User talk:R L D S not "Rids"

Welcome!

Hello, R L D S not "Rids", and welcome to Wikipedia! Thank you for your contributions. I hope you like the place and decide to stay. Here are some pages that you might find helpful:

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I hope you enjoy editing here and being a Wikipedian! Please sign your messages on discussion pages using four tildes (~~~~); this will automatically insert your username and the date. If you need help, check out Wikipedia:Questions, ask me on my talk page, or ask your question on this page and then place {{helpme}} before the question. Again, welcome! —C.Fred (talk) 04:47, 5 July 2010 (UTC)[reply]

About your username

Greetings! I see that you were denied User:RLDS when you first tried to sign up. Actually, there's another reason that username would not have complied with the username policy: confusion with an organization's name. Because you have edited articles about the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which uses the acronym RLDS, the username could have created the appearance of an account representing or otherwise speaking on behalf of the church.

Your current username, in my opinion, avoids this confusion