Suggestion Should we ban religious / LGBT / political threads?

[MadMageKefka]

This started as a status message, but it sparked some interesting discussion, so at the advice of someone on my status, I made a thread to see what everyone else thinks.

Now, its not my place to decide the rules of this site, nor am I the kind of person to usually censor what people talk about. However, I am seeing more and more of these threads every day, and its getting out of hand. They always, without fail, devolve into bigotry and arguing. With this being a video game website, and these sorts of threads causing so much drama, maybe it would be for the best?

An example I would like to give is the thread from the other day about the Afghanistan bombing. After several pages it devolved into several people saying how gays should be executed. The thread was deleted shortly after. My question is, why aren't those people being punished and having their comments deleted? Why was the entire thread removed? Some of that conversation was legit discussion. I have a feeling the staff here is tired of the crap too (please correct me if I am wrong).

So what do you all think? I don't wanna censor people really, but at the same time I think it would make the site a more friendly, enjoyable experience for everyone. Maybe another option would be to create a separate forum for this stuff, so at least it doesn't appear on the front page? Please, let me know how you all feel too.

EDIT: At this point, after discussing this for so many hours, my opinion on the matter is that outright banning this sort of thing is not the answer. I do, however, feel that off-topic discussions of this nature don't belong on the front page of a gaming / hacking forum. A lot of people are tired of seeing it and it just plain makes us looks bad as a community when 4 out of the 10 topics on the front page are off-topic shit shows of bigotry and hate. This is obviously not too often the case, but it does seem to be happening more frequently.

 

[Issac]

yeah i understand that, and i know to a degree that these are sensitive topic, but imho if you are sensitive enough to be devastated if someone says "burn all ??? at the stake" then you probably shouldn't really be on the internet at all, pretty much any website can be used to make an offensive post, i would love to hope that most people are thick skinned enough to realise that offensive posts don't matter in the grand scheme of things, that said, as per my original post in this thread, i do think a "political" section might be a compromise where those with normal abilities to shrug off mildly offensive opinions can go to discuss and debate controversial/polarising topics without offending the passers by, although i guess there will always be someone waiting in the side lines waiting to be mortally offended

If someone is that rude / hateful / offensive - it should be dealt with. If it isn't, it's because I've missed it.

 

[mikefor20]

There's a big leap between "I don't like gays" and "gay people should burn in the fire of hell, they must be punished for their sins". Sure, anyone would just shrug them off (it *is* the internet, after all) but if you let people do it then they'll start getting more aggressive.

It's a known fact that if you give more "freedom" to users they'll just interpret it as a "lol let's just do whatever we want", especially with delicate topics as this.

Keep the discussions in the vein of video games. Blogs too. There are sites devoted to your crap,go there. We don't share porn here so why the sex stuff. Do it somewhere else. I think someone who goes to a video game board to rant on LGBT rights is deranged. It's a video game board. That's like going to toys r us to pick up a t******. WTF? Go post somewhere else about your sex life. No blogs either. When did this become a furry meeting place? Its not, it's a video game board. Blogs and posts on these subjects should be banned. I can wade through a billion post about non hacking subjects on any other board. Keep the site on track.

 

[MadMageKefka]

yeah i understand that, and i know to a degree that these are sensitive topic, but imho if you are sensitive enough to be devastated if someone says "burn all ??? at the stake" then you probably shouldn't really be on the internet at all, pretty much any website can be used to make an offensive post, i would love to hope that most people are thick skinned enough to realise that offensive posts don't matter in the grand scheme of things, that said, as per my original post in this thread, i do think a "political" section might be a compromise where those with normal abilities to shrug off mildly offensive opinions can go to discuss and debate controversial/polarising topics without offending the passers by, although i guess there will always be someone waiting in the side lines waiting to be mortally offended

This is true, and I normally agree with you, but that kinda stuff makes the whole community look bad.

 

[Stephano]

This is true, and I normally agree with you, but that kinda stuff makes the whole community look bad.

Gbatemp or gaming websites as a whole?

 

[Saiyan Lusitano]

I kinda hate this world due to everything getting fucky 'cause of religions and politics. When's the Moon livable?

