READ THIS! - Forum Discussion Rules

The CARM discussion boards are private boards and the following rules apply to them.

By registering, you imply that you have read and agree with these rules. The rules are listed in Section II.

We wouldn't need the rules if everyone lived by these words of Jesus, "And just as you want people to treat you, treat them in the same way" (Luke 6:31).
So why do we have these rules? "...law is not made for a righteous man, but for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane..." (1 Tim. 1:9).

QUICK REFERENCE - READ THESE 18 RULES (see the detailed explanation of rules following the quick reference.) Please see section III Rule 7 Concerning Grievances.

Administration will answer questions related to management, moderation of forums only in email elfcarm@yahoo.com. Please do not post questions concerning infractions/alerts to admins/mods or complain on forums as such post will be deleted. CARM moderates by alerts, if you need a moderator please use the red and white triangle to report a violation and you must add the rule violation number or alerts will be ignored by staff.

Accounts: One signup account per person. Family members/students/friends using same IP must contact Diane S before using two accounts. email at elfcarm@yahoo.com.
Banned: If you're banned/suspended - Stay away. Do not resign up under a different name until your banning period is finished or both accounts will be removed. See Section II rule 3.
Linking: Can only make two links to other websites per discussion thread, no blogs, no discussion forums, (no anti Christians, no attacks on board posters, no promoting of sin or attacks on Christianity and Bible) may link only to official religion websites. Links to LDS, RCC, JW are permitted if they are links to their official teaching websites only.
1. Linking is permitted only for quotes in your discussions as a reference, name author or website rather then links. Users that answer threads only with links or abusing links to more then two in a thread discussion will be considered as spamming. Moderators will delete links and offer infractions to those abusing link rules.
2. Posts titles are not to be links.
3. Post titles are not to be links that are an advertisement or promotion of website unrelated to topic. The forums are for discussion, not as a referral service to papers from other websites.
4. Youtube links, two per thread, now permitted if topic appropriate and must be used to generate discussions of the video. Spamming forums with youtubes videos will not be permitted, answering youtube topic of thread to more youtubes as answers, also not permitted.
Threads: You can only start up to two new threads per board, per day. This does not apply to CARM Moderators, Super Members, or Administrators. Violation of this rule can get your posts deleted and your account suspended for a time. Super members may post three per forum per day.
Spamming: Spamming advertisements or same post on several boards will result in immediate banning with all posts removed.
1. No spamming of peoples' emails or instant messages/visitor messages. If you are suspended, you may not use the IM system but to contact moderators/admins till suspension ended.
Super Members: Only Super Members/Administration can start polls, post images, start blogs/social groups and advertise their website in signature (no discussion boards/blogs).
1. Super Members may not post images or advertise for other members.
2. Super Members may only post two links.
3. Super Members may post two images per thread.
Cut and Paste: No large cut and paste. What is large? Not very much. Forums are for discussion. CARM may give permission to certain users to cut and paste articles for education purposes.
Alert System: Please use the alert system to report any rule violations or personal attacks, which is a small, red triangle located on left of posts.
1. You must include the number to the actual rule violation or mods will not address the alert.
2. Moderators/admins answer alerts as promptly as possible. Please allow 24 hours.
3. Those found to be abusing the alert system (not citing rule violation, being overly sensitive) will receive infractions.
4. Contact Diane S. at elfcarm@yahoo.com with problems if need be.
Vulgarity: Do not use vulgarity, which includes abbreviations of vulgar terms, offensive nicknames, attack or insult a poster, or discuss a poster negatively on the forums or in the chatroom.
Evangelism: Users that attempt to interfere with Christian evangelism will be suspended or directed to appropriate board. Please stick to the topic of the forum. Posters seeking to debate Evangelical Christians should take their discussions or questions to the appropriate forum.
Do not be divisive or inflammatory.
Do not use an avatar deceptively. For example, if you're an atheist, you cannot use an avatar that says Christian, or Charismatic, or Evangelical since it would not be truthful. Use avatars that are the closest to your position.
No arguing or questioning the Moderators actions on the forums/IM/visitor message/ email concerning their infractions/warnings, will result in immediate suspension. Please email elfcarm@yahoo.com with questions. Any use of foul language in IM or forums will result in immediate suspension.
Do not use the Instant/visitor Messaging system to advertise your website or other websites -- unless permission to do so is received from an administrator. Visitor messages may be viewed by all users till made private for friends selected by user in UserCP. Appeals to the consistency or inconsistency of such permissions will be ignored. If you want to communicate with someone regarding other websites, use your personal email. Administrators have the potential of viewing a sample of instant messages between registrants.
This is an English only forum a courtesy to moderators.
1. Small statements in other languages are permitted.
Suspensions: Suspensions will occur upon receiving 20 infraction points in 30 days, each infraction worth 10 points. Moderators may give a general warning that does not result in points for a minor offense. You will receive one official warning of 0 points, after two infractions and total of 20 points will result in suspension for 3-7 days depending on severity of infractions, additional infractions will result in 7-30 day suspensions.
New Members: New members signing on to the forums may have all posts moderated till approved by the administration for membership.
Please be advised that your posts/threads may be used on the "Best of CARM" website; posting on the forums is considered permission to use your posts in other areas of CARM. If you don't like the rules, don't post here. You are responsible for abiding by these rules.

