And shouldn't it also be extended to "welcome back" or other personal greeting posts?
On one forum that I participated in, there was a specific rule against congratulatory posts that were merely expressions of praise for something being well-said, or nothing more than a "Me, too." expression of agreement. Is that the kind of off-topic post that would be discouraged for the sake of saving space?
You've totally confused and befuddled me if you did not just say we shouldn't welcome someone to the forum and thank them/praise them for a contribution we particularly appreciated.
I didn't "say" anything, I
asked. The Moderators raised the issue of there being an excess of off-topic posts. I simply asked if the posts I described were included in "off-topic" posts. There is something of a shortage of detail in the communications regarding what it being asked of us. So, I asked for some clarification. Is there something wrong in asking for clarification in the thread
"Some changes afoot"? For the record, had the Moderators not raised the issue of cracking down on off-topic posts, I never would have asked or even raised the subject.
In any case, I never said no one should welcome or praise anyone. I mentioned that in some forums, such welcomes and praise posts should be done
via Private Message. Those are two of the reasons why it's there.
But that's not what confused and befuddled me about your question, "Is this NOT a Christian forum?" What does the Christian religion have to do with extraneous, off-topic posts? Do Jews, Hindus, Muslims, Mormons, Atheist, Agnostics, Druids, and adherents to other religions not extend greetings to each other? Do Jews, Hindus, Muslims, Mormons, Atheist, Agnostics, Druids, and adherents to other religions not sometimes post replies in internet forums that boil down to "Me, too"? What does being a forum for Lutheran Christians have to do with those things?
When it comes to how and when to post personal messages in discussion threads instead of in Private Messages, I consider this,
"For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; 6a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to throw away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace."To that list, I would add, "A time to greet in public, and a time to greet in private." I was simply asking the Moderators when they wanted those times to be.