Is it possible to have politics and religion officially banned discussions?
The problem is people make comments that are unfair and heated, other people find them offensive and make similar remarks back, and then all heck ensues.
We have banned the use of profanity. I'm sorry, but seeing the words @#$%& and @#$%& are much less offensive to me than someone spouting out about their political or religious leanings (or lack thereof).

I'd agree with that. It always gets heated and it's off topic. The internet is rife with places to talk politics and religion but not rife with places to talk mystery shopping. I'd like to see this place protected.

I'd prefer a lighter touch when it comes to moderation of this forum. I feel like we have a good reason for the one hard and fast "No mentioning MSCs and clients" rule and I don't know that we need any other specific forbidden topics. There are plenty of off topic posts and thread here, and I find them either annoying, fun or boring. I read and participate in the fun ones and ignore the others.

I think we should report any unfair, heated or attacking posts and otherwise just leave the forbidden topics list at one.

But that's just my opinion and I won't be heartbroken if the decision goes the other way. It's not like I'm champing at the bit to tell you all about my new spiritual awakening or anything.

@CaliGirl925 wrote:

I think we should report any unfair, heated or attacking posts and otherwise just leave the forbidden topics list at one.

The problems with that are that mods are very one sided (sorry, maybe I shouldn't complain about the way the forum is run in an area talking about how the forum is run but oh well). For instance, I reported Flash's very rude, very attacking post on religion early this morning and yet it still remains unedited.

@bgriffin wrote:

@CaliGirl925 wrote:

I think we should report any unfair, heated or attacking posts and otherwise just leave the forbidden topics list at one.

The problems with that are that mods are very one sided (sorry, maybe I shouldn't complain about the way the forum is run in an area talking about how the forum is run but oh well). For instance, I reported Flash's very rude, very attacking post on religion early this morning and yet it still remains unedited.

I'm so sorry that you found a reference to someone feeling they were so in the Almighty's good graces as to be perfect was offensive. And so offensive that you would choose to report it and to requote it and to bring it up again here. I hardly see that as an attack on RELIGION. The comment was obviously not aimed at any person on this forum as it was referenced to a business that was not shopped and I'm not even sure that business is located outside of my particular community.

That's okay, bg, I report posts all the time and the mods just ignore me. I must have the reputation of being a whiner. Be careful, you'll be in the wihiner bunch with me.

Some topics maybe taboo for others but acceptable to others. We can't mold the Forum according to our taste. There is freedom in the Forum.
If unfair, heated or attacking posts (as per CaliGirl) are already frowned upon by the mods, why ban religion and politics if they are discussed in the right context? I still say, use Toggle so that your visit to the Forum is more enjoyable. The thing I really cannot stand is when I notice that some posters come out of the woodwork to intentionally hurt another Forum member.

Flash's very rude, attacking post? Are you the business owner she was talking about? Good grief, she was talking about someone who is not a member of this forum, someone it is doubtful any member of this forum knows and the comment wasn't even rude. Which religion was she disparaging? I read no specific reference to Catholics, Methodists, Baptists, Jews, Buddhists, Wiccans or Muslims. Or maybe you just assume any generic statement must refer to someone who identifies "Christian." Why is that? Some people have a tendency to want to shove their religion down everyone's throat. I really don't give a rat's ass which fairy tale anyone chooses to believe as long as they don't expect me to subscribe to the same nonsense. The constitution still protects us from state sponsored religion and considering the founders chose to make that the first amendment, it strikes me they considered it pretty @#$%& important.

I never said I wanted heavy moderation. I hate heavy moderation. We've all done a great job up until now of policing ourselves and not discussing the hot button topics of politics and religion. I'd like to see that continue. I prefer not to be exposed to random people's posts on the topics. It makes no sense to toggle someone who has a great deal to offer on the subject of mystery shopping, just because I can't stand the political rants. I might miss very informative shopping posts that way as well. I've been a member of this forum for a year or so and as of yet haven't had to toggle anyone. Of course I do have a very thick skin but I'd really hate to ruin my perfect record.

@LisaSTL wrote:

Flash's very rude, attacking post? Are you the business owner she was talking about? Good grief, she was talking about someone who is not a member of this forum, someone it is doubtful any member of this forum knows and the comment wasn't even rude. Which religion was she disparaging? I read no specific reference to Catholics, Methodists, Baptists, Jews, Buddhists, Wiccans or Muslims.

I thought the "rude" (aka wiseass) post was a play on words from that KimC's post. That post was removed but other posts with Bible thumping quotes and sexist comments stay visible for all to see.

Thanks to LisaSTL's Catholic reference, an ad for Pope Francis is now showing on this forum page. Ironic, huh?

