MOD POST: Community Rules

[elf]

MOD POST: Official Community Rules, version 1.0
You don't need to read this before joining or even before posting. We encourage people to read the profile rules. This goes into more detail, but unless you need clarification on a specific aspect, it's not necessary to read all 1500+ words here. This is more for reference than an active, enforced rules set. CAVEAT: Christians are encouraged to read the "For Christians" section.

ETA: We've been told some of the phrasing here is incredibly biased & problematic, and we'll be working on those parts. This is a draft. We're open to suggestions for improvement. In the meantime, comments are screened.
( Introduction )

( Rules 1: Mod posts )

( Rules 2: Identity )

( Rules 3: Christian Groups )

( Rules 4: Terminology )

( Rules 5: Be aware )

( Infraction policies )

( For Christians )

Deconstructing the Golden Rule

[elf]

"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" is one of the most widely-shared bits of Christian spirituality. It's touted as being a "universal ethic," as being mirrored in cultures all over the world (even though it's not), as being an essential part of being a good human—it's bigger, we're told, than just being a core piece of the Christian ethos; it's something usable by *all* humans.

Well. All privileged humans, anyway. All humans of the dominant class/ race/ culture/ gender/ religion/ identity. Nonprivileged people find out really quick that it does *not* mean "treat the more privileged as you would treat people of your own category." There's a great deal of hypocrisy in how the Golden Rule is supposed to be applied.

( That's not the real problem with it. )