More details below in Section II if interested concerning the Moderator enforcement of forum rules.

Section I: Opening Information

About these boards and rules:
1. It is not our intention to bury anyone in rules -- but it sure appears that way, doesn't it? We are trying to maintain good discussion that is moral, clean, and effective. This is why the rules are necessary, not so much for those who are polite and responsible, but for those who are not.
2. The message boards are a method of communication between individuals, representing their own personal views that will be moderated utilizing CARM's rules which are made by the CARM staff with God's principles in mind and guided by the teachings of Jesus Christ. CARM is not a church, we are the Christian Apologetics Research Ministry and CARM does not identify itself as a Church or denomination.
3. The rules are considered your first 'warning.'
Freedom of Speech: Your freedom of speech here comes with responsibility, the responsibility to speak decently within the parameters of the rules. By signing up, you agree to the rules, so read them. If you do not like this, then do not sign up.
1. In other words, by registering you are agreeing not to be vulgar, divisive, insulting, profane, etc. (read all the rules). It helps to try and treat others as you want to be treated. And just as you want people to treat you, treat them in the same way," (Luke 6:31).
2. You have NO unspoken right to speak in a perverted, offensive, profane, foul, or blasphemous manner. This is a Christian website and you may not post words in mockery of Christian beliefs, or terms offensive in descriptions of our Lord God. You may certainly challenge Christian teaching, but do so respectfully.
3. There are many diverse opinions expressed on the CARM boards. But, CARM is not responsible for the opinions posted by anyone on the CARM discussion boards.
"PG" rated discussion
1. These are "PG" rated boards. That which deviates from the "PG" rating will be removed. Posters who break this rating may lose posting privileges. What is "PG" rated? The moderators will decide. We are "G" rated in language, but please be aware that it may require parental guidance to some of the topics and discussions on our various boards.

Section II: The Rules

Moderators/Managers/admin may ban someone if they even suspect that the person is trying to cause trouble in any way. No explanations are needed. If you don't like it, then don't sign up.
1. We want enjoyable boards where people can talk freely governed by responsibility and decency. We don't want boards where a few people try and get as close as they can to breaking the rules without doing so. Those attempting to attack CARM user names on other discussion forums as a way to undermine CARM rules will be suspended from the CARM forums. If this is even suspected, their accounts are subject to permanent banning without warning or explanation. Any legal threats to CARM or the CARM users will result in immediate banning of all parties involved.
Images:
1. Only posted by Super Members, two per thread. Inappropriate images and/or avatars will result in being banned. (Super Members should not spam a single thread with many images.) Moderators will delete any abuses.
2. Album pages must contain only "G" rated images.
3. Trying to push the envelope in this issue will result in being banned.
4. What is inappropriate is up to the moderators' discretion. Again, if you don't like it, don't sign up.
Usernames: You may pick any username you desire, but...
1. You may not register a nickname which is a mockery of God/Christ, or if it uses the Lord's name in vain, or if it is deemed offensive by the moderators. You may not use name as mod, moderator, admin.
2. You may register only under one username, not multiple ones. Moderators are excluded from this rule for moderator accounts. Moderators can determine who is who by looking at IP addresses that only they can see. If moderators find the exact same IP address on different accounts, each account will be deactivated - whether or not someone else used your computer is still considered your responsibility. Families/friends/students using the forums should inform Diane S in email of different user names prior to posting or accounts will be deleted as rule violations.
Vocabulary: No vulgarities, obscenities, profanity, or swearing.
1. The filter will block certain words. If a word is blocked in your posting, please edit to include a more appropriate word. Posting spaces, characters that leave the impression or meaning of profanity are still considered a rule violation.
Personal Attacks:

