THESE RULES ARE NOT FINAL AND MAY BE EDITED AT ANY TIME.

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[color=darkgreen][size=18][b]1. Introduction.[/b][/size][/color]
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[i]Give us your nutters, your cranks, your theists yearning to be free, and we'll do our best to oblige them in the spirit of freethought.[/i]

The Rational Response Squad/No God Network will not allow a total zoo where troublemakers run roughshod over our explorers, nor do we want a stifling jailhouse where no real exploration gets done at all.

These House Rules outline a miniscule set of conventions of good conduct that [u]aim at fostering a friendly, open and stimulating atmosphere[/u] crucial for the kind of forum we would like to preserve along with a consistent framework for dealing with various destructive shenanigans.

As the owners of this site, we reserve the right to remove anyone from our site at any time for any reason. We cannot be asked or even expected to provide financial and commercial support for anyone whose main goal is detrimental to the site itself. We cannot be expected to pay to host posts making deceptive or dishonest claims about the site, written with the intent to undermine the credibilty or viability of the site. We are open to criticism of the site in the goal of improving it, we are not open to any attacks on the site, with the goal of obliterating it, especially from people who aren't willing to accept that they may be wrong.

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[color=darkgreen][size=18][b]2. Rules & Conventions.[/b][/size][/color]
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The moderators are the sole arbitrators of the House Rules and pass judgment on a case-by-case basis. Community members can contact a mod if they think the rules should be enhanced or altered in some way.

Offenders will be dealt with in accordance to section 3 below at mod discretion.

Members are expected to help out the moderators by reporting disruptive violations of the House Rules within a reasonable time period after the alleged violation occurs.

[u]These House Rules are not meant to be a legal code that doles out justice, but instead is a basic guide to good conduct.[/u] Because of this, moderators are under no obligation to take on a case if it seems counter-productive to do so; e.g. taking retro-active measures that do not effect the present atmosphere of the board. Moderators would like to never have to ban anyone from this board, but must put these rules in place due to the size of the community and the vast amount of varying personality types that will frequent it.

Moderators are subject to the House Rules on par with all other members. If a moderator is directly involved in a dispute that person is considered a regular member for the purpose of adjudicating the case in question.

Should any issue be had with a moderator action, please PM one other moderator concerning the issue. Moderators are in regular contact via a special private forum, and must justify their actions to other moderators there. After the issue is discussed between moderators, a representative not directly involved in the questionable action will contact you concerning their decision. Do not post your gripes about moderation of the forum on the forum itself, such action is considered to be akin to attacking the sites tactics, and shows a lack of genuine interest in mere discussion. Don't hold a grudge, contact another mod!

[size=14][b]2.1. Antagonism.[/b][/size]
Antagonism is giving one or more members a hard time. Cases typically comprise a series of provocations, each not necessarily sanctionable in its own right. Incidents can include, but are by no means limited to the following:
[list][*]Slander/Libel
[*]Clear intent to not argue a position, but to merely attack a person
[*]Trolling
[*]Abuse
[*]Bullying
[/list]

The notoriously fickle and blurry nature of such exchanges makes it near-impossible to draw up a hardcoded definition of what exactly constitutes Antagonism. Moderators are more often than not simply forced to draw upon their vast and collective experience to adjudicate when enough is enough and take whatever steps they deem necessary in order to keep the peace, good will and reputation of the board.

[size=14][b]2.2. Sock Puppetry and Screen Names.[/b][/size]
Sock puppetry is the registration of multiple accounts or the purposeful act of creating login-names that mimic other people's monikers. Sock puppet accounts will be deleted. Screennames that are misleading may be asked to change their name, such as theists using names like "An Atheist" or "Rational Thinker" or a male using the name "younggirl20."

[size=14][b]2.3. Threats.[/b][/size]
Threats are totally unacceptable and offenders may be exiled without warning at the moderators' discretion.

[size=14][b]2.4. Spam.[/b][/size]
The posting of spam to promote products, sites, or services not affiliated with RationalResponders.com, FreethinkingingTeens.com, Atheistnetwork.com, InfidelGuy.com, FreethoughtMedia.com, or any other site in the NoGodNetwork.com roof is strictly prohibited. Interested parties are welcome to take out ad-space at our affordable rates instead. Contact Offenders will be exiled and content deleted on sight.

Cross-postings, hit-and-run proselytism, and other posts that create unreasonable janitor-chores for the moderators may be removed without notice and sanctioned either by exile or temporary ban depending on the nature of the spam at the call of the moderator.

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[color=darkgreen][size=18][b]3. How rules are applied.[/b][/size][/color]
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[size=14][b]3.1 Post deletion and edit[/b][/size]
Offending posts may be deleted without notice to original poster. If a moderator must edit a post to remove offending remarks, a note will be made by mod. Posts may also be moved to a more appropriate forum without notice.

[size=14][b]3.2 Warnings[/b][/size]
We want to give you as much room as possible to prove you can handle yourself here. Warnings for gross misconduct will be issued as often as deemed necessary by mod team.

[size=14][b]3.3 Good Deed Clause[/b][/size]
Redemption is sometimes possible through a [b]Good Deeds[/b] clause. This would normally involve a victim accepting a sincere apology from the offender. If the victim and offender have made amends, moderators will look at the situation and act accordingly.

[size=14][b]3.4 Ban[/b][/size]
When necessary we reserve the right to remove someones posting priviliges for either a short period of time, or forever. Keep in mind an inactive account can always be reinstated should the mods choose to allow it, so if you get banned, DO NOT burn your bridge back to the community. Contact one of us in private to voice any complaints/apologies

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[color=darkgreen][size=18][b]4. Common Courtesy.[/b][/size][/color]
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[list][*]Quickly check if your topic is being discussed in another thread before starting a new one.
[*]New threads should be posted in appropriate forums.
[*]Please do not derail threads more than strictly necessary and get back on topic ASAP unless it has pretty much been "running its course" at that point anyway.
[*]Many people frown on thread-jamming (i.e. interrupting the flow of a thread with brief posts without really participating in the discussion). If this becomes an issue, please use the private messages for such exchanges, as this board is open to all our members.
[*]Notifications of news, events, gatherings and the like of pertinence to the world of freethought are considered community services rather than spam and belong to the News & Current Events forums or one of the activism forums.
[*]Known members may use their signature space to promote personal projects of interest to other members at the moderators' discretion.[/list]