As others here are voicing their opinions, I will voice mine too.

I agree with what has been said about this being Russ' forum, and he can obviously choose to do what he wants. This isn't the first forum I've been on where the owner has had a "crackdown."

However, we might ask ourselves what constitutes personal insults. Would that include calling someone deluded in the course of a debate? Telling them they are using logical fallacies, that they are not supporting their opinions with evidence? This is all routine in a debate, though if you are on the receiving end of the comments it can be tempting sometimes to react emotionally. I've been on the receiving end of it myself and I sometimes thought it frustrating and unfair. I've been called names, here and elsewhere. Here, I'm called a liar and a God-hater all the time. It has to be water off a duck's back.

Three of my colleagues have been banned from here and especially in the case of RAZD, I think you'd be hard pressed to find anything he's said which is more inflammatory than anything anyone else has ever said. I've seen creationists post some pretty nasty stuff and nothing happens to them. RAZD has been a gentleman wherever I've encountered him, whether or not we agree about what is being discussed.

If Russ wanted to stop people making personal comments, then he could post a clear set of rules and moderate, as is done on most other forums. I don't think that's the idea behind the bannings here but Russ can speak for himself if he wants.

I honestly had no intention to say anything about this but truth be told I'm a little irked about the comments here. I'm especially going to miss RAZD because I can't talk to him on the forum where I met him either, and I think Russ' reasons for getting rid of him are crystal clear. In fact I never know at the moment if I'll be able to log on here myself because by Russ' definition, I am as "intellectually dishonest" as Russ2 and RAZD because I accept that evolution happens.