Alternative Medicine: PDF Moderation Issues

So, after thinking about this for a long time, I’ve finally decided to file a formal complaint 🙄

Look, the way that specific PDF is being moderated—and I'm talking specifically about the moderator Louis—is, in my opinion, criminally bad. Here is why:

- People (like xy, myself, etc.) who jump into threads within that PDF to try and call out certain so-called "alternative" types for being total scammers get flagged immediately. Moderators can clearly see posts—especially in the cancer treatment threads—where people are posing as doctors. They are intentionally misleading readers who don't realize that a title like "natural medicine practitioner" doesn't actually mean anything official in the US. Any attempt to explain that those titles aren't real medical credentials gets you hit with a strike.
- An attempt to start a thread titled "Alternative methods that don't work" (started by Trebor) was shut down. Why?
- At the same time, trolling is totally tolerated. You have people who stop talking about alternative methods entirely just to rant about Big Pharma conspiracies and stuff like that... and they get away with it for ages. Instead of getting strikes or bans, those topics should probably be moved to a different PDF along with David Icke and those kinds of discussions.

In my view, the reason for this kind of "moderation" is that the moderator in charge thinks everything "alternative" is trendy. Since my grievance is directed at the moderator, she seems to think all these alternative folks are just wonderful, perfect little people....
So, instead of moderation being objective and unbiased, this Alternative Treatment PDF is turning into a private club ruled by personal feelings. It's a place where expressing your own (strictly negative) opinion on certain topics gets you penalized.

Honestly, if someone isn't capable of being impartial when moderating a PDF, they should just stay away from moderating altogether. I mean, look at Shady over on the Religion board; they never let their own personal beliefs bleed into how they moderate.

Uh.
I gotta weigh in here—and look, I really hope I don't catch heat from Tarot, who’s been killing it with his posts for ages, or from the admins, who, frankly, haven't exactly blown me away lately.

That "Alternative Medicine" PDF is basically a breeding ground for people to encourage self-harm or even straight-up suicide... because they're out there peddling stuff like drinking bleach or "colloidal" silver. By not letting the people who actually know how lethal this crap is speak their truth, you're just opening the floodgates for this file to mess with anyone in America reading it. It's dangerous.

As for that moderator over in the Religion section—man, I could go on forever about him. Let's just say he's anything but impartial, but since we aren't making this all about him, I'll bite my tongue for now.

Anyway, I just want to give a shout-out to Endimion17 and the other regulars who keep trying—including me right now—to point out how toxic these "alternative" methods promoted in that PDF actually are. They've got more patience than I do.

Later.

(Edit: Usually, I think the mods on that site are pretty solid and chill, so this whole situation caught me totally off guard.)

Kyle Nelson2 said:- anyone (including xy, a, and myself) who posts in threads within this PDF attempting to call out the blatant profiteering of certain so-called "alternative" practitioners gets flagged. The moderators can clearly see the posts—especially in the cancer treatment threads—where people pretend to be medical professionals, deliberately misleading readers who might not realize that being a "natural medicine practitioner" doesn't actually mean anything officially... all those attempts to explain that the title isn't even a real credential and so on... well, those people get flagged.

I'm totally with you on this.

I actually wrote a post once using my burner account on a thread about silver water, explaining how it didn't do a damn thing for my supposed illness.

Right after that, I got hit with two separate messages from women on this subforum telling me that the best way to go was to just buy that hydrogen stuff from sinkezg, a regular user here who basically runs a little side hustle and uses this forum to drive his business.

So, I decided to write another post—using this lovely current username of mine—to point out that this guy is essentially selling useless hydrogen right here on our own board and making a decent living off it. But, Luis being Luis, she went ahead and nuked my post immediately.

Honestly, I'm both shocked and insulted by it.

It’s honestly surprising and insulting that you can discuss these same controversial alternative methods and ingredients anywhere else on the web. You can even buy books or order and consume these substances in person, not just online.
Are the moderators here the only ones who think everything mentioned should be sanctioned?
I don't get it.
So, I guess everyone participating in this crusade against alternative practitioners and their methods should try working through their members of Congress and legislative bodies to get the Malleus Maleficarum passed in the US. That way, we might actually have a legal basis to punish or delete the topics and posts you're all complaining about.

dustyharbor18 said:....I don't follow?