If you don't want bible thumping quotes then at the same time you cannot have posts poking fun at religion. Why do people not see these are the exact same things?

Hover your mouse over my sig line and you will see why. I discovered we can add as much as we want, but only the first couple of lines are always visible.

@LisaSTL wrote:

Flash's very rude, attacking post?

Yes. Her statement was that people who are religious (it doesn't matter which one she was talking about) think that they are perfect. That is not true and I find it insulting.

@LisaSTL wrote:

Or maybe you just assume any generic statement must refer to someone who identifies "Christian." Why is that?

I never said she was referring to Christians. I have no idea what particular religion she was referring to and don't care. I'm an equal opportunity defender. I don't care if I agree or disagree an insult is an insult.

@LisaSTL wrote:

Some people have a tendency to want to shove their religion down everyone's throat. I really don't give a rat's ass which fairy tale anyone chooses to believe as long as they don't expect me to subscribe to the same nonsense. The constitution still protects us from state sponsored religion and considering the founders chose to make that the first amendment, it strikes me they considered it pretty @#$%& important.

And some people have a tendency to want to shove their lack of religion down everyone's throat and refer to them as "fairy tales." It's my opinion we shouldn't make fun of someone's beliefs even if we don't agree with them. I find it interesting that you can make fun of my belief in a religion but I can't make fun of your belief that a fetus isn't a human being without getting chastised for it. Also I'm really not sure what all this bullshit about state sponsored religion and the first amendment has to do with a mystery shopping forum?

@CoffeeQueen wrote:

I never said I wanted heavy moderation. I hate heavy moderation. We've all done a great job up until now of policing ourselves and not discussing the hot button topics of politics and religion. I'd like to see that continue. I prefer not to be exposed to random people's posts on the topics. It makes no sense to toggle someone who has a great deal to offer on the subject of mystery shopping, just because I can't stand the political rants. I might miss very informative shopping posts that way as well. I've been a member of this forum for a year or so and as of yet haven't had to toggle anyone. Of course I do have a very thick skin but I'd really hate to ruin my perfect record.

Exactly. All I'm asking for is "please refrain from religion and politics" added to the posting guidelines.
There are many people here who I enjoy talking with about mystery shopping and other things that get discussed on the forum but I don't necessarily agree with them on politics and religion and honestly don't want to hear their opinion.

@bgriffin wrote:

Yes. Her statement was that people who are religious (it doesn't matter which one she was talking about) think that they are perfect. That is not true and I find it insulting.

If you are going to complain, please do not paraphrase and say that I said something that I did NOT say. Here is the unedited post [www.mysteryshopforum.com]

"There are a few businesses in my area who have tried to impose their religious and political notions on others and I would not shop them any more than I would go there personally. But not to worry, the Almighty has made them so perfect they don't need to do shops."

If you are unable to see that the subject is "a few businesses in my area" and that the comments apply to those then you have more issues going on here than a supposed religious attack.

And I fail to understand how you don't see that that is insulting to their religion.

That we will just have to let lay there and fester with you. I do not go to their businesses because I do not like their attitudes or their impositions of their philosophies and values on others. I have no respect for them. And notice I am still referring to THEM, not to normal people who behave in a normal manner of attempting to get along with people. So if you plan on quoting me, quote me, don't paraphrase to something generalized that was neither written nor intended.

Grumpy Cat, Grumpy cat what are they feeding you?
Grumpy Cat, Grumpy cat it's not your fault...
They won't take you to the vet.
You're obviously not their favorite pet.
You may not be a bed of roses,
And you're not friends to those with noses. I promise you
when we're done all the world will smell as one
Grumpy cat, Grumpy cat what are they feeding you?
Grumpy cat, Grumpy cat it's not your fault!

This whole discussion has gotten beyond ridiculous. Who has time for this tiresome crap? Not me.

Thank you for the link, Flash. I had no idea where it all started. But still, it infuriates me when someone would not let anything die and would resort to starting a new thread or PMing a poster or whatever just to continue with the supposed 'discussion' and leave many posters thinking, "What's going on? Where did that come from?" Don't you wish we could just have a thoughtful discussion and not a heated argument? Let's go shopping!

@Flash wrote:

@bgriffin wrote:

Yes. Her statement was that people who are religious (it doesn't matter which one she was talking about) think that they are perfect. That is not true and I find it insulting.

If you are going to complain, please do not paraphrase and say that I said something that I did NOT say. Here is the unedited post [www.mysteryshopforum.com]

"There are a few businesses in my area who have tried to impose their religious and political notions on others and I would not shop them any more than I would go there personally. But not to worry, the Almighty has made them so perfect they don't need to do shops."