No name-calling, insults, or mockery of a board guest. No negative comments of any sort concerning a board guest, and most important no disrespectful comments of or about our Lord. You will not post any message that harass, insult, belittle, threatens, or flames another guest. Do not discuss a forum guest on the discussion boards and do not attempt to correct behaviors of forum guests, stick to the topic of discussion. Send alerts to moderators if noted rule violations. You may discuss or disagree with another member's belief system per the topic of the forum but there will be no personal attacks on the member himself or herself.

Divisiveness:

Don't waste the time of the board participants by intentionally being divisive. A moderator will determine what is or is not considered divisive. There are some who come to the boards only to cause dissension and confusion. Should the moderators determine that someone is doing this, "trolling," he/she will be suspended/ banned immediately without warning, and may or may not be permitted to return to the boards.

Links:

Do not post links to offensive material - porno, or websites, blogs, discussion forums that are discussing the CARM board participants by user name in a negative manner, etc. Do not post links to graphic pictures. You may post a link only if it is pertaining to the topic as a reference to quotes in the topic discussed, but not for advertisement or promotional purposes. Please see rule 3 above concerning linking.

Advertising:

You will not post any messages anywhere on the discussion boards or CARM pm system that are primarily for the promotion or advertising of any website, other discussion boards, blogs, email address, business, MLM (Multi Level Marketing or pyramid schemes), activity, church, ministry, prophetic services or any other entities or services that you have an affiliation with (i.e. no self-promotion) unless given special permission from the administration or joining as a Super Member to posting a single link in signature. A poster may note a required number of posts on CARM before they are permitted to link at all to any other website and as pertaining to discussion quotes only to official religious teachings. There may only be two urls permitted per thread and again, only if pertaining to the discussion topic as a reference. Moderators will remove links appearing for promotion or advertisement. Links that are not PG in rating as references in discussion will be removed, and may result in warning or suspension.

Signatures:

Posters may advertise their website only in their board member profile, not in their signature. Your signature on the boards may not exceed 50 words and 6 lines and may not be used for advertisement of websites or for posting links to other websites and discussion forums. Only CARM Super Members, moderators, administrators may advertise or link websites in their signature as a privilege to their services or support to CARM discussion forums.

Spamming:

Spamming in any form using the CARM instant message programs is also prohibited, including promotion, invitations to websites, advertisements of any sort. The Administration has the ability to view sampling of IM messages for security purposes. Any poster attempting to spam the CARM posters pm's or emails will be immediately suspended from the CARM forums when reports received.
1. The boards are for discussion, not for promotion. In other words, you may post an opinion and even promote an idea that is contrary to scripture, but continued ignoring of responses (avoiding discussion of a position you promote) will result in the post being deleted and/or posting privileges being revoked. Remember, these are "discussion" boards, not "promotion" boards.

Topics:

Don't post the same topic on the same board over and over and do not post a topic on more than one board, unless given permission by an administrator. Please post only two topics per board per day to be courteous to other board posters and their topics.

Stick to the subject of the respective board.

Minor tangents are okay. If a moderator determines a topic better suited to another forum, he or she will move the topic to the appropriate board.

Cut and Paste: Do not cut & paste large amounts of material.
1. What is 'large'? Not very much. Have a dialogue with people, not cut and paste dialogues.
2. Formal debates may produce large posts.
Do not plagiarize:

Do not quote material and claim it is yours if it is not.

Do not impersonate:

Do not impersonate anyone -- or try to.