I get it.

..... how we could actually have legitimate, legal grounds for punishing people or deleting threads and posts that you're complaining about.

Look, I was specifically complaining about my own post being nuked—not about why everyone else's stuff stays up.😛

Honestly, this whole sub-forum has just turned into a dumping ground for Democratic Party nonsense, Harry Houdini stunts, and whatever else... it could really use some actual quality control.

Do you see what I mean now?

crimsonhound80 said:I know.

I was complaining about my own post being deleted, not about why others aren't getting the same treatment.😛

That subforum has turned into total garbage, just like Alternative or Magic-Mystic and stuff. It could probably use some actual quality.

Do you get it now?

My dear colleague. It isn't garbage—it's avant-garde! But I guess since nobody is a prophet in their own hometown, it’s the same story here on this American forum.☕

I was just wondering why things are allowed everywhere else on the web, yet somehow they aren't permitted here. (Which is what those of you who constantly complain are always on about.)
That was the question.

I’ve been thinking quite a bit lately about how we approach these types of discussions—it really feels like we need to move past the surface-level noise and actually dig into the underlying mechanics of the issue at hand. It isn't just about the immediate reaction; it’s about the systemic implications that most people seem to overlook in their rush to judgment. I tend to view these situations through a more analytical lens—not to be pedantic, mind you—but because the nuances matter if we want to reach any kind of meaningful conclusion. There is a certain level of complexity here that requires a steady, measured perspective rather than the usual reactionary outbursts you see online. I truly believe that if we take the time to dissect the core components of this argument, we might find that the reality is far more layered than anyone is currently admitting. kaže:
Listen, colleague—it’s not "trash." It’s avant-garde. But then again, nobody ever wants to be the visionary in their own hometown, and I suppose that holds true for online forums, too. ☕

I’ve been sitting here wondering why certain things seem perfectly acceptable everywhere else on the internet—you know, the usual stuff—yet somehow, around here, it feels like we’re walking on eggshells. It’s one of those things that I see people constantly complaining about—those who are always looking for something to be upset with—and it really makes me question the logic behind it.
That was the question.

The internet is essentially a digital Wild West—it’s a massive, unregulated landscape where you can find just about anything if you look hard enough. We aren't just talking about harmless memes or cat videos here; there is a much darker underbelly to the web. You have people peddling counterfeit Viagra, blatant knockoff Nikes, and pirated software that’s basically a virus waiting to happen. But even more disturbing is the presence of child pornography. It is a grim reality that while the web offers incredible connectivity, it also provides a platform for some of the most predatory and illegal activities imaginable.

So, when certain forum users start peddling silver water, Republican Party propaganda, and all that other junk to the naive crowd, does a percentage of those sales go straight to the forum's marketing department—or are the moderators just pocketing the cash on their own? 🤷

Gregory Turner71 said:You can find anything online, from fake Viagra to counterfeit Nikes, pirated software, or even child pornography...

You just listed illegal and criminal acts.

For comparison:
You can buy a book about MMS at any bookstore—it's perfectly legal. The guy who wrote it gives lectures all over the world, and he does it legally too.
So, I guess what are we actually debating here??

There isn't a single law that makes the substances or methods discussed on this forum illegal.

@Joseph Watson3/">@@Joseph Watson3, people do all sorts of things via private message
and, well, as the name implies, that is their own business.

dustyharbor18 said:You just listed illegal and criminal activities.

So, according to you, only things that are criminalized are bad and/or (potentially) dangerous 🤔?

Melissa Castillo said:So, basically, if it's not illegal, it can't be bad or dangerous 🤔?

Coffee is potentially "bad" too, so that logic is pretty useless...

Melissa Castillo said:So, you're saying only things that are criminalized are bad or (potentially) dangerous 🤔?

