Can we have a proper 'woo' topic?

No. Because they are part of our cultural heritage. I also like singing hymns and looking at Raphael madonnas. And reading George Herbert.

So I take it Christmas , Easter , nativity plays are all cancelled in your homes then?

Scouse, I wouldn't say spirituality leads to FGM. That would be ridiculous. What I thought I did say is that 'sensitivity' to other people's beliefs causes those who should criticise to be silent. Silence permits wrongdoing in the name of 'beliefs'.

I was brought up and, later, trained to critically evaluate that which is presented by others as truth. Often, I'm inadequately informed to take a position so I do have to take a lot on faith: the discovery of the Higgs boson, for example, the existence of water on Mars, and that I have DNA. Were I living in mediaeval times, I'd be taking on a lot of balderdash as fact because the credible authorities were the church. Luckily for me, we have more reliable sources these days (lucky because I - as a childfree, single, information-seeking woman - would have been killed.)

Apart from more urgent issues raised by other "pissers & vomiters", it saddens me philosophically that so many women choose to ignore real science in favour of mythologies. I love a good mythology, me, but can generally tell the difference between an allegorical fantasy and a material truth.

But "shutting down" discussion is what is happening on the PRS forum. Posters are regularly insulted, called stupid/delusional etc. Their beliefs rubbished and ridiculed, to derail and close down the topic of conversation or take their own problems out on MN posters.

PRS is not MH or General Health. I expect adults know the difference.

Re. FGM, it is a cultural practice in certain locations that predates modern religions. It is rightly condemned, outlawed and campaigned against on the ground. It is not practiced or condoned by most Muslims. To say that spirituality leads to mutilation is the same as saying style and beauty leads to mutilation.

The fact that this is often brought up on PRS threads is an example of the attempts to derail conversation. It is rarely about the methods and organizations combatting this practice, it is more "I feel angry and upset that this is happening so I'm going to have a go at the Muslim posters on MN". It actually benefits no one.

Debate can be brilliant, but not when it comes in the form of my/no god is better than your god and comes with an extra order of insults. And of course no one should be hawking their wares on MN at all.

I also notice that the OP has not come back to defend her statement that she has used her powers to find lost children for fellow mumsnetters.

I'd love a place to have proper discussions with like minded people, but am another who just doesn't want to deal with the nastiness and insults that often go along with such threads.

Surely the difference in shutting down "Get rich quick" and bad health advice threads is that people might be harmed by them whereas discussing whether a feather came from an angel or a seagull's arse is not likely to cause a major detriment that I can see.

As to the argument that spirituality leads to FGM, well you could make an argument to ban the recipe boards for causing obesity and eating disorders. Both spirituality and recipes can be used in positive ways by most people; it is the overzealous application of an idea in a misguided way that causes problems and we will end up with empty boards if we ban everything that can be extrapolated in that way. We all need to use a little common sense here

I'm not sure that Mumsnet can solve this one because the problem is not with the site but with the aggressive attitudes of some posters who want to stop others discussing and questioning certain topics

See- if somebody said they were cured by homeopathy, then that wouldn't be true. They aren't lying- but they are believing something that isn't true. They have wasted money and may have been lied to. Or the person who sold them the cure might believe too. And the more people who believe things that aren't true, the greater the chances of somebody being really damaged by believing they can be cured, or can talk to their dead relative or whatever.

I don't think people should be rude. But I think people should be allowed to question, challenge and present evidence. Particularly if people are going to make extraordinary claims (like having found missing children). And I think that if you are belting on behalf of someone else - particularly a child- then you have a responsibility to offer that child alternatives. Not to automatically encourage the "spiritual" explanation. However flattering and exciting it might be be to be the mother of a special child.

What did the faith healing one say?

Cross posted too. I didn't see those threads - did they get deleted?

Maryz - where on MN is there a thread in religion and philosophy or anywhere else which has someone claiming to heal terminal illnesses without the use of medicine? On those threads people are usually discussing harmless personal experiences.

Of course people shouldn't be allowed to give dodgy advice but I've never seen that happen. Except for that poster many years ago called Wig and Robe who claimed to be a QC and was giving people fake legal advice.

I don't think you can have a topic for only some people in OTBT either. It's pretty much the same as the rest of the site in that respect. Whoever wants to can still join it if they feel the need. Although you might get fewer non-woo people if it doesn't pop up in Active convos.

Mary - spirituality discussions rarely have anything to do with claiming to heal terminal illnesses without the use of medicine. I've certainly never seen one.

I find referring to these extreme examples disingenuous as I said. It seems to me that some people just can't stand for not everyone to think the way they do. And so they insult and brow beat til they can do so no more.

But FGM isn't a world away. Why were our authorities, here, so reluctant to tackle it? Why does it continue, more or less unabated, worldwide? Because it's part of a belief system.

Going back to the argument that you can't disprove non-existence: I haven't noticed any Mumsnetters, ever, insisting there really is a cloud of compassion fairies flying round my head I've told you I genuinely find them helpful; I know lots of other people find theirs helpful ... isn't this considered proof in woo-land? Even though I don't think they're real, surely they meet many woo criteria for reality? So perhaps I'm the wrong one, and the buggers are actually here?!

I hope they don't want any dinner.

Where is the evidence it was a troll thread? Did MNHQ say it was?

I believe what happened in the end was that it was one of her work colleagues having a laugh.

I think that it's up to the individual how they choose to solve their life difficulties, don't you?