No Religion, No Politics: The Founder’s Clarification
The platform takes no position. The Founder has positions. Here’s how that works.
The Policy
Liana Banyan Corporation takes no official position on religion or politics.
| Level | Policy |
|---|---|
| Platform | Neutral — no endorsements, no positions |
| Governance | Neutral — decisions based on function, not ideology |
| Marketing | Neutral — no religious/political messaging |
| Content | Member-controlled — post what you want, get categorized |
The Founder’s Statement
I made the platform. It is made in my image, as I am made in His.
I am guided by beliefs — non-explicit but referenced — that motivated me to build this at all. The C.S. Lewis quotes, the King David principle, the Bishop reference from Les Misérables — these reflect what drives me.
But here’s the critical distinction:
Every other member is free to do the same.
You can have your motivating beliefs. You can reference them. You can let them guide your contributions, your projects, your community involvement.
The platform doesn’t care WHY you help. It cares THAT you help.
How Content Works
Post What You Want
| Reality | Policy |
|---|---|
| People have opinions | We don’t suppress them |
| Opinions can be extreme | We don’t ban them |
| Others may disagree | They can filter them |
| Context matters | Community provides context |
Community Categorization
When you post content, other users categorize it through the existing reputation system:
| Marker | Applied By | Effect | Decay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Helpful | Community | Visibility boost | Fades over time |
| Controversial | Community | Warning displayed | Fades over time |
| Extremist | Community | Filtered by those who choose | Fades over time |
| Misleading | Community + Harpers | Fact-check attached | Fades over time |
All markers fade with time. Recent behavior weighted more heavily than old behavior.
The Extremist Marker
Yes, we have an “extremist” reputation marker.
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Applied by | Multiple community members, diverse sources |
| NOT applied by | Platform, moderators, or algorithms |
| Effect | Warning visible; filtered by those who choose |
| Appeal | Standard reputation dispute process |
| Decay | Monthly, like all reputation |
Philosophy: We don’t ban speech. We let the community mark it, and let individuals withdraw from what they don’t want to see.
How We Handle Conflict
The Withdrawal Principle
| Situation | Response |
|---|---|
| You see content you dislike | Filter it out |
| Someone posts things you find extreme | Block/mute them |
| A topic triggers you | Unsubscribe from that arena |
| An entire group offends you | Don’t enter that space |
You control what you see. Not us.
What We DON’T Do
| Action | Status | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Platform bans for opinions | ❌ NEVER | Not our role |
| Algorithmic suppression | ❌ NEVER | Manipulation |
| Forced exposure | ❌ NEVER | Respect autonomy |
| Centralized moderation | ❌ NEVER | Community decides |
The C.S. Lewis Connection
The C.S. Lewis quotes in our foundation documents — about ghosts becoming solid, about heaven working backwards — reflect the Founder’s motivating beliefs.
Link to: Political & Religious Arenas
These arenas exist for those who WANT to discuss religion and politics. They’re separate trunks in the architecture. You enter by choice. You stay by choice. You leave by choice.
The main platform remains neutral. The arenas are where beliefs get discussed.
Summary
| Principle | Application |
|---|---|
| Platform neutrality | No official positions on religion/politics |
| Founder transparency | I have beliefs; they’re visible in the references |
| Member freedom | Your beliefs can motivate your contributions too |
| Community categorization | Users mark content, not algorithms |
| Withdrawal principle | Filter what you don’t want to see |
| Reputation decay | Everything fades; recent behavior matters more |
Related Documents
| Document | Connection |
|---|---|
| Political & Religious Arenas | Where discussion happens |
| Structural Bylaws | The unchangeable foundations |
| C.S. Lewis: Ghost to Solid | The motivating reference |
| Reputation System | How markers work |
“I built this because of what I believe. You can contribute because of what you believe. The platform doesn’t care — it just works.”
For the Keep.