Does DU have a too-strong pro-religion bias? [View All]

[Orrex]

Once or twice in my illustrious DU career I have posted threads in the R/T forum suggesting, in so many words, that religious faith is strongly akin to delusion. Each time, I've been attacked as a troll, and IIRC the threads were locked. Why?

The basic reason, of course, is that it's generally against the TOS to call fellow DU'ers insane, and I can respect that, in much the same way the personal attacks--even indirect personal attacks, are not allowed. I don't even dispute the validity of that policy, because IMO it helps to keep at least an air of civility in otherwise cantankerous exchanges.

But here's the problem:

I've seen countless threads accusing DU'ers of being on the payroll of this or that pharmaceutical company. It's a personal attack insofar as it directly impugns the integrity of the poster and undermines the value of that poster's input. If I call a Christian a lunatic, he or she will take righteous umbrage, but no one who reads the thread will say "you know, Christianity is insane." Instead, the reader will dismiss my accusation as the ramblings of an anti-religion atheist. For that reason alone it's in my interest to refrain from such postings. However...

I've also seen DU members who are parents directly attacked for choosing to circumcise their infant sons. Every poisonous accusation is made, from "mutilator" to "child abuser" to "assaulting a helpless newborn," along with many others. Similarly, we males who ourselves have been circumcised are termed "cut" or "mutilated" or the like.

Recently, I've seen DU parents attacked for allowing their children to drink milk or play in the sun. WTF?!?

The response in each case? Nothing.


Is this a double standard?


I'm not calling anyone out. I'm attempting to clarify the TOS so that I may understand why people who choose to believe in God (or whatever) are protected from unpleasant statments, while people who make other choices are not so protected.