Code of Conduct
To keep the Latter-day Saint (LDS) Gamers Gaming Community a safe and inviting environment, content on this site and its associated Discord chat server will be monitored for inappropriate content. This community is meant for Latter-day Saints and their friends that are seeking a gaming environment that is free from toxicity, vulgarity, and malice. All are welcome here. The following policies are meant to ensure that this community is a friendly and enjoyable place for all who visit it.
We encourage the following behavior:
Follow the Golden Rule -- Everyone enjoys being treated with respect.
When in doubt, don't post it. If you have to ask, hesitate to post or aren’t sure if it’s appropriate or not, chances are it isn’t appropriate for this community.
Avoid engaging in emotionally charged confrontations. Take a deep breath, check your facts, etc. It's better to wait if you are unsure of something or too frustrated to think clearly.
Stay on topic; keep the content within the community clear and concise.
Use the correct chat channel for the material you are posting.
Post insightful content related to the topics you are discussing.
Keep all language clean and respectful.
You may not do or post any of the following:
This is to prevent opportunities for controversial conversations and is in no way intended to pass judgment or shame on any one person, group, or ideology.
Anything that violates the Discord Community Guidelines or Discord Terms of Service. This includes raiding any Discord servers. Violating the Discord Community Guidelines may result in account deletion.
Discussions, debates, memes on laws, politics, religion, sexuality, gender identity, or economic systems.
Obscene language. This includes common swear words or hard swears.
Pornography of any kind (textual, visual, or auditory).
Comments or content that are rude, obscene, or hateful, or that ridicules or belittles any person, organization, or location (this includes “flaming,” pestering, or bullying others).
Content with the intention of making other people uncomfortable, such as creepy or disturbing descriptions and/or imagery.4
Content that contradicts guidelines or rules placed in channel descriptions or channel pins.
Information that you know or should know to be false or that you intend to be misleading. This includes using link shorteners to intentionally mask the content of a link.
Links to Websites that are off-topic or that relate to any of the items in this list.
Avatars or images that include any of the items in this list.
Commercial messages, self-promotion (ie. Discord Servers, Twitch Channels, et al), or similar solicitations by non-staff members outside of the #game-deals-and-trades or #streaming chat channel (special permission may be granted by LDSG Management).
Links to Web sites in an effort to promote or generate traffic to Web sites or businesses.
Methods for circumventing digital media security mechanisms; digital piracy of any kind.
Security information or passwords.
Copyrighted content that you don’t have permission to redistribute in a public forum.
Invitations to join other Discord Servers or Non-LDSG in-game clans/guilds where LDSG does not already have an official presence.
Any personal matters, which are best discussed with local priesthood leaders and/or qualified professionals (posts about sinful behavior, gender identity, your sexuality3, etc).
Spamming: Repeated messages or rapid postings in the same channel, or in multiple channels.
Posting messages in multiple channels for the purpose of creating “new message notifications”.
Messages pinging/mentioning users (ie. “@username”) multiple times or with the attempt to simply annoy another person or role group. This includes pinging channel-specific roles.
Intentionally saying a word to trigger our moderation systems.
Intentionally evading our moderation systems (e.g., replacing letters in a word that triggers them)
Streaming video of any games that are Rated M or higher by ESRB or any content that breaks any other rule within this code. Exceptions to this rule must be approved by a member of Management
Encouraging the use of drugs, alcohol, tobacco, or similar, even as a joke.
Moderation
We use an automated system to help us enforce this Code of Conduct. It flags potential violations, and human moderators are tasked with considering the context of the conversation and judging whether the issue is truly a violation. This allows us to consider the full picture and keeps human judgment as an important part of our moderation.
This system is not always perfect, and errors in judgment can occur. Overall, as long as you follow the code of conduct then you don’t need to worry about being flagged by the automated system. However, intentionally triggering or evading the automated moderation system is considered a violation of this Code and may result in consequences. If after multiple requests and warnings, you persist to run afoul of this stance, we will take action, up to and including removing you from the server.
User Names and Avatars
When setting up your account:
Ensure that your username or nickname can be easily pinged (i.e., primarily made of characters in the Latin alphabet, no invisible characters, etc.)
Do not use the name or image of Deity, prophets, apostles, general authorities, or other famous members of the Church, either now or in ancient times, such that it would appear to desecrate or impersonate a name or person. This also applies to your avatar.
Do not use an avatar with text or imagery that is obscene or inappropriate.
Do not use a name that sounds like or imitates inappropriate words or phrases.
Do not use the name or image of any famous or infamous individuals, living or deceased.
Do not use a name or image to impersonate another individual in the LDS Gamers community.
Do not use a name or image that indicates political preferences.
Do not use the name, image, or seal of government agencies.
Do not use a name or image that refers to or promotes a website or business.
Do not use a depiction of violence or assault in either your profile picture or username
If you find your account on Discord breaks these rules, you will be asked to set a nickname for the LDS Gamers server or to change your avatar.
Code Violations:
Members of LDSG may not do anything within the community that LDSG, in our sole discretion, determines is offensive, interferes with the rights of others, or causes harm to any person, including to LDSG, its members, and its staff. If you violate (or act inconsistently with) the letter or spirit of our rules, there may be appropriate consequences at our sole discretion, suspension, cancellation, or termination of your access to LDSG.
These rules are interpreted and enforced by LDS Gamers Staff, at their discretion. While asking for clarification of a Staff member's interpretation of the Code is not an issue, continuing to argue with Staff after being told that an action violates the Code of Conduct may be interpreted as an additional violation of the Code. If you believe a member of the Staff is abusing their discretion, please contact a member of Management privately.
Above all else, please use common sense in your interactions with others and with the moderation team and staff. Abuse of either team or staff will not be tolerated, so don’t do it.
If you choose not to abide by these terms, your only remedy is to discontinue using the service.
Privacy:
Information you provide to LDSG through the !ign or /ign system is stored for ease of access to various Icarus commands and may be visible to other members of LDS Gamers. LDS Gamers does not knowingly collect information from individuals under the age of 13. By joining LDS Gamers, you state that you are 13 years of age or older. Violating this may be cause for immediate termination of access to the LDSG services.
Disclaimer:
LDS Gamers reserves the right to amend these rules from time to time, in its sole discretion. Members of the community are expected to abide by the Code of Conduct as it stands at the time.
Note: LDS as it is used in "LDS Gamers" is an acronym for "Latter-day Saint", which is the correct term to use to refer to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This community is meant for Latter-day Saints and their friends that are seeking a gaming environment that is free from toxicity, vulgarity, and malice. All are welcome here. LDS Gamers is not affiliated with nor endorsed by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Looking ahead at the new version I see, smart...
Addendums
Several users have already asked about Inspire-and-uplift and General-conference. While technically against the rules, this is something that will be granted an exemption provided that the other rules are not being violated while in your conversations. Discussions on religion elsewhere will continue to be discouraged.
Some have correctly asserted that the LDS and Latter-day Saint monikers are incorrect citing revelation from the Church. Because we are not affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints we are free to use this name in for our community https://discord.com/channels/96335850576556032/121752198731268099/505028951241130014
Members are ok to state/share their preferred sexual identity, gender identity, pronouns, etc. but this is not the place for discussions on sex/sexuality.
This includes things that are excessively loud or can be described as “Earrape”. If the audio is “clipping” then it might be too loud