Fine. I'll drop it as long as everyone agrees the next time someone makes a statement that is Republican in nature no one chastises them for bringing up politics and the next time someone quotes scripture no one can chastise them for bringing up religion. I think that's a perfectly fair agreement.

Is Pizza Rat a Republican?

Hell no! Nothing wrong was done here so why should anyone agree to any kind of restrictive conditions? You are just loaded with ________.

To me, this thread highlights the lack of written posting guidelines for the site. And I wonder if the site is getting big enough to necessate that. Not only to clarify the religion/politics issue among other things, but I've been seeing a lot of disparaging remarks directed towards the moderator(s) lately. Without written guidelines moderation is always going to seem ambiguous to posters whether the moderator(s) have their own private set of guidelines they are following or if they are truly just flying by the seat of their pants.

@Flash wrote:

Hell no! Nothing wrong was done here so why should anyone agree to any kind of restrictive conditions? You are just loaded with ________.

So you're saying that liberal politics are ok to talk about but conservative politics and religion are not? I'm full of @#$%& and you're a hypocritical ______.

The original question asked was: "So, are there any other liberals here who occasionally become frustrated with the fact that most mystery shops are for really conservative companies? Do you have any recommendations for finding clients with more liberal leanings?"

That question was marginally political but it was neither condemning nor exalting one position or another but looking for some idea about finding companies that were more in line with the poster's personal philosophy. It was not telling you or anyone else what was right or wrong, better or worse. A number of us then responded with whether our personal views were influential on where we did shops or shopped. Again, nobody attempting to tell you or anyone else where appropriate places were to do business. You could switch the words conservative and liberal in the question and it would be no more political than it was to start with.

Personal views included being perfectly willing to stick it to the company they don't agree with by doing the shops and staying away entirely. Nothing political there either.

Why are you feeling so outraged that you must see political dispute or religious slight where there is none?

@Flash wrote:

That question was marginally political

So you agree with me. It was political. It's like being pregnant. You can't be sorta. You either are or aren't.

I don't believe the discussion of politics and religion has ever been banned on the forum. It seems to me it was some sort of universal agreement that took place before I got here and I thought it was a good idea. What actions the moderators take does seem at times to be a real mystery and those actions are certainly loaded with bias in some cases. Yes, I believe there are favored posters who can stray around the edges and I am certain there are targeted posters who are moderated more closely than others. I also believe the forum policy is biased against MSCs and that they can be attacked and maligned when the same action toward a shopper is immediately deleted. I do appreciate the many forum members who defend the reputable MSCs when derogatory and unsubstantiated threads are posted.

This forum with all its issues is the best thing we have in the shopping community. I know of no other place that so many of us come together to share our experiences and encourage one another. I do not find it beyond comprehension that we share so much of the nuts and bolts of what we do and I am happy to see that we are willing to help one another. It is the nature of the human experience to band together rather than to stand alone.

Those who think we tell the newcomers too much are entitled to their opinion. Since they do not wish to share, I can only assume they have never mined the forum for ideas and methods that make them a better shopper. I am certain that they stand entirely alone and no one ever helped them with any aspect of the business. I can think of no other circumstances that would make them so unwilling to share with others.

Yes, I know this thread is about politics and religion. I know I am off topic. I am usually off topic since the topic has usually already been sufficiently addressed. On the topic of politics and religion on the forum, we have at this point agreed that we do not agree. As far as I can tell we have settled that issue and decided that we will go forward in disagreement. Very good. We can now perhaps put that behind us.

Here's what gets me about that thread. We have always been non-political here. So let's say that thread wasn't so bad. When I brought up that we normally tried to stay away from politics here I was told that was a rule it needed to be in the official guidelines. Fine. But now next week another relatively new poster shows up and posts a thread that is slightly more political than this one. Let's say it's even...OMG...conservative. Well now people who participated in the first thread are going to politely say we try to stay out of politics on this forum. Now that poster gets to point to this thread and not only say it was ok there, but point specifically to the post where it was stated that if this forum were politics free it should be in the guidelines.

If the OP had indicated that many of the restaurants we were to shop did not have organic, natural foods and wanted to know how other shoppers handled their dietary needs with shops, that too could be viewed as political or religious if those are the ghosts you want to hunt. Please note that none of the folks who actually PARTICIPATED relative to the OP's questions felt that their opinions were being demeaned. There was a lot of garbage that went into that thread that was unrelated to the original question at all. And it looks as though you now wish to take that 'I'm insulted' garbage to other threads as well. Shows a whole lot I suspect . . .