Here are some general pieces of advice I've given:
- Follow the Forum Rules. A bit of a no-brainer, but still worth mentioning.
- Put some actual thought and effort into your posts, particularly if you are starting a new thread. An OP should contain your thoughts and questions regarding a specific topic. That being said, try NOT to make a really long post, as huge walls of text don't usually keep people's attention (yes, I am guilty of making long posts at times and I am a bit of a hypocrite); this is especially important as the forum doesn't currently have working spoiler tags. Keep your post short enough to where others can understand what you are getting at, or at least have a TL;DR at the beginning or end of your post. Its just common courtesy.
- When making a thread, make sure the title is short, to the point, and actually gives readers some idea about what the intended subject actually is. I have seen several posters that try to quote entire sentences in the title, which doesn't really address the subject much
- When posting an embedded or linked video, include a short summary about what its about... especially if the video is longer than 5 minutes. Many people find it annoying to watch a video, as videos often take 5 minutes to explain a simple point that could easily be summed up in a few sentences that take less than 30 seconds to read.
- Develop a certain degree of thick skin; getting offended by someone isn't going to help anyone at all (save it be potential trolls and/or flamers). Not everything people say is going to be nice; that doesn't mean it is bad enough to deserve mod intervention. Sometimes people simply are trying to vent frustration, are making a slightly blunt observation, or are stating their own perceptions about you or a particular subject. This is the internet people, where it is hard to accurately convey information, intentions, and emotion than it is in real life... and like it or not, the Internet can be rather brutal at times, even on a pro-lds forum. Learn to deal with it.
- If you think someone is breaking the rules, report it to the mods. BUT, carefully consider if it is actually something that breaks the rules or deserves mod interventions over. Half the reports we get are stuff that really shouldn't have been reported such as a report that amounts to "Much ado about nothing", a report that was probably made out of spite, an overreaction, or something that by itself doesn't warrant a mod's attention... but if combined with other actions indicates a pattern of behavior that does indeed break the rules. Mods generally speaking look for evidence before taking action, and sometimes one lone post that was reported isn't always sufficient to justify punishment.
- If you encounter a situation where you feel unofficial mod intervention may be helpful, such as a situation where the rules may not have been broken but you can see tension rising, or someone is apparently starting to panic about something, or whatever... Don't hesitate to Shoot a PM to one or two mods, and we will respond. The report button isn't always appropriate for these kinds of situations. I for instance, am always willing to talk to someone if they are feeling sad, depressed, or someone to vent to.
- When quoting from an offsite source, put it in a quote, and cite it. If possible, also give some commentary explaining your thoughts on the matter. If you are posting the quote in response to another user, explain how it is relevant and why you are posting it, even if the reason why seems obvious to you and/or others. Its just common courtesy, and it helps avoid confusion.
- Before creating a new thread, do a search to see if the same subject has been discussed earlier. Based on when the subject has been discussed last time and/or whether you have anything new to say, decide if you should start a new thread or not. Sometimes it might be a good idea to resurrect an old thread instead.
- Don't take yourself too seriously.
- Don't feed the trolls.
- If you are responding to someone, quote them. Again, just common courtesy.
- When applying labels, point to the behavior, not the person. Point to what a person says that you disagree with or find inappropriate and explain reasonably and with the spirit, why. Share your reasoning and spiritual perspectives so others (not just the person you’re addressing but also readers) can understand more clearly.