Catholic Community Forum FAQ

The Catholic Community Forum Acceptable Use Policy

As this is a Catholic web site, we expect members to conduct themselves in the Christian virtue of charity at all times. While discussions here revolve mainly around the Catholic Church and her teachings, we welcome members of any faith or lack thereof, but we expect all members to conduct themselves with respect for everyone else here. We have set out these rules as a guideline for member conduct in the interest of maintaining our spirit of Christian charity.

Please note that a formal warning, and/or Infraction Points, can be given for violations of our AUP. The seriousness of the infraction, and moderator judgment, will determine the actual points given. The consequences of points given can include suspension of two weeks to three months, or even banning. Ten (10) points will result in a suspension. Particularly serious violations can result in immediate suspension or banning.

The user agrees to the following terms:

1. Appropriate and Truthful Language

1.1) No insult - no blasphemy - against Our Lord, Our Blessed Mother, the saints or the Church will be tolerated. Slanderous, libelous and calumnious remarks about current or past Church figures will not be tolerated. Any accusations against current public Church figures must be verifiable and backed up with references. Accusations against private individuals that have never been reported in the public record will be immediately removed. (Warning – and/or 1 to 5 Infraction Points)

1.2) Personal attacks on other members are not allowed. No mockery, insults, ridicule, threats, ethnic slurs, excessive sarcasm, etc. Do not slander other posters or denigrate their character. Restrict your comments to the words the other members post, not to the member himself. You can say you do not believe someone else's facts are true, but you cannot call that same someone a liar. You are entitled to respectfully disagree but not to harass, insult, demean or harangue another member. Members may not exploit other members. (Warning – and/or 1 to 5 Infraction Points)

1.3) Vulgar, Abusive, Racist, and Sexist Language will not be tolerated. No obscenity, profanity, vulgarity, pornography, or links to same. (Warning – and/or 1 to 5 Infraction Points)

1.4) Posts which provoke hatred, incite or support bigotry, mock peoples or beliefs, or which contain an obvious affront to charity will not be tolerated. Posts are to be worded in a manner which encourages charitable dialog. As in all cases, Moderator discretion will prevail. Deliberate statements which promote hatred of race, creed or ethnic groups may result in immediate loss of posting privileges. (Warning – and/or 1 to 5 Infraction Points)

2. Membership Information

2.1) All information that you provide to us for your membership is correct. You must use a valid email address at which we may contact you under the terms of our privacy policy should the need arise.

2.2)If you register as a consecrated religious or as clergy, an acceptable form of verification must be provided before registration can be completed, or you may elect to join without specifying your title unless and until you elect to provide verification.

Honest and accurate selection of “Church, Rite or Ecclesial Community” in your Profile is very important. Most items are self-evident, but please note the following:

- The category “Catholic in Full Communion with the Church” means the member is in full agreement with the Catechism and other authoritative documents of the Magisterium.

- The category “Catholic not in full communion with the Church” is required of a Catholic who remains in the Church, but who firmly stands in opposition to some of her teachings in the Catechism or in other authoritative documents of the Magisterium.

- The category “Catholic seeking more complete communion with the Church” means the member has difficulties with certain authoritative teachings, but is earnestly seeking to understand and resolve them in order to come into full and wholehearted communion with the Church.

A particular category chosen by a member may be changed by staff, after discussion with the member, if the member's postings give clear evidence for it. Moderator and Administrator decision prevails.

2.3) Members may not impersonate other members, and hence may not have two membernames. (Warning – and/or 1 to 5 Infraction Points)

2.4) Please be honest about who you are and why you are posting. For example, do not represent yourself as an open minded seeker of knowledge, asking questions about faith and doctrine, when in fact you are here to debate or to proselytize. Please know that we've been at this for years and we can usually recognize such.

2. 5) Membernames, Signature Lines and Avatars: Membernames, signature lines and avatars are to be consistent with the Catholic Faith. They appear on every post, in any Forum whether Debate or non-Debate - thus, they cannot be inconsistent with Catholic teaching, nor can they be contentious among the Faithful. No more than one link should be included.(Warning – and/or 1 to 5 Infraction Points)

2.6) Membernames and Signatures having Ecclesial Titles: Membernames with specific Catholic significance, such as Fr., Sr., Rev., Bro., Brother, Deacon, etc. are reserved only to Catholic clergy. A non-Catholic may use an appropriate title from his/her church or denomination in a Signature only, which must clarify that the church or group is not in union with the Roman Catholic Church. We require this to avoid the obvious confusion which could arise among other members.

Examples of such Signature lines:

Fr. James Koe, Anglican priest (not in union with the Roman Catholic Church)

Fr. John Doe, Greek Orthodox Church (not in union with the Roman Catholic Church)

3. Posting Guidelines

3.1.1) No mass posting or flooding of the boards is allowed. Off-topic posting is not allowed. Cross posting in general is not allowed. Choose the best forum for your topic and post it there only. Moderators will delete duplicate posts and move posts to the most appropriate topic, and normally will explain and link to the moved posts from their original location. (Warning – and/or 1 to 5 Infraction Points)

3.1.2) No "bumping" of posts. Please do not respond to yourself, or post immediately after yourself, without explicit Mod approval. Give others time and opportunity to respond to your post. (Warning – and/or 1 to 5 Infraction Points)

3.1.3) Explicit language violation. Questions of a general nature concerning sexual morality may be discussed, but explicit and specific acts of sexual intimacy may not. Please remember the wide reading audience of a public forum, and use modesty and discretion. Mods will remove any posts deemed inappropriate, and Mod discretion in such matters is final. (Warning – and/or 1 to 5 Infraction Points)

