Megathread issue in Christianity forum

JimiTime

Hi Guys,
For some time now, a method of moderation on the Christianity has vexed me. Before I begin though, I wish to stipulate that I've no issue with the mods, and I have talked to them about this issue. Most recently a couple of days ago. I told them that I would be starting this thread, and told them in advance of what I'd be saying. So rather than this being a 'moderator issue', its more a 'moderation' issue

Anyway....

Some time ago, a mod decided to create these things called 'Megathreads'. To cut a long story short, they are there to dump any mention of certain topics into one catch all thread. The problem is though, that they are too broad, non specific, and become unmanageable messes. They also shut down discussion and stop people from browsing the topic specifics. My case is as follows:

The charter is there to guide users of a forum as to how to behave on the forum. If it doesn't give a mod enough room to moderate, then it should be amended to empower the mod to stop unwelcome behaviour.THAT should, IMO, be the basis for moderating. NOT, just lumping what are seen as problem topics into one big catch all thread.
The megathreads are broad and sweeping, and stifle discussion. To my knowledge, there are 3 megathreads. The atheist megathread, the gay megathread, and The creation, evolution megathread.

There are MANY facets to the creation scenario. If it was refined to, the science of creationism versus conventional evoltution, it would be concise and clear. Unfortunately, questions of Adam and Eve, Genesis etc, are all lumped in. I remember in the past the question being asked how we should view the Adam and Eve story in light of Matthew Geneology etc, and it been dumped into that thread amongst discussion of the half life of isotopes or somesuch etc. So people who have no interest in creationism, but may have an interest in the questions of Adam and Eve etc are either put off with having to thrawl through pages of someone elses conversations about unrelated topics, or never even get to see the question in the first place.

Similarly, with the gay megathread. Such a multifaceted topic all just lumped into an incoherent mess of topics. Most recently, a poster responded to me, with an argument about something else, not realising my conversation was about something else. Its just a ridiculous, unmanageable mess.

I don't really use the atheist megathread, but I can see how there may be issues with it too.

Now, I think the megathread thing can probably work, but NOT in its present, Lump it all in, format. If they were specific, they may work. For example. 'A megathread, for the scientific discussion of creationism versus conventional evolution', like I said earlier. A 'Can you be gay and Christian' megathread. A 'Common atheist arguments' megathread etc.

I don't think I'm being unreasonable, and I haven't even got into the fact that these threads implicitly make out that broaching these topics is in itself being obsessive and it comes across that these topics are frowned upon etc.


Cheers for listening to my gripe. As I said, I've said it to mods quite a bit, but they don't see my point. Thought I'd just mention it here before I give up on it
Jimi.

Spear

This is more suitable for Feedback than Helpdesk, so unless there's something here for the Helpdesk to answer that I'm not seeing, I'm going to move this to Feedback after a few hours.

JimiTime

I first went there, but the content did not seem to be related to what I was looking to resolve. I then saw the following:

"This is for FEEDBACK. If you have a query, complaint or need help, use the HELPDESK."

I thought my query related more to a complain, so I came here. Just so you know. Anyway, I really don't mind where this thread is, as long as its the right place, and will be dealt with as yee see fit.
Cheers.

Spear

Complaint in that context generally means mod A did/didn't do X or Y. This still strikes me as more for feedback, even if the feedback is negative.

JimiTime

Spear wrote: »

Complaint in that context generally means mod A did/didn't do X or Y. This still strikes me as more for feedback, even if the feedback is negative.

No problem from my end. Never used here or feedback before, so you is the expert Move or leave as ye see fit.

Dades

I'm not quite sure what you're asking, Jimi (or at least what you're suggesting should happen...)

The megathreads exist because previously, when one of several subjects came up in a thread, it automatically became the focus of attention and lengthy trench warfare ensued. I'm not really sure how moderation could change to change this dynamic. People have a right to respond (in an adult manner) to what they read and there's nothing a moderator can do except call it off-topic. That requires there to be somewhere where that subject is on-topic, which is why the megathreads exist.

The point is every argument for or against whatever in relation to these topics has been made/refuted/defeated/ignored already several times over. There's really very little left to be said.

Creating or allowing new threads on *specific* aspects of what is covered by a megathread is a novel, but naive option. Any new thread will inexorably evolve into a mirror megathread, one mutation at a time.

Lastly, from the above, I'm not really getting a distinction worth splitting out from the Bible, Creationism, and Prophecy Thread?