Inappropriate topics

[Sunken Valley]

I was wondering: why are real world politics and religion considered bad topics? The rules do not make this clear and in my opinion fictional religions and political systems are not that much different from reality. I do not mean to offend anyone with this post.

[Fiery Diamond]

Actually, I've wondered far more why fictional religion and politics AREN'T forbidden topics, given the potential to cause similar controversy.

Additionally, I have no idea why some discussions of ethics and legality get shut down and others don't, since pairing "ethics" with "legality" when discussing the real world is functionally (in terms of how and why it would result in hurt feelings and unintentional flame-bait) the same as discussing religion and politics.

[Jeraa]

Religion and politics are two subjects nearly everyone has a strong opinion on, and most threads about/involving real-world religions and politics almost always devolve into flamewars/personal insults/my-imaginary-friend-is-better-than-yours arguments.

It is just a whole lot easier to outright forbid those kinds of topics rather than having to monitor and close 9 out 10 threads with those topics.

[Douglas]

As the previous two posters already said, religion and politics are subjects that many people have strongly held and strongly clashing opinions on, and the combination has a strong tendency to produce flame wars quickly.

Fictional politics and religion are different because they are divorced from the issue of which side is genuinely correct and what real world beliefs and actions should be taken on that basis, which makes it much easier for people to calmly discuss hypothetical scenarios.

[LCR]

I think it's supposed to prevent flame wars, because a lot of people are quite opinionated on politics and religion.
On the other hand, that can't be the only reason, because the same can be achieved by stating that Firefly "really wasn't that good of a show" or that the Enterprise "could totally destroy a Star Destroyer". Which, at least with this audience, is as blasphemous as you can get :smallwink:

[Talvereaux]

I think it's supposed to prevent flame wars, because a lot of people are quite opinionated on politics and religion.
On the other hand, that can't be the only reason, because the same can be achieved by stating that Firefly "really wasn't that good of a show" or that the Enterprise "could totally destroy a Star Destroyer". Which, at least with this audience, is as blasphemous as you can get :smallwink:

Flame wars about real world politics hit closer to home than flame wars about television.

Opinions regarding very real issues related to human rights, life and death, and social prejudice are more liable to deeply offend someone than stating whether Star Wars or Star Trek is a better space opera.

[NerfTW]

I was wondering: why are real world politics and religion considered bad topics? The rules do not make this clear and in my opinion fictional religions and political systems are not that much different from reality. I do not mean to offend anyone with this post.


/Sarcasm: Welcome to Earth! /end sarcasm.
A few things of note:


There are members here from contries currenly at war, or just not on good terms.
Even if you think a religion is dead, IT ISN'T. AND SOMEONE HERE WILL BE A FOLLOWER.
Seriously, just because it was 50 years ago doesn't make it ancient history.

[KillianHawkeye]

Religion and politics are subjects which people will NEVER agree on, so discussing them is pointless and troublesome.

[happyturtle]

Additionally, I have no idea why some discussions of ethics and legality get shut down and others don't.


When to pull the plug on a discussion is sometimes obvious, but other times it's a judgement call. And perfect consistency is never going to be possible on that, though I think the moderator team here is pretty good at it.
The moderators don't read every single thread, so if something isn't reported, it's possible it will get missed. If something bothers you, report it.

[Roland St. Jude]

I was wondering: why are real world politics and religion considered bad topics? The rules do not make this clear and in my opinion fictional religions and political systems are not that much different from reality. I do not mean to offend anyone with this post.Sheriff: They're not bad topics. They're just not appropriate for this Forum. It's not what we're about. As noted, they topics tend inevitably (though often quickly) toward hostility and harm, which we are also not about. Even acknowledging that it prevents some discussions, on balance it helps keep the forum civil, friendly, and about the topics that it's advertised to be about.

Fictional versions are: 1) more intrinsic to the forum's subject and 2) less likely to flame up. So there the balance is clearly in favor of allowing it and spending the resources to step in when it goes too far.

Note that any topic can go bad and when it does, other Forum Rules come into play.



When to pull the plug on a discussion is sometimes obvious, but other times it's a judgement call. And perfect consistency is never going to be possible on that, though I think the moderator team here is pretty good at it.
The moderators don't read every single thread, so if something isn't reported, it's possible it will get missed. If something bothers you, report it.
Very aptly stated.