3.1.4) Solicitations for money and advertisements of things for sale are not allowed. (Warning – and/or 1 to 5 Infraction Points)

3.2) Non-English (Latin, Spanish, Greek, etc.) terms and quotes in a post should be posted with an accurate English translation. (Warning – and/or 1 to 5 Infraction Points)

3.3) Links. A link to a specific quoted or referenced document is helpful and should be provided to substantiate statements of fact and to follow copyright guidelines. Links to helpful and faithful Catholic sites are welcomed; non-Catholic sites should be named if referenced, but not linked. (Warning – and/or 1 to 5 Infraction Points)

3.3.1) All posts of articles and videos must also include the poster's own Catholicism-related commentary on the article. Commentary must be more than a few words (e.g. not simply an "Amen!"). It must present the poster's view on the article, and show the article's relevance to the topic or forum. Posts linking to videos should also include a description of the video content. Articles posted in the Limbo forum can be off the topic of Catholicism; so while the poster's commentary must still be presented, it does not have to be Catholicism-related. (Warning - and/or 1 to 5 Infraction Points)

3.4) CCF does not exist to support or to enable general attacks on the Faith, or non-Catholic proselytizing. Extended non-Catholic lectures, and lists of disputed doctrines too lengthy to reasonably address at one time, are disallowed. Links to non-Catholic sites that include such lectures or lists are similarly disallowed. Moderator discretion will determine whether a given post or site is appropriate. (Warning – and/or 1 to 5 Infraction Points)

3.5) If you have particular suggestions for changes in the Forums, please do not post them for public discussion or debate. Instead, please 'Private Message' them either to the Moderator of the particular Forum involved, or to an Admin. It is not helpful to lobby for changes in a public forum, or to create dissension over proposals for change. (Warning – and/or 1 to 5 Infraction Points)

4. Debate Forums

4.1) We separate debate from non-debate forums. While remaining open, we hope to provide for those looking for a refuge from attack and dissent, and who want to discuss the Catholic Faith in peace with like-minded Catholics without being ridiculed or rebuked. In the interest of providing better organization and more friendly Catholic exchange we segregate posts containing debate or dissent to their own forums. Please read the individual Forum descriptions carefully, and post appropriately. Inappropriate postings will be moved.

4.2) “Limbo”. The forum called "Limbo" is for any threads that are seriously off-topic, have degenerated into the same or are mainly revolving around matters personal to the parties involved. This is a place for discussion of topics generally of very limited interest, or of questionable relevance to a Catholic Forum. Here, of course, rules violations and mean-spiritedness are not allowed.

5. Non-Debate Forums

5.1) If a member starts threads in non-debate forums that include controversial personal opinions, or unofficial Church teaching, or other non-authentic sources, and the threads provoke debates because of these inclusions, the member may be warned. If this contentious posting begins to appear habitual, or intentional, the member may be restricted to posting only in the Debate Forums. (Warning – and/or 1 to 5 Infraction Points)

5.2) Anyone can unintentionally find himself in a dispute - this can happen to any of us. However, this AUP is violated and the member is subject to penalty if a non-debate forum is intentionally and/or habitually subverted in this way. In the end, Moderator discretion and prayerful judgment is the deciding factor in such particular cases.

6. Private Messaging

6.1 The forums are intended to foster open and public communication for the sanctification and edification of both participants and readers. While members may choose to engage in an exchange in private messages or email, this must be a MUTUAL choice. The use of our system to send unwelcome or inappropriate private messages or emails to members is prohibited. The use of our membership as a source for "leads" for any purpose is strictly prohibited: in other words, you may not use our system to PM or email other members because their use of this forum makes them an attractive 'prospect' for your private purposes. (Warning – and/or 1 to 5 Infraction Points)

6.2 We are particularly concerned with the use of our PM or email system to contact members in private in order to lead them away from the true teachings of the Catholic Church. Arguments against the Faith are allowed in a Debate Forum only, where they are open to the scrutiny, prudence and wisdom of the community as a whole. Infractions in the above cases may result in loss of membership or other disciplinary action. Please report any such abuse to a Moderator or Administrator immediately, forwarding the PM or Email if possible. (Warning – and/or 1 to 5 Infraction Points)

7. Moderators

7.1 Moderators “moderate”, and maintain an atmosphere of Christian charity, fellowship, intellectual and spiritual exchange. They have authority to enforce this AUP, and to use good judgment in situations not explicitly covered in this AUP.

7.2 Moderators are inherently due a degree of respect for their position of authority as long as they do not abuse it. They additionally have authority to remove posts that impugn their integrity or insult them. They can remove members who refuse to follow the rules and heed their instructions and warnings. (Warning – and/or 1 to 5 Infraction Points)

7.3) Moderators often must make judgment calls but they will try to interpret the AUP fairly and in the interest of all members and visitors. All staff of CCF appreciates the forbearance of the members - please accept those judgment calls particularly when you might have interpreted things a bit differently. We are willing to listen to questions and opinions of the members who might take issue with individual interpretations via private message, but we ask that the members respect the moderators' decisions in such matters even if they are under review. If even after a sincere attempt to come to agreement privately with a Moderator, a member feels that the Moderator has abused his or her position, the member should write to an Administrator privately and directly: do not make an issue of it publicly. (Warning – and/or 1 to 5 Infraction Points)

7.4) Lastly, the staff of CCF asks for and appreciates your prayers for us in our efforts at serving Our Lord and His Church in this apostolate, as we keep all of you in our prayers.

8. The AUP is continually subject to revision and update. The site administrator reserves the right to change the terms and conditions of the user agreement without prior notice to the user. It is the responsibility of the user to regularly review the terms of this agreement.