality would prevail. I don't see so many here being unduly irrational - even if they are wrong. :p

No option in the poll reflected why I am here.
 

SalixIncendium

अग्निविलोवनन्दः
Staff member
Premium Member
No option in the poll reflected why I am here.

Then you didn't read at least one of either the OP or the poll.

I can't see how one of the last three choices wouldn't include everyone. Unless, of course, you're here to discuss what your favorite color is.
 

Mock Turtle

Oh my, did I say that!
Premium Member
Then you didn't read at least one of either the OP or the poll.

I can't see how one of the last three choices wouldn't include everyone. Unless, of course, you're here to discuss what your favorite color is.
Politics or religion or something else? I didn't see an option for 'something else'. :D And I don't have an opinion as to RF being too political.
 
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WalterTrull

Godfella
Hmm... 8 votes in the first part of the poll and 11 votes in the second part. RFers: Comprehensive readers who are great of following instructions. :p
Comprehension plays no part in Religion, or for that matter Politics. See how I capitalized? That's how you can tell how spiritual I am. Ugh.. no capital there. When pollsters call, I hang up.
 

Unveiled Artist

Veteran Member
Yes. It flaires up doing big events like elections and masks and viruses. What I don't like is all these news events and topics posted just to trash the topic or person.
 

crossfire

LHP Mercuræn Feminist Heretic ☿
Premium Member
This morning is just an example. This happens quite frequently.
It is certainly appropriate to happen right now, given the current events. Perhaps some examples of when it is inappropriate might be in order?

Sure, posts calling for more insurrection would be a cause for alarm, but i haven't seen any here.
 
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