Proxy Posting:

Do not post material on behalf of someone who has been banned/suspended. If you know of someone who has been suspended/banned and know that the person is posting under a different name, and if this is found out, you may be subject to also being banned if you don't let a moderator know.

Privacy:

Instant Messages, including posts on our private boards, and e-mails which are exchanged privately among users, are not to be posted on the forums without consent of the other party.
Please be advised that CARM administration has the ability to review a small sample of IM's for security purposes. Visitor messages are public as default.
If taking leave of the boards, please use IM or email to announce departure to friends. It is permissible to post a brief farewell on the ANN board but we will delete all posts or IM messages that are concerned with slamming CARM boards or our posters while leaving. Those suspended and/or banned will not be permitted to post such farewell messages on our boards.

Section III: Guidelines And Discussion Board Policies

Administrators can apply the rules as they see fit and may "bend" them in order to accomplish CARM's general goals. The administration may be dealing with attacks from certain groups/parties seeking to disrupt the ministry forums where users are not aware of all involved behind the scenes, meaning the admins are handling the disruptions in such a manner as the admin determines necessary to correct/defuse the situation.
Alerts: Due to the large number of forums, moderating the CARM boards are by the alert processes (use red and white triangle under user name) or if a moderator should happen to see the violation.
1. Our moderators do not read every post on all the boards; there are far too many to do so. Should you observe a rule violation, send an alert and you must list the actual rule numbers violated. Do not make any attempt to correct the poster's behaviors on the forums. Instead, send an alert, and please give the moderators at least 24 hours to respond to the alert. If the post is not edited or deleted after 24 hours, the moderator has determined it is not a violation. Please check post edit to bottom of post to determine if post has been addressed by the moderator. The decision of the moderator is final. Questions should be sent to elfcarm@yahoo.com
Under 12:

You will not post or use any part of the discussion boards if you are 12 years old or younger in compliance with US law (known as COPPA law) until we have received written approval from your parents.

All Caps:

Please do not post your whole message (or the majority of it) in all caps. This is equivalent to yelling.
1. Note: When you post a message and there is nothing in the message box, but only the comment as the title of the post, why don't you put "nt" (no text) at the end of your "title post" so that people know there is nothing further in your response and don't waste time clicking on your comment and trying to load 'nothing' in the threaded mode of viewing?

Moderators/Managers/Admin and Volunteers:
1. Moderators/Managers and Volunteers are here on a purely voluntary basis and receive no compensation for their contributions on moderating. The only function of the moderators is to enforce the rules of the boards to ensure that violations are dealt with quickly and efficiently.
2. Moderators may also deliver new messages regarding rules or functionality changes on the board.
3. Please recognize that moderators/manager/admin or volunteers do not speak officially on behalf of CARM when they express any religious, political or social view. The views stated by any moderator/manager/admin on any subject other than the logistics or rules of the boards are purely their opinions and do not represent CARM. When CARM states its official organizational position on any issue, it will be posted on the website, rather than through the use of the message boards.
4. Moderators/managers/admin reserve the right to address or correct any poster on our boards that has violated the rules in such a manner as the moderator determines necessary to defuse the situation and/or in explanation of the rules violated.
5. Moderators reserve the right to delete ALL the posts of a person if that person's post(s) break any of the above rules.
6. Participants are not allowed to question, badger our moderators/managers/admin on the forums or in IM concerning moderator application of warnings or infractions. Any foul language used either in IM or on the forums will result in immediate suspension.
Revoking privileges:

Moderators/managers/admin reserve the right to immediately revoke your privileges to post on the boards, without further warning or discussion, if they determine that you are being unduly divisive or disruptive. The boards are for intelligent and courteous discussion. If you become condescending and insulting, the moderators may pull your account.
1. Do not challenge the moderators' application of the rules by posting complaints, comments or questions on the boards as to their enforcement of the rules; offenders may be suspended or banned immediately.

