patricej

what is or isn't a "religious reference" is often a matter of interpretation. analysis of individual comments or topics assesses the matters of degree and apparent intent.

a simple "G-d bless", or similar statement shouldn't offend a person with common sense. we should be offended because another member wishes good things for us, even if we don't indivually subscribe to that system of belief? i think not. it's ungrateful and not necessary to be offended by something like that.

when something reads like a call to convert, a sermon, a prayer, or something similar it will get deleted. sometimes that involves surgically editing a post. sometimes the only solution is to remove the whole thing altogether.

requests for prayers are moved or merged into existing PDAs. they are the only overtly religious posts for which we allow exceptions when it's possible and practical.

moderators don't have access to profile signatures. so, even though they should not be there we can't fix the scriptural quotes and other forms of proseletyzing and sermonizing members include there. it would take a dozen moderators weeks or months to fix all of them even if we could. i have always assumed that most of the members who include them do so without thinking. i'm sure a few do it because they claim some right to force their views on others, but i think most just do it out of habit. i try to not jump to conclusions about their intent. to do so risks accusing individuals unfairly. i can't read minds and have not had the good fortune to meet every member in person. how can i know for sure what the motivation is?

we're a friendly bunch, so i don't want to do risk hurting somebody's feelings or embarrassing them without hard, irrefutable evidence that it's justified.

tolerance requires travelling down a two-way street. ;-)