LitNet: Apolitical, Atheistic or What Forum?

[muhsin]

Greetings,

My thread may surprise some old timers (members) here, I presume, for I have been a full member for years--entering my 4th, I think. Why should I ask the question?

Although the forum's thematic preoccupation, if I may call it, is boldly expressed, yet some of the things happening here still usually left my mouth agape. Be patient with me. Read along.

First; I'm a member on many discussion fora. Therefore I know its a something ubiquitous for the forum admin team to send to its members a Happy X-mas/Eed Day messages. But that has never been done here. Further still, no personal attack, religious blasphemy and the likes is ever condoned here. An atheism?

Secondly, there have been, all the time, hot headlines across the world on intense political, financial, etc issues. For example...don't have to say it. Following that, there is breach of many fora rules and regulations, and hence these are rather freely discussed. But not on this board. An apoliticalism?

All these are arhieved due to relentless work and dedication of our esteemed moderators, Logos to mention but one of them. They omniciently spy every single thread posted instantly and 'decide'.

My questions; do you guys think that is better or not? How do you feel about that? Thanks for your understanding.

Muhsin

[kandaurov]

Hi Muhsin. Interesting questions you raise.

First issue: holiday greetings. I must say I'm more than glad that the forum admins don't send me X-mas greetings, because I regard every message that isn't personal as spam. If the admin did know me and sent me a greeting I'd be delighted. Otherwise it's just like when the President sends you a postcard with Merry Christmas wishes and his digitalised autograph. If you ask me, it's blatant propaganda, a pitiful display of fake affection, and I almost resent it as an invasion of my privacy.

Second issue: religion. I for one actually think there's an almost unrivalled religious freedom in this forum, as indeed the discussion of beliefs and faiths has a subgroup of its own. I even think religion is discussed too much in here. I don't know how fruitful it is to discuss religion because it relies on dogmas and therefore cannot end in a satisfying way. No one should try and impose one's personal beliefs upon the others, which is what very often happens.

Third issue: politics. I myself have quite recently wondered about and discussed the forum's apoliticalism. What I mean is, if religious discussion, so prone to turn into vicious ad hominem attacks, is given such freedom, why not politics? A forum member has suggested that it would result in the forum's ban in some countries, but wouldn't one expect some religious states to do the same? In a nutshell, what puzzles me is not its apoliticalness but its apoliticalness in face of its religious freedom.

Ultimately, however, one must abide by the forum's rules. After all, this is a literature forum, not a religion or politics forum. As I've said in another post, I guess that if we want to discuss religion or politics we ought to look elsewhere.

[muhsin]

Hi Muhsin. Interesting questions you raise.
Third issue: politics. I myself have quite recently wondered about and discussed the forum's apoliticalism. What I mean is, if religious discussion, so prone to turn into vicious ad hominem attacks, is given such freedom, why not politics? A forum member has suggested that it would result in the forum's ban in some countries, but wouldn't one expect some religious states to do the same? In a nutshell, what puzzles me is not its apoliticalness but its apoliticalness in face of its religious freedom.


Very thoughtfull, indeed. I wish I had started the thread with a poll.
This part is the most interesting one. Keep it up.
Sorry, I don't have much time to say more. But when I get back.

[MattG]

Personally I'm not here to argue politics or religion so either one or both being forbidden here would be of no consequence to me.

I can only hazard a guess as to why religion is tolerated and not politics and that guess would be that perhaps people have so far been more respectful of various religious views than they have of political views.

For me, if I may again forward my personal view, both general topics of discussion are a waste of time. People hear what they want to hear and disregard the rest (Paul Simon).

[Joreads]

[QUOTE=MattG;657221]Personally I'm not here to argue politics or religion so either one or both being forbidden here would be of no consequence to me.

QUOTE]

Me either so it does not matter to me

[kandaurov]

For me, if I may again forward my personal view, both general topics of discussion are a waste of time.

MattG, fair enough, we don't have to discuss politics in the forum - but you surely you don't mean there's no use in discussing politics at all?

[kilted exile]

Ok, I am one of the old-timers around here (joined 2004 - when you could disappear for a month and still catch up on all the posts missed in about an hour).

The reason I continue to visit this forum is because it is a well run site, where people are (for the most part) courteous and respectful. I put this down in large part to the no politics rule, and the crackdown on religious topics circa 2007 - it was beginning to get pretty heated for a while.

I can go to other sites (and do) to discuss politics, I do not need to do so here.

[MattG]

MattG, fair enough, we don't have to discuss politics in the forum - but you surely you don't mean there's no use in discussing politics at all?

Not saying folks shouldn't discuss politics in the forum... just saying *I* don't discuss politics in forums as it doesn't really work for me. The effort is more exasperating than the payoff.

The only forum I discuss politics in are the face to face over a beverage kind of forum. It's too easy to make assumptions and/or misread intents on this type of forum for my liking.

I certainly don't mean to say that it shouldn't have value for others. If it does, knock yourself (..selves) out, by all means.

[kandaurov]

Yeah, I meant outside the realm of forums. For a second there I thought you were saying there's no use discussing politics at all, a stance which some people actually have and with which I take issue. Sorry, I had misunderstood.

