A user, Equality, has been banned. This user may contact me offboard if they feel that this action was taken in error. However, I will detail the reasons for it here.
The following is quoted from our forum rules: 1. We are all members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints on this board. You are not allowed to participate if you are not LDS, either active or inactive.
2. We do not speak out against the church leaders, the church doctrine, the church practices, etc. We start from the assumption that everyone agrees with church doctrine as set forth in ancient and modern revelation.
3. We will at all times do our best to be civil. If you disagree, do it civilly.
5. Your opinion may be better than someone else's, but that does not give you license to use personal attacks, harsh language, or to give the impression that if only they were as intelligent as you, they would agree with you.
This user violated rule 2 specifically. The post made accusations against an LDS leader. In another post they openly disagreed with basic LDS doctrine. By inference, I have deduced that this user may have violated rule 1, due to the egregious violations of rule 2. Rule 3 was violated when said user posted combatitive language. Said user engaged in personal attacks, violating rule 4. The step of banning was taken because in other posts it seemed the user's clear intent to troll. I will also reconsider this action if the other moderators decide that perhaps it was precipitous.
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If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude than the animated contest of freedom, go from us in peace. May your chains sit lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen! - Samuel Adams
Equality: if you're reading this, I'll go on record as stating that while I think you went over the line, I also think you should be afforded a second chance... We all sometimes go a little overboard, and people don't always live up to our preconstructed expectations. (When I first started on the Internet, I took great delight in tweaking people, creating these massive flamewars... over time I've learned to channel this tendency in me, to simply creating provocative discussions... well... actually you can decide whether I've changed at all... ahem.) It is one thing to provoke discussion, and another to attack a person or call into question their standing in the church, but as a new member of the internet, twenty years ago, I didn't understand those differences, and I recognize we all are learning to communicate the very real and fiery feelings that scorch our insides.
I hope you'll consider contacting arbilad, will find a way to make things better, and reconsider your past comments. I'm sorry if you've had a bad experience in the church. We all have them, but launching a general attack is not going to make things better for you or your family or with your relationship with God.
So in the spirit of friendship I hope that we'll be able to work out the trials and obstacles that have become an impediment in our ability to share and discuss our sentiments about the sort of stuff we talk about here...
As a political nincompoop, I find myself often at odds with pretty much everyone here... and outside of the gentle razzing of Arbi, I think it's good that we all can get along and make the most of our differences (even if they're all wrong... hee hee).
Anyhow I hope to see you back among us soon,
--Ray
-- Edited by rayb at 11:37, 2007-03-20
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I'm not slow; I'm special. (Don't take it personally, everyone finds me offensive. Yet somehow I manage to live with myself.)
If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude than the animated contest of freedom, go from us in peace. May your chains sit lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen! - Samuel Adams
In order to maintain the friendly atmosphere of this forum, I think it was a good call Arb. I would hate to see this forum spin into a hate filled mess as others have. I like the family feel of this forum and how respectful everyone is even when they dissagree so much on so many things. It's a nice change from what I have seen on other forums.
On the other hand. If Equality's a young person maybe he/she didn't understand the rules or the nature of this forum. If they emailed Arb and promised to follow the rules then I can see giving them a second shot. I remember being a young fellow and getting in the middle of a war on a forum on the American Revolution. Boy, did I wish I had stayed out of it. Live and learn.
But I don't know this person so I guess I'm not qualified to say what the problem was. There are trolls out there who delight in stiring up conflict and making problems. Does anyone have any past experience with this person? Is Equality a member? I don't have those answers.
Just remember there's a little troll in all of us... :) Mine has a clump of bright pink hair that sticks straight up three feet above his otherwise bald head...
--Ray
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I'm not slow; I'm special. (Don't take it personally, everyone finds me offensive. Yet somehow I manage to live with myself.)
I have emailed Equality to give them the opportunity to resolve the problems. If it can be demonstrated that they would participate in the manner that is outlined in the rules and we've come to expect, then I would be happy to unban them.
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If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude than the animated contest of freedom, go from us in peace. May your chains sit lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen! - Samuel Adams
rayb wrote: Just remember there's a little troll in all of us... :) Mine has a clump of bright pink hair that sticks straight up three feet above his otherwise bald head...
