Cathy questions a thread title

[cskipper]

"Erniem is a god"??? I didn't moderate this because a Senior Moderator and another Moderator posted on the thread which I take as tacit acceptance of the title. I realize the poster is new, that he didn't use a capital G of god, and I don't think the poster meant that Ernie is an actual God, but I feel sure the title offends some members of this site.

 

[froglips]

I looked up the word "god" in the dictionary, here is one of the definitions:

3 : a person or thing of supreme value

While it is also has religious meaning, I don't think we can say the word was used in a religious context in this situation.

But, I don't see any harm in changing it if you feel it violates policy.

Jim

 

[Ray Martin]

I saw the title too and thought, maybe because of the lower case 'g', that it was meant to be more of an adjective than a noun. I've heard folks say that a particular guitarist is one of the gods of rock. In today's language, it simply means someone of great stature, and has nothing to do with anything religious or spiritual. This is nothing more than a hyperbole.

 

[cskipper]

Let me re-frame my concern. If, on the same day, Jeff or Dragon had titled a post this same identical way for the same reason, would it have been left alone?

If we wouldn't accept if from everyone I don't think we can accept it from anyone.

 

[Bas]

Let me re-frame my concern. If, on the same day, Jeff or Dragon had titled a post this same identical way for the same reason, would it have been left alone?

I would have left it alone. As Ray said, it's an expression, let's not overthink this. If someone takes offense to it, we can always take action. I wouldn't want to moderate any posts that describe the upcoming BBQ as "heavenly" or "divine" either.

We've had some discussion about 'intent' when it comes to moderation, and whether it matters who the author of the comment is. If someone makes a remark about a "left-tilt tablesaw" or "right-tilt tablesaw", no problem. But if a known troublemaker says something like "Boy, if you agree with XXX, I'll bet your table saw is left-tilt/ right-tilt too", then it's obviously a not-so-subtle political comment, even though the words are the same.

 

[Mt. Gomer]

Yeah, I'd have to say "xxxx is a god" is a pretty common and universally understood expression. I think it's fine.

Travis

 

[Ray Martin]

Let me re-frame my concern. If, on the same day, Jeff or Dragon had titled a post this same identical way for the same reason, would it have been left alone?

If we wouldn't accept if from everyone I don't think we can accept it from anyone.

I'm beginning to worry that we are using two of our members as a metric of malicious intent.

 

[NCPete]

I would have left it alone. As Ray said, it's an expression, let's not overthink this. If someone takes offense to it, we can always take action. I wouldn't want to moderate any posts that describe the upcoming BBQ as "heavenly" or "divine" either.

We've had some discussion about 'intent' when it comes to moderation, and whether it matters who the author of the comment is. If someone makes a remark about a "left-tilt tablesaw" or "right-tilt tablesaw", no problem. But if a known troublemaker says something like "Boy, if you agree with XXX, I'll bet your table saw is left-tilt/ right-tilt too", then it's obviously a not-so-subtle political comment, even though the words are the same.

just checked, Yup, my saw is a left tilt! :gar-La;

 

[TracyP]

I have probably moderated Jeff and Dragon the most of anyone in the last year and I must say that if one or both of them posted the thread in question I would have skipped right over it as I do not see it is out of line. It is not the member that we moderate, it is the message that the member conveys in a thread or post.