[The Brigadier]

I wish to formerly complain about the anti-Catholic bias in the Christianity forum.

I have no problem with criticism where due but unfortunately religious hatred is not on. It seems to be perfectly acceptable to insult ALL Catholics based on the actions of a minority.

Recently the following was posted on a thread concerning clerical abuse.

Originally Posted by kbannon

Its followers are inferior scum. Sure some of them are even women. Why would these filthy creatures be entitled to vote?

I reported this post. I also quoted it replying in the thread in question that it really wasn't on.

The post and my reply were deleted by a moderator. (plowman)

I sent a PM to kbannon telling him that he was a nasty evil bigot.

I stand by that comment and will accept any punishment that is delivered fairly.

On the thread in question kbannon decided to take things public. He denied ever saying anything about Catholics being scum and said he was going to report me to an admin for threatening him.

I insisted that he had said it and called him a coward for not having the courage to stand by what he said. His post I quoted above was made on the 4th of May.

Plowman I understand posted it last night to clarify things. Up until that point kbannon had been denying all knowledge of the post in question.

Plowman I understand has said he deleted the post as he felt it was inflammatory trolling.

I have an issue on two counts :

1) That a CMod on Boards has engaged in trolling on a thread in the Christianity forum.
2) That the moderators of the forum in question have allowed this to pass without infraction.

Bans seem to be handed out for much less to people who support the Catholic Church.

I am not attempting to have my own ban rescinded - what I wish to see is some fairness on the forum in question. In my opinion the moderators are failing in their remit. They are allowing some pretty hate filled posts against the Catholic Church. I do not believe them to be impartial.

I also strongly believe that kbannon is not a fit and proper person to be either a CMod or a regular Mod.

I believe that the rules of the forum have not been adhered to. I believe that unless they are applied evenly to all parties then my own ban is unjust and should be rescinded.

[The Brigadier]

Well, I think the silence on this matter is deafening.

I certainly won't be posting in the Christianity forum again.

[Spear]

Do the Christianity mods actually know of this thread?

[PDN]

This moderator is aware of it.

I was the one who banned the Brigadier for repeatedly abusing another poster, and I've told him that I consider that ban to be merited, but that he can appeal it in DRP if he wishes.

Plowman judged kbannon's post to be sarcasm, but nevertheless trollish enough to be deleted. I don't think anyone (other than someone who is deliberately trying to get offended) would seriously interpret it as saying that all Catholics are scum or that all women are filthy creatures. I might have been harsher in my moderation - but that's because I'm a nastier moderator than Plowman.

The Clerical Child Abuse thread is, by its very nature, contentious at times. There is very real anger on the issue and sometimes feelings run high. The mods sometimes walk a fine line in allowing reasonably open debate, yet clamping down on unreasonable sectarianism and bigotry.

As it is my Inbox is full of PMs from posters who are outraged that I infracted them or deleted their posts when they wanted to go on an anti-Catholic rant. They tell me I'm a brainwashed Catholic who is part of a Vatican conspiracy to silence free speech on the subject.

The Christianity Forum tries to be open and welcoming to posters from all denominations - and indeed to non-Christians who can debate Christian issues in a reasonable and polite manner. I appreciate this can be unsettling for those who would prefer it to take a more narrow or sectarian approach.

[The Brigadier]

Originally Posted by Spear

Do the Christianity mods actually know of this thread?

To be honest with you I don't really care at this stage. I have lost any faith in them and I won't be posting in the Christianity forum as it currently stands.

I raised my grievance with one of the mods. He accused me of sectarianism which I found highly insulting. I have added this moderator to my ignore list and I have no interest in engaging with him.

[Dades]

CLEARLY the offending post was using sarcasm to suggest that the catholic church has contempt for it's followers.

So I fail to see how deleting it displays an anti-catholic bias.

Originally Posted by PDN

Plowman judged kbannon's post to be sarcasm, but nevertheless trollish enough to be deleted.

TBH, that seemed like an entirely appropriate course of action. It was clearly a jibe at the organisation and it's hierarchy rather than at catholics in general.

And when a post has been deleted, the normal course of action is also to remove posts quoting it.

[The Brigadier]

Originally Posted by Dades

CLEARLY the offending post was using sarcasm to suggest that the catholic church has contempt for it's followers.

So I fail to see how deleting it displays an anti-catholic bias.

TBH, that seemed like an entirely appropriate course of action. It was clearly a jibe at the organisation and it's hierarchy rather than at catholics in general.

And when a post has been deleted, the normal course of action is also to remove posts quoting it.

The bias is that the moderators of the forum hand out bans and infractions for far less. There have been multiple occasions that I have witnessed where Catholics have been punished.

The post was trolling - I fail to see how it is acceptable for a CMod to come out with something like this on a contentious thread. I firmly believe that if I had come out with similar I would have been banned. The thread in question is rife with anti-Catholic bigotry which is allowed to run unchecked.

Do you believe it is acceptable for a CMod to troll a thread, especially where by doing so he causes offence to others?

I also think that PDN is out of order in accusing me of sectarianism by protesting about this bias. I think he has shown himself on numerous occasions to be unfit to moderate. I find him offensive. I also believe that he is not fit for purpose.