Welcome to the Atheists & Agnostics Group (New set of rules)

[EvolveOrConvolve]

13. Some additional explanation from a host regarding #3

As hosts, we believe there is literally ZERO value in the Religion group. There's no way the toxic interaction in the group is going to change the mind of those that are firmly set in their religious beliefs. Yes we get treated like shit there. Yes there are some posters that go out of their way to be purposefully cruel towards atheists and agnostics. Yes there are what I would consider truly bad people in the religious posters in Religion. But we can't do a thing about those people, and the DU jury system rarely helps.

The first step for a person escaping an abusive relationship is to leave the house and get a restraining order and stop allowing the abuse to continue. Consider #3 a restraining order. If you'd like to remain in the relationship and allow the abuse to continue, you're free to spend as much time in the Religion group as you want. But we're done allowing the abuse to affect what happens in A&A. We're entirely serious when we say you should trash the Religion group and put on ignore those believers that push your buttons.

A&A was quickly becoming the Religion group's Meta-Forum, and I'd prefer to read more engaging material like NeoGreen's Meme of the Week threads or onager's funny-as-hell TV/movie threads or beam me up scottie's passionate posts excoriating liberals believers for their naked hypocrisy on religious matters. We have a long list of well spoken, kind, and articulate atheists and agnostics that post in A&A, and I'd rather spend time with them than even a minute with the toxic believers in the Religion group. Life's too short.

FWIW, the hosts spent many weeks and months discussing the situation, so please believe that the new rules weren't enacted without a lot of thought.