 

[916253]

but imho if you are sensitive enough to be devastated if someone says "burn all ??? at the stake" then you probably shouldn't really be on the internet at all,

Regardless of whether or not someone is "devastated" by a comment of this nature, does such a comment (with exclusively harmful intent, there's really no other way to spin it) really belong here?

 

[gamesquest1]

If someone is that rude / hateful / offensive - it should be dealt with. If it isn't, it's because I've missed it.

yeah ofc i know that, I'm just saying that if someone sees a offensive post before staff have the time to remove it, i hope they are strong enough not to be devastated for seeing it, i know the staff do a pretty decent job keeping on top of things that cross the line

 

[CrimsonMaple]

I think we should just have a filter/tag system, and force stuff like this to be in the off-topic and blogs. This is a gaming site though, so that comes first.

 

[Stephano]

I kinda hate this world due to everything getting fucky 'cause of religions and politics. When's the Moon livable?

Moon is still to close...

 

[MadMageKefka]

Gbatemp or gaming websites as a whole?

GBATemp.

 

[gamesquest1]

Regardless of whether or not someone is "devastated" by a comment of this nature, does such a comment (with exclusively harmful intent, there's really no other way to spin it) really belong here?

no the point is, that they will crop up even if staff go full blown censorship mode (short of screening posts before they go live) people need to be prepared to see things they don't agree with......maybe even down right disgusting, as i have seen posted on here before

 

[Stephano]

GBATemp.

Ya i agree. There are already some gameing sites that i know of that have horrible reputations. Not just by our standards but by others across the internet as well. (Foreshadowing)

 

[mikefor20]

Anyone who can be devastated by a post needs to leave the internet. If you have special needs than realize those needs are yours. Not everyone's responsibility. If you can't stand the heat get out of the kitchen.

 

[Issac]

Keep the discussions in the vein of video games. Blogs too. There are sites devoted to your crap,go there. We don't share porn here so why the sex stuff. Do it somewhere else. I think someone who goes to a video game board to rant on LGBT rights is deranged. It's a video game board. That's like going to toys r us to pick up a t******. WTF? Go post somewhere else about your sex life. No blogs either. When did this become a furry meeting place? Its not, it's a video game board. Blogs and posts on these subjects should be banned. I can wade through a billion post about non hacking subjects on any other board. Keep the site on track.

It's a community focused on gaming yes, but it's not uncommon for people to speak about other things within said community. Discussing other topics with the members of the community is good for personal growth and is fun.
There's no furry dating going on here or whatever, if you're not interested in a topic then just don't read it.

 

[Wolfvak]

yeah i understand that, and i know to a degree that these are sensitive topic, but imho if you are sensitive enough to be devastated if someone says "burn all ??? at the stake" then you probably shouldn't really be on the internet at all, pretty much any website can be used to make an offensive post[...]

I'm not included in most of their insults, and even if I were I'd just consider them to be people who don't know what they're talking about and shrug them off.
The interesting part about the internet is the way that people who were previously isolated can come toghether.

I've seen some of the posts these members make, and some of their arguments can be somewhat convincing for a young audience, which is the big issue here. This is a site which everyone can access, and if you suddenly have a bunch of teenagers that were convinced that "burn all ??? at the stake" is fine then you got a problem on your hands.

Keep the discussions in the vein of video games. Blogs too. There are sites devoted to your crap,go there. We don't share porn here so why the sex stuff. Do it somewhere else. I think someone who goes to a video game board to rant on LGBT rights is deranged. It's a video game board. That's like going to toys r us to pick up a t******. WTF? Go post somewhere else about your sex life. No blogs either. When did this become a furry meeting place? Its not, it's a video game board. Blogs and posts on these subjects should be banned. I can wade through a billion post about non hacking subjects on any other board. Keep the site on track.

I don't get what you're saying. Are you implying that I'm either gay or a furry (or both)? Because I'm not.
doesn't mean I've never been exposed to gay/furry stuff ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

By the way you're phrasing everything, I can only conclude you're trolling (and failing miserably at it).

 

[mikefor20]

I'm not included in most of their insults, and even if I were I'd just consider them to be people who don't know what they're talking about and shrug them off.
The interesting part about the internet is the way that people who were previously isolated can come toghether.