Of course not. But we are talking about formalities here.
I suppose it’s best if moderation stays neutral—which is what we try to do—while obviously not allowing people to insult one another.
It seems pretty absurd to demand that people be punished just because they want to have an open conversation about something that isn't illegal or prohibited.

granitefox16 said:Coffee could be potentially dangerous too—that kind of logic won't get you very far.

This isn't "reasoning"—it's just nonsense. Do you actually grasp that we're talking about a literal poison here? Coffee isn't "potentially dangerous"; it's a food product.

And yet, they're out there recommending this stuff for everything, even to pregnant women:

What effect might chlorine dioxide have on my health?
Acute health effects : The following acute (short-term) health effects may occur immediately or shortly after exposure to chlorine dioxide: irritate the nose and throat, causing coughing and chest pain; eye irritation with watery eyes and seeing halos around lights; breathing chlorine dioxide can irritate the lungs causing coughing and/or shortness of breath. Higher exposures Can cause a build-up of fluid in The lungs (pulmonary oedema), a medical emergency but which might not occur for 24 hours, with severe shortness of breath and possibly death.

Chronic health effects : The following chronic (long-term) health effects can occur at some time after exposure to chlorine dioxide and can last for months or years: irritate the lungs; repeated exposure may cause bronchitis to develop with cough, phlegm, and/or shortness of breath. Permanent lung damage may occur, especially with repeated exposure to the vapours. There is limited evidence that chlorine dioxide may damage the developing foetus.

http://www.npi.gov.au/database/subst...ofiles/21.html

Joseph Watson3 said:This isn't even reasoning; it's just pure nonsense. Don't you realize we are talking about a poison here?

Chlorine dioxide is used in dentistry for cavity disinfection, it's used in flour bleaching, they put it in the water supply, and so on.🤷
So, even if it is toxic—it's obviously acceptable in certain doses. I guess the question is, what exactly is the issue?

Joseph Watson3 said:This isn't even reasoning, it's just straight-up garbage. You realize we're talking about actual poison here, right? Coffee isn't some "potentially dangerous" thing... it's just food...

I’m not even getting into the MMS talk. I’d seriously struggle to pour that stuff into my own body... this is about resonance. If you didn't count it, that's on you...

Look, let me try to break this down for you...

dustyharbor18 said:It honestly pisses me off... You can find discussions on these controversial alternative methods and ingredients all over the web, and you can even go out and buy books or order the stuff directly... It's available everywhere, not just online...
Shouldn't the mods over on the alternative boards be handing out sanctions for all this crap...?

Ego... said:The internet is just a dumping ground for trash... fake Viagra, knockoff Nikes, pirated software, and actual child exploitation... it's all right there...

dustyharbor18 said:You just listed out a bunch of illegal and criminal acts...

gotterdamerung said:So, basically, only stuff that's actually illegal is bad or... potentially dangerous...

granitefox16 said:Coffee's probably a killer too... thinking like that won't get you anywhere...

Or to be even more blunt...

Until some actual scientific study proves that damn MMS isn't just potentially dangerous garbage, this topic belongs in the "Alternative Treatments" section... pay attention to the word alternative...🙂)

Just because a handful of people want to start a holy war over this water doesn't give them the right to talk trash about folks who actually feel better using it... regardless of what you or I think...

dustyharbor18 said:Chlorine dioxide is used in dentistry to disinfect cavities, in flour bleaching, added to municipal water supplies, and so on. 🤷
So, even if it's toxic—it’s clearly acceptable in certain doses. What exactly is the issue here?

Everything is "acceptable" if you stay within specific limits. For water disinfection, we're talking about doses under 1 ppm. The people pushing the alternative protocols recommend doses way beyond 1 ppm—levels where it actually becomes toxic.

Joseph Watson3 said:Everything is acceptable if you stick to certain dosages. For water disinfection, doses under 1 ppm are used. Those suggesting alternatives recommend much higher doses than 1 ppm, which I guess makes it toxic.

What should I say? granitefox16 He said everything there is to say.