[MattG]

Yeah, I meant outside the realm of forums. For a second there I thought you were saying there's no use discussing politics at all, a stance which some people actually have and with which I take issue. Sorry, I had misunderstood.

Your confusion is due to bad phrasing on my part, sir. My apologies!

:)

[kandaurov]

No worries, mate!

[Logos]

Hi muhsin :)

ok, *deep breath* :lol: a few things..

The discussion of current politics has never been, and (hopefully) never will be a part of The Literature Network. See the owner/Admin's comment here: http://www.online-literature.com/forums/announcement.php?f=10 The site has been around for a long time and has done just fine with a strict rule about this.

The only reason that there is a dedicated forum for "Religious Texts" (RT) is because the Bible (http://www.online-literature.com/bible/bible.php) (and hopefully soon more "religious texts" like Qu'ran!) is on the site.

(Just like there's a dedicated sub-forum for every Author who also have e-texts on the site)

So, the Religious Texts area of the forums was created by the owner/Admin to contain threads in that subject, make them easy to find.

As kilted mentions, the acrimony and complaints that have arisen in the past in the RT forum and in any threads that got into current politics has been great at times; you can see how the RT forum has it's own additional rules, a direct result of all the problems: http://www.online-literature.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15410

You always have the option of reporting a post or contacting one of us Mods if you have a problem with a thread or a post. It's very difficult at times but us Mods do our best to see that some sort of harmony is maintained around here, not an easy task at times :D

[librarius_qui]

Not to discuss politics or religion doesn't make a subject apolitic or "atheist".

The forum theme is literature. There's a lot of literature in philosophy on politics, and a lot of literature in religion on god(s) &/or sacred things. Only to speak of one simple way of treating the matter.

I think sometimes people in the RT board discuss more religion than religious texts. I did so. That's why I decided to stop visiting that board. I do visit the literature ones. Even the philosophy one I visit, and not always to talk about literature, but, sometimes, to add my opinion on a subject or another. Even so, I avoid it.

If, someday, I have some interesting subject in some reading on religion or philosophy that I think valuable to bring at a forum on literature, I'll certainly do. Until then, I don't see there nothing that attracts me.

I might take a look there, this year ... Why not once a year? ... :lol:

And I think that there's space to talk about political literature in the philosophy board. Political LITERATURE, not politics ... That's what I think.

[Virgil]

Ok, I am one of the old-timers around here (joined 2004 - when you could disappear for a month and still catch up on all the posts missed in about an hour).

The reason I continue to visit this forum is because it is a well run site, where people are (for the most part) courteous and respectful. I put this down in large part to the no politics rule, and the crackdown on religious topics circa 2007 - it was beginning to get pretty heated for a while.

I can go to other sites (and do) to discuss politics, I do not need to do so here.

I completely want to echo Kilt's comment. If politics ever was allowed on lit net in any formal way, it would be the end of lit net as we know it. And I probably wouldn't be here. Frankly the religious threads go beyond discussion of religious texts and definitely lead to acrimony.

[The Atheist]

First; I'm a member on many discussion fora. Therefore I know its a something ubiquitous for the forum admin team to send to its members a Happy X-mas/Eed Day messages. But that has never been done here. Further still, no personal attack, religious blasphemy and the likes is ever condoned here. An atheism?

Well, I'm usually on the wrong side of religious debates, and while we do have our moments, the religious discussions aren't that acrimonious and it's only a few of the threads even attract a "Come on people, remember your membership agreement" post, so I don't think there's much of an issue there.


Secondly, there have been, all the time, hot headlines across the world on intense political, financial, etc issues. For example...don't have to say it. Following that, there is breach of many fora rules and regulations, and hence these are rather freely discussed. But not on this board. An apoliticalism?

Politics, on the other hand, is all subjectivity. The big difference between politics and religion is that very few people die because of religion alone.

Politics, however, can be fairly deadly, and with an international membership, ugliness and acrimony can only result from political discussion.

There are plenty of places to discuss politics, and I'm glad LitNet isn't one of them.


My questions; do you guys think that is better or not? How do you feel about that? Thanks for your understanding.

Muhsin

Well, I think it's the best online forum around and I've tried most of the big ones and quite a few of the smaller ones.

[atiguhya padma]

As Skin, from Skunk Anansie, once sang: "everything's political". If she is right, then political discussion and argument are already part and parcel of the litnet forum. Maybe politics cannot be boxed up and filed away as easily as some would like it to be.

[muhsin]

Thank you everyone for your responses. I wish I could simply emulate one great fellow here who respond to every single reply/greeting to him during his birthday. Know who he is? Guess.:) My compliment. And keep it up.

Logos, I quite thoroughly read your reply. And thats what I can say I know for long. No bragging but I would like to say I have never breached the rules and regulation of this great haven--LitNet. Have I? Hmm:)

But, what I was rather asking is; do the majority of the members welcome that? I personally, as portrait in some replies, think allowing discussion on politics should not be 'strictly' disallowed. As another reply says; since religion, which is much more sensitive than politics is freely discussed then why not politics?

And another question, please; why do you people abhor discussion on politics? Isn't it whats so relevant and direct to our day-to-day activities, eg the current happening in...won't say it. Am afraid.;)

Thank you so much, once again.

Muhsin

[muhsin]

:blush: