I just found this thread......and haven't got the time to read all 15 pages (!) of responses...BUT, I'm more than willing to give my point of view. :mrgreen:
I am a member of a forum that is a completely different topic. The mods on that forum in the last 4 yrs have changed from allowing most anything except bad language, lamblasting other people, political arguments and religion arguments. Prayer requests were allowed as were jokes. If you didn't want to read a thread, you could ignore it. If you didn't want to read threads by a certain poster, you could block that poster. Then in the last 2 yrs they have become what we refer to as the "gestapo" (spelling?) They are heavy handed with the delete button and in many cases play favorites. As a result, they have lost a ton of fun participants (myself included). The forum is boring and gives no incentive to return to it. I'd hate like heck for that to happen here.
If I see a post for prayers, I go in and read what the problem is. I may or may not offer prayers -- that's MY choice.
If I see a joke, I may or may not go in to read it....if it's one I've read before, so what -- I've had friends tell me jokes I've heard before.
I understand the moderators may be overwhelmed....I'm sorry for that, but I surely do hate the thought that this forum may change!!!! :cry:
Best of luck on the decisionmaking!