Dear Sangha Members - Developing Sangha guidelines

[Guest guest]

**Dear Sangha Brothers and Sisters:*

*Given the recent controversy, I am speaking privately with members

who have*

*an interest in being moderators.*

 

*I am also trying to work out a set of guidelines and rules for the

list. The*

*following is a work in progress and please feel free to give your

input. So*

*far I have 7 rules.*

 

*I am willing to modify them or add to them or subtract*

*from them. Here they are. Hope they don't sound too strict and

upset you in anyway.*

*Anyway, they are not in effect, but could be.*

 

*Rule number 1. Please don't insult each other and use derogatory

language*

*towards others or their teachers even if you strongly believe that

those*

*teachers are complete frauds and you know best because you sit on

the right*

*hand side of God and great truth are whispered in your ears every few*

*minutes.*

 

*Rule number 2. Avoid chit chat and one line replies in response to

long*

*posts of others. Common examples of responses are "Lovely" or "I

liked that".*

*"Boy, that was great". "That really hit the spot.Your post was

like a*

*laxative." Such replies are more suitable for private mails.*

 

*Rule number 3. If you wish to write a long letter appreciating

someone else's*

*post (for example, mine), it should be well thought out and

organized and*

*but not boring. Please keep the sangha readers and their valuable

time in*

*mind. If you have nothing to say, keep quiet. If you have something

to say,*

*perhaps then also, consider keeping quiet. No one will mind.*

*This does not mean that people should keep quiet. It is like a zen

koan to help you attain, etc.*

 

*Rule number 4. Please delete from your 'Reply' posts parts of the

original*

*message that are not relevant and not absolutely necessary to

understand*

*your reply. This is especially important when replying to very long

and boring posts.*

 

*Rule number 5. When members send messages which contain materials

from other*

*websites, they need to provide a complete site reference and

appropriate*

*copyright statements. One of the worst offenses I see is that

people do not mention that the Sri Ramana material comes from the

original Ramana Website - the url for which is the*

*http://www.ramana-maharshi.org/*

*Instead they mention the second and third and fourth hand sources.

Please don't do that.*

*This list is devoted to the teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi so get

familiar with the basic stuff (sorry to be so tough here but get with

the program).*

 

*Rule number 6. Members should refrain from posting more than two

posts a day*

*under normal circumstances. If flaming and fighting between the sangha*

*members is in full swing, this rule will be waived but rules number

2, 3, 4*

*and 5 will be more strictly enforced.*

 

*Rule number 7. To keep everyone on their toes, The list will go silent*

*without notice at the slightest hint of trouble based on the whims

of the*

*moderator. **