--Ray
I too have been guilty of some egregious internet behavior in the past. I grew out of it. I've had to learn that just because this is a semi-anonymous format doesn't mean that I can be insensitive to other's feelings.
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If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude than the animated contest of freedom, go from us in peace. May your chains sit lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen! - Samuel Adams
When I was first on nauvoo I jumped into this thread on homosexuality and whoa... I thought everyone would see an issue like that the same I see it, we're all members, blah blah... Not so. It was an eye-opener.
Now I just go to YouTube when I need to vent. Don't worry, I'm not cocobeem there. mwahaahaaa.....
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Life is tough but it's tougher if you're stupid. -John Wayne
fear of shiz wrote: It just means our little forum is getting all grown up...sniff...attracting the attention of trolls....
Yeah!
Guess there are some folks who have nothing better to do than look for and make a mockery of others... particularly if the ridicule makes them feel better about themselves and oh so sophisticated and mature.
Aaar! Batten down the hatches, mateys... we may be in for wee bit of a storm.
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It seems to me the only thing you've learned is that Caesar is a "salad dressing dude."
You don't know that's the case with said poster. I think it's best to let it drop at this point. If there's a conspiracy afoot, let's let them have their moment...
--Ray
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I'm not slow; I'm special. (Don't take it personally, everyone finds me offensive. Yet somehow I manage to live with myself.)
no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing... the truth of God will go forth till it has penetrated every website, sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished and the great Jehovah shall say the work is done
As a child, Mahonri, did you enjoy kicking over anthills?
IMO, only trouble comes from debating with people who publicly bash the church. They've more than likely made up their minds, and have chosen sides.
There are newsgroups and forums where both anti and pro mormon factions fight it out on a regular basis. Bountiful isn't intended to be that sort of site, but I started on the internet when that was the ONLY thing available... I'm glad these days to have some moderated options.
--Ray
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I'm not slow; I'm special. (Don't take it personally, everyone finds me offensive. Yet somehow I manage to live with myself.)
no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing... the truth of God will go forth till it has penetrated every website, sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished and the great Jehovah shall say the work is done
I know nothing about this person so my comment isn't specific to this individual. But speaking generally, I do have an idea that might work.
I help moderate an unofficial yahoo group for singles in our stake & also own another yahoo group for primary teachers. When the (singles) group first started, we had a couple instances of spam type things. So the listowner set the setting parameters to have memership approved (which I know you do here). Anyway, all members can post w/o moderation. But the other day a new person joined the list- someone we don't know- so he set that person's settings so all messages have to be approved prior to posting, ie he is moderated. But everyone else can still post ad lib.
Mahonri: well, lest you someday be found with a beam in your own eye, I suggest you leave them be... While it is true what you say about antis, I've known members who've had an equally daunting problem--an inability to leave the opposition's jibes alone... And while I am no expert in this, I remember on my mission the general counsel was to leave such people to their own consequences...
--Ray
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I'm not slow; I'm special. (Don't take it personally, everyone finds me offensive. Yet somehow I manage to live with myself.)
nita: I think membership in this group is contingent upon an approval process of sorts. Arbi keeps a pretty tight watch on things, but admittedly we do have a weakspot, because an anti isn't your ordinary spammer, they can say all the right things to obtain membership...
--Ray
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I'm not slow; I'm special. (Don't take it personally, everyone finds me offensive. Yet somehow I manage to live with myself.)
no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing... the truth of God will go forth till it has penetrated every website, sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished and the great Jehovah shall say the work is done
Riverdance! Everyone, please join in on a rousing round of the modern Irish step dancing craze to sweep the nation! Mahonri, it is your turn to imitate Micheal Flately... We'll even let you wear the headband and look like the lead singer from Lover Boy.
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It seems to me the only thing you've learned is that Caesar is a "salad dressing dude."
You are officially warned to stop all merriment and take it to the appropriate discussion area.
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If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude than the animated contest of freedom, go from us in peace. May your chains sit lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen! - Samuel Adams
Don't worry, I'm not cocobeem there. mwahaahaaa..... 