I've seen some of the posts these members make, and some of their arguments can be somewhat convincing for a young audience, which is the big issue here. This is a site which everyone can access, and if you suddenly have a bunch of teenagers that were convinced that "burn all ??? at the stake" is fine then you got a problem on your hands.



I don't get what you're saying. Are you implying that I'm either gay or a furry (or both)? Because I'm not.
doesn't mean I've never been exposed to gay/furry stuff ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

By the way you're phrasing everything, I can only conclude you're trolling.

No dude. I didn;t imply anything about you . It was a general statement. If you got offended then you must identify. I am not trolling. I came to give my opinion on the topic. Ban this line of talk. But then I got the SJW attention again. God help us. Not the SJWs!! lol get a grip.

 

[gamesquest1]

I'm not included in most of their insults, and even if I were I'd just consider them to be people who don't know what they're talking about and shrug them off.
The interesting part about the internet is the way that people who were previously isolated can come toghether.

I've seen some of the posts these members make, and some of their arguments can be somewhat convincing for a young audience, which is the big issue here. This is a site which everyone can access, and if you suddenly have a bunch of teenagers that were convinced that "burn all ??? at the stake" is fine then you got a problem on your hands.



I don't get what you're saying. Are you implying that I'm either gay or a furry (or both)? Because I'm not.
doesn't mean I've never been exposed to gay/furry stuff ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

By the way you're phrasing everything, I can only conclude you're trolling.

yeah but see that's why i feel it would be better to entertain these guys to a degree, as i have said many time now, report anyone spreading pure bile, but people who maybe have just been brought up in say a very strict religious upbringing may think gay people are evil, should we just ban and delete their posts and send them packing to a gay bashing game site, or maybe just maybe try reasoning with them, personally i think its more beneficial as a whole ro engage with *some* people and discuss stuff rather than just shut it all down and pack away the tent

not to force them to change their mind but just to offer them a differing opinion without the force and aggression many people shove in peoples faces

 

[Wolfvak]

No dude. I didn;t imply anything about you . It was a general statement. If you got offended then you must identify. I am not trolling. I came to give my opinion on the topic. Ban this line of talk. But then I got the SJW attention again. God help us. Not the SJWs!! lol get a grip.

No, I just assumed you were talking about me because you quoted my post. By the way, you're derailing this thread...

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yeah but see that's why i feel it would be better to entertain these guys to a degree, as i have said many time now, report anyone spreading pure bile, but people who maybe have just been brought up in say a very strict religious upbringing may think gay people are evil, should we just ban and delete their posts and send them packing to a gay bashing game site, or maybe just maybe try reasoning with them, personally i think its more beneficial as a whole ro engage with *some* people and discuss stuff rather than just shut it all down and pack away the tent

The ones I'm talking about can't be reasoned with because they're obvious trolls. There's only one that might legitimately believe this due to their upbringing, but the rest are just flamers.

 

[Stephano]

yeah but see that's why i feel it would be better to entertain these guys to a degree, as i have said many time now, report anyone spreading pure bile, but people who maybe have just been brought up in say a very strict religious upbringing may think gay people are evil, should we just ban and delete their posts and send them packing to a gay bashing game site, or maybe just maybe try reasoning with them, personally i think its more beneficial as a whole ro engage with *some* people and discuss stuff rather than just shut it all down and pack away the tent

Honestly I think its crazy that people who are raised very religiously think that gay people are evil. I was raised religious and still am, but I NEVER once thought that people could be that hateful. Parents and people like that give people who believe certain faiths really bad press.

 

[gamesquest1]

No, I just assumed you were talking about me because you quoted my post. By the way, you're derailing this thread...

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The ones I'm talking about can't be reasoned with because they're obvious trolls. There's only one that might legitimately believe this due to their upbringing, but the rest are just flamers.

not everyone your words reach will reply having topics open for those still questioning their world view may help the people silently reading understand stuff better

Honestly I think its crazy that people who are raised very religiously think that gay people are evil. I was raised religious and still am, but I NEVER once thought that people could be that hateful. Parents and people like that give people who believe certain faiths really bad press.

yeah ofc there is different ways of following religion, and sure only the bad will really be getting any major press/public coverage