I believe almost any subject can be discussed intelligently and since this forum is the place for intelligent discussion it's only natural that someone is going to eventually want to talk about areas that are controversial and may have no demonstrably right answers, particularly in regards to politics and religion.
Rather than saying "None of it at all" I'm going to extend the benefit of the doubt that people who wish to seriously discuss these topics can do so in accordance with a basic set of rules outlined below. Anyone who comes into one of these threads with apparent intent to troll will lose access to this sub-forum so think wisely before you decide to be "funny".
On top of all the normal rules -
- Flaming here applies to religions & political parties - Regardless of how much you disagree or dislike them, you don't need to name call or insult them. Explain what specifically you don't agree with or leave it alone.
- Don't Worry About Who's Right - Facts are true or false, opinions are not. You may try to correct facts with other facts but if someone has a different opinion than you they're not wrong for it and your job isn't to try to convince everyone else that your opinion is the right one. State your opinion and supportive reasoning and let the rest of us figure out for ourselves what we think/feel.
- Don't Assume - If someone is representing an opinion you disagree with, ask them about it. Find out why they believe it. Discuss it and learn from it. It might not change your own opinion but at least you'll actually know what you're disagreeing with rather than making a snap judgment.
Bottom line - Discuss based on facts, treat each other civilly and let's see how this goes.
This list may be updated at any time as needed. I reserve the right to go back to the old system if you simply prove too immature to handle this level of trust.
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