Suspensions and Banning:

If you are suspended/banned, stay away and do not reregister under another name or email address in order to continue posting. Doing so will result in immediate banning. Likewise you will not use the username and password of anyone else. Should someone else be using your computer or IP address to sign on for another account, you are still considered responsible for what is posted by that person.
1. 3 day suspension: Moderators reserve the right to hand out an immediate 3 day suspension if a poster is spamming, being divisive, disruptive to the boards, or arguing and commenting on a moderator's attempt to enforce the rules. The CARM moderators do document and discuss each and every rule violation with other moderators and are supervised in their enforcement of the rules on the CARM forums.
2. Moderators will hand out infractions for rule violations, the first warning is O points, the first infraction is considered a second warning of 10 points. The second infractionwill result in suspension if occurring within 30 days and total infraction points of 20. Poster arguing with moderator on forums concerning rules receive 20 points and immediate suspension.
3. 1 week suspension: If there are 2 additional infractions/warning of 40 points over a span of 30 days, a 1-week suspension is mandated. After 1 week, the account will be reactivated.
4. Numerous suspensions or serious offenses to disruption of the discussion forums will result in longer suspensions or permanent banning.

Grievances: Should you have a grievance with the CARM administration or moderation, do not post the grievance or complaints on the forums or receive a Grievance violation and immediate suspension. Questions on how we approach the daily problems faced on our forums, our purpose, values, supervision, decisions, and management of the website, should be directed to CARM via email at elfcarm@yahoo.com. Sending to carmstuff email with forum questions also considered a violation. If you have questions concerning the CARM positions, policies of the Home Page website and written articles direct questions to carmstuff@yahoo.com.
1. Do not argue with the moderators/managers/admin in their enforcement of rules on the forums.
2. Should you have a complaint or question concerning any of the moderators or managers, then please email Diane S at elfcarm@yahoo.com.
3. Note: Many offering a complaint concerning moderation of the forums have not read the rules, or do not realize that the moderators are trained to enforce the rules and that our moderators do document and discuss rule violations with the administration, managers and other moderators for their review on a private forum. Please first read all the rules again. Should you still have a question regarding the rules you may not question the moderators, contact Diane S in IM or at elfcarm@yahoo.com. The CARM administrator in discussion with the managers and moderator involved will consider the appeal.

Section IV: Miscellaneous Information

Archiving:

Should your post be deleted or edited, you are still responsible for archiving your own posts. Please be aware that we do prune off old threads every frew months. If your posts are lost during a deletion session due to standard deletion, by date, board failure, rule-breaking or necessary maintenance upgrades and/or fixes, CARM is not responsible for preserving your posts. It is your responsibility to archive and repost if and when necessary.

Board Shut Downs:

Should the administration continue with difficulties on a specific board and/or if moderators are not immediately available to deal with numerous violations, then the board may be shut down for several days as a method to calm the situation.

Censorship:

Please feel free to agree or disagree without fear of censorship or ridicule. CARM does not stand for censorship but will enforce requirements of decency per the board rules. You are, of course, free to discourse within the limits of the rules.
1. If you would like to read some of the posts regarding a past censorship issue, please go here.

Banned Topics:

Believe it or not, there are banned topics on the boards: Universalism (the reason is explained here), and Satanism.

CARM's Name:

Because CARM is so large and because there are thousands of people who post on the discussion boards, different people have asked about using the CARM name in room titles of various discussion forums, award sites, picture sites, etc., that are not authored by CARM. Since there are so many different people with differing ideas, using the CARM name therefore takes on a potential representative aspect. Therefore, please use these guidelines for usage of the CARM name.
1. State clearly that the room/website, etc., does not officially represent CARM and that the opinions expressed are those of the authors of the room/website, and not of CARM.
2. When having dialogues, simply be polite and respectful.
3. Let us know that you are referencing the CARM name, where, when, etc., so we may check it out.
4. Please be aware of at least one blogger using mock carm email names and the parties involved are not representing CARM ministry.

Rule Changes:

Matt Slick, Diane S, Eric Landstrom, and administrators reserve the right to alter the board rules at any time necessary to administrating the forums and maintaining peace on the discussion boards. Admins and management do have responsibility to dealing with management issues and may have reason to use different rules then the forum guests.

Finally:

These are the rules for using the CARM discussion boards and chatroom where rules apply. By registering, you are demonstrating that you have read and agree with these rules. By far, most people will have no trouble with them. But, if you do not like them, you are free to find another discussion forum elsewhere on the Internet.

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