Until some scientific study proves that this damn MMS isn't actually dangerous or bad, I guess the topic belongs in the "Alternative Medicine" section of the PDF. It's called alternative for a reason, maybe.

granitefox16 said:Look, I’m not even getting into the whole MMS debate—it’s highly unlikely anyone would actually swallow that stuff. We’re talking about resonance here, and the fact that you haven't accounted for that isn't my problem.

But let me try to break this down for you:

Or, to put it more bluntly:

Until some actual scientific study confirms that this damn MMS is genuinely safe rather than potentially dangerous and harmful, it belongs right where it is in the "Alternative Medicine" section of the forum (pay close attention to that word, *alternative*🙂)

The fact that a dozen people are waging a crusade against this liquid doesn't give them a free pass to harass and insult people who are convinced it's helping them—regardless of what you or I might think about it.

Science settled this a long time ago: oxidants and bleaches are toxic and carcinogenic. Sure, in the tiny doses used for water purification, they provide more benefit than harm, which is why they're used. But in the doses being recommended here? They oxidize—basically burn—the digestive tract. And then, without a shred of evidence, those consequences are rebranded as a Herxheimer reaction.

The fact that a crowd of people is convinced it works doesn't surprise me one bit; the placebo effect and mass hysteria have staged far more dramatic performances throughout history than this. And when faced with this kind of idiocy, you absolutely have to push back and present arguments against it.

Joseph Watson3 said:Science proved ages ago that oxidants and bleaches are toxic and carcinogenic. In tiny doses used for water disinfection, the benefits outweigh the risks, so they use them. But in the doses these people recommend, they just oxidize—basically burn—your digestive tract. Then, without a shred of evidence, they try to label the fallout from that burning as a Herxheimer reaction.

The fact that a huge crowd is convinced this stuff helps doesn't surprise me one bit. Placebo effects and mass hysteria have caused much more dramatic chaos throughout history than this. You gotta call out this kind of stupidity and fight back with actual arguments...

Agreed. Your right to trash this bleach isn't any bigger than their right to think it works and praise its effects.

What’s actually wild is how much more aggressive you skeptics are compared to the people who just take the idea of medicinal bleach for granted.

I stumbled onto an alternative health thread earlier and read a few pages... honestly, I was shocked by how much more reasonable the conversation is among the people drinking that garbage, unlike the "scientific" side which is so aggressive it's hard to even believe...

Seeing this role reversal where scientists act like a cult when it should be the other way around is basically what pushed me to leave a comment here.
If your goal is to tell people they're dealing with a dangerous substance, do it without the hostility. Otherwise, you just look like a bunch of frustrated losers...

granitefox16 said:What’s actually fascinating is how much more aggressive you skeptics tend to be compared to those who just take the idea of a "miracle cure" bleach at face value.

There are people who find deception, lies, snake oil, quackery, and the exploitation of sick individuals—who are desperate enough to believe anything—to be deeply irritating. Then there are those who simply don't care.

granitefox16 said:I happened to stumble upon a health thread earlier and spent some time reading through the alternative medicine side of things—honestly, I was surprised by how much more civil the discourse is among those drinking that garbage, whereas the "scientific" side is often so aggressive it becomes hard to take seriously.

The whole role reversal where scientists end up looking like a cult—when it really should be the other way around—is actually what prompted me to drop a comment here.
If your goal is to warn people about a dangerous substance, shouldn't you do it without all the hostility? Otherwise, you just come off as a group of frustrated characters.

Then again, maybe you didn't actually read any of it with an ounce of comprehension; perhaps your only metric is judging who looks better in a debate based on their writing style. Generally speaking, the alternative crowd relies on personal anecdotes, crackpot websites, superstitions, and global conspiracies involving various governments or industries aiming to wipe out the population—all baseless claims bordering on the absurd, provided with zero evidence. For instance, you have Alan_SP, the ringleader of the crackpots over there, claiming that MMS cures almost everything and that the European Union and the USA are plotting to eliminate 95% of the world's population.

The other side typically presents well-vetted, proven facts, and expects the same level of rigor from the first.