Mods gone wild

[Woodruff]

All freedoms come with corresponding responsibilities and consequences. There is no such thing as true freedom.

To demand the "responsible" use of free speech is a tricky one.

I am not DEMANDING any such thing. I am merely pointing out the reality. I agree with you that it is a problematic issue...but the reality IS there.

I think the complaints were likely made by people who had no idea what they were complaining about ... saw a vaguely ethnic reference .. thought "probably having a go at the Muslims!" and pressed the button .. it is the problem with the faceless complaints button we have, we may not really find out.

Well, we know that's not entirely true, since one individual has already surfaced in the "more on topic?" thread stating that they were, as a Hindu, offended by the image.

correct and we can also not be sure that this is a genuine Hindu or a troll having a laugh.

True enough in a general sense, sure. In this specific case, it becomes more likely he is legitimately a Hindu given his actual name.

[Woodruff]

Mods can't win? Mods never lose!

Both statements are, paradoxically, true.

[jiminski]

All freedoms come with corresponding responsibilities and consequences. There is no such thing as true freedom.

To demand the "responsible" use of free speech is a tricky one.

I am not DEMANDING any such thing. I am merely pointing out the reality. I agree with you that it is a problematic issue...but the reality IS there.

I think the complaints were likely made by people who had no idea what they were complaining about ... saw a vaguely ethnic reference .. thought "probably having a go at the Muslims!" and pressed the button .. it is the problem with the faceless complaints button we have, we may not really find out.

Well, we know that's not entirely true, since one individual has already surfaced in the "more on topic?" thread stating that they were, as a Hindu, offended by the image.

correct and we can also not be sure that this is a genuine Hindu or a troll having a laugh.

True enough in a general sense, sure. In this specific case, it becomes more likely he is legitimately a Hindu given his actual name.

who A.Sub?

[Woodruff]

Generally, Western companies themselves enjoying the liberties and freedom guaranteed by the society should IMO thread careful in this area. Besides the obvious, i.e. that keeping the liberal flag decently high is a decent thing to do (the same way that the decent thing to do is not to pollute the air or water more than necessary) it rarely goes down well with customers/public when companies starts to censor and interfere with their customers expressions and discussions.

Generally, companies that allow their customers to degrade other customers' religions aren't going to last very long, I wouldn't think.

With respect to free speech etc. I believe that it's perfectly fine for paying customers to request/ask for this in a forum which they pay to be in. Or what, shall all bow to the company in question not asking for customer satisfaction?

We don't pay for the forums. The forums are available whether you pay or not.

I think the complaints were likely made by people who had no idea what they were complaining about ... saw a vaguely ethnic reference .. thought "probably having a go at the Muslims!" and pressed the button .. it is the problem with the faceless complaints button we have, we may not really find out.

Well, we know that's not entirely true, since one individual has already surfaced in the "more on topic?" thread stating that they were, as a Hindu, offended by the image.

correct and we can also not be sure that this is a genuine Hindu or a troll having a laugh.

True enough in a general sense, sure. In this specific case, it becomes more likely he is legitimately a Hindu given his actual name.

who A.Sub?

Correct. And yes, I recognize that I know his actual name and most (including you, I presume) do not. I of course won't post it here.

Im not missing any point at all. If a Hinduist is offended by a picture, than they are offended. To suggest otherwise is ridiculous.

I'm saying that they can't be offended because there is nothing offensive about it. A hinduist literally can't get offended by it for the simple reason that it's not offensive to them.

You seem to be overlooking the fact that a Hindu was one who complained to Clapper about it.

[jiminski]

i think this is a load of bunkum

[Georgerx7di]

The title to this thread sounds so promising. I was thinking of something like wicked in the shower at college or something. Oh well, I can always hope. (Yes, I know she's gone).

[pimpdave]

Oh for crying out loud, I thought this was going to be a new Fox reality special show. What a let down.

And back off of clapper, she does a great job and has nothing but good intentions. Seriously guys, when you come down so hard on them, can you really blame some of those individuals for turning into Robespierre types?

Don't make it an us vs. them thing until it really is. I think, if anything, the thread in question just demonstrates how hard the mods try. Furthermore, that not everyone is going to be pleased with a mod's decision.

Finally, we all have things we disproportionately upset about, and find completely not funny. I'm guilty of this myself. We all are. The experience of being offended on the forum has helped me grow a thicker skin, however, and determine what really is worth getting upset about, and what's just something on the internet I should ignore.

[jiminski]

You seem to be overlooking the fact that a Hindu was one who complained to Clapper about it.

The problem is here that we can be held to ransom by ill-advised attention seekers who are often intentionally misinterpreting the core beliefs of their own religion.
Unfortunately it only takes a few people to use the rules when they are not warranted in order to undermine their credibility!

Hinduism

There is also no word for blasphemy in Hinduism, and the religion's concepts of "utmost freedom of thought and action" attracts many followers. Hinduism does not prohibit anyone to question its fundamental beliefs, and it has never banished anyone if they wrote a differing scripture or failed to observe a particular ritual. As Mahatma Gandhi wrote, "even atheists can call themselves as Hindus."

[demonfork]

The title to this thread sounds so promising. I was thinking of something like wicked in the shower at college or something. Oh well, I can always hope. (Yes, I know she's gone).

, I'm glad someone commented on this, it was part of my ploy to attract more viewers.

[jiminski]

The title to this thread sounds so promising. I was thinking of something like wicked in the shower at college or something. Oh well, I can always hope. (Yes, I know she's gone).

, I'm glad someone commented on this, it was part of my ploy to attract more viewers.

you're a fucking genius!

[demonfork]

The title to this thread sounds so promising. I was thinking of something like wicked in the shower at college or something. Oh well, I can always hope. (Yes, I know she's gone).

, I'm glad someone commented on this, it was part of my ploy to attract more viewers.

you're a fucking genius!

Thanks man, that means a lot coming from you.

[jiminski]

Thanks man, that means a lot coming from you.

i can only imagine ; )

[Woodruff]

You seem to be overlooking the fact that a Hindu was one who complained to Clapper about it

The problem is here that we can be held to ransom by ill-advised attention seekers who are often intentionally misinterpreting the core beliefs of their own religion.
Unfortunately it only takes a few people to use the rules when they are not warranted in order to undermine their credibility!

True enough, and yet the moderators aren't going to know all world religions enough to be able to make those distinctions, and so must act as Clapper did, in my opinion.

[jiminski]

You seem to be overlooking the fact that a Hindu was one who complained to Clapper about it

The problem is here that we can be held to ransom by ill-advised attention seekers who are often intentionally misinterpreting the core beliefs of their own religion.
Unfortunately it only takes a few people to use the rules when they are not warranted in order to undermine their credibility!

True enough, and yet the moderators aren't going to know all world religions enough to be able to make those distinctions, and so must act as Clapper did, in my opinion.

agreed, i think Clapp's done well.
She took it down/moved it as a precaution after the complaint. But the image is allowed to be displayed elsewhere (other than hot and sexy ) as we can see. So yeap all good!

but i do not agree that we always have to be bullied into a grey, stagnant pool of inaction and banality at the mewing call of trolls and the habitually seasoned complainers. if we do that, the rules have lost me and they will lose many.... it is just asking to be made a mockery of if we take the stance as a general tenet.


anyway, what a delightful storm in a tea-cup this has all been.

happy Monday all!

[mibi]

given the title of this thread, I must say, i am quite disappointed in it's content.

[demonfork]

What I have learned from this experience...

1. Real Hindus (not the fake ones like a.sub) are badass, as jiminski pointed out...

There is also no word for blasphemy in Hinduism, and the religion's concepts of "utmost freedom of thought and action" attracts many followers. Hinduism does not prohibit anyone to question its fundamental beliefs, and it has never banished anyone if they wrote a differing scripture or failed to observe a particular ritual. As Mahatma Gandhi wrote, "even atheists can call themselves as Hindus."

2. The tantra goddess Kali, is HOT AND SEXY...

In some images Shiva is ithyphallic and engages with Kali in a form of sexual intercourse called viparitarati or purushayita. In this position the female is on top, taking the active role. This inversion sends a message of the Mother Goddess's supremacy. According to Shakta and Tantric cosmology, it is the feminine power that creates, sustains and dissolves the universe while the masculine principle is the static substratum. The sexual union of Shiva and Shakti graphically illustrates that ultimately the two are one, beyond all duality.

[MrBenn]

I want to know which moderator invited their mum to the party...

[owenshooter]

I want to know which moderator invited their mum to the party...

please stay on topic...-0

[Timminz]

As someone who has dressed as Jesus on multiple occasions, I can say for certain that a very small percentage of people who shopped at the grocery store I was working at a couple Halloweens ago, were vocally offended by my portrayal of their deity, and they were some stuck-up college girls on their way to the Liquor Store.

Also, I hear clapper is giving public apologies for modding errors she's made. Where is the line forming?

[pimpdave]

I want to know which moderator invited their mum to the party...

please stay on topic...-0

Congrats to owen for completely missing that this thread was all begun because someone pitched a little fit over a halloween costume.

[owenshooter]

I want to know which moderator invited their mum to the party...

please stay on topic...-0

Congrats to owen for completely missing that this thread was all begun because someone pitched a little fit over a halloween costume.

congrats to pimpdave for not reading any of the thread, especially my massive posts defending clapper... you sir are truly the trolliest of the trolls...-0

p.s.-the pic was in the HOT AND SEXY thread, not a halloween costume thread... try again...

[pimpdave]

And there are no hot and sexy halloween costumes?

[owenshooter]

And there are no hot and sexy halloween costumes?

posting a pic of someone's goddess in the HOT AND SEXY thread is more than a bit different than posting it in a halloween costume thread. nice try, your info was wrong, clapper did the right thing. nobody should post anyone's god/goddess in a thread entitled HOT AND SEXY. that is just all kinds of wrong..-0

[pimpdave]

No, stupid. I've already said clapper made a good call based on her available information. a.sub is full of it, is all I've said.

And you're the one constantly pouting over the fact that no one reads your posts...

[owenshooter]

No, stupid.

keep up the stalking, trolling and flaming... that is the way to win an argument... you sure did show me... let me go get my dictionary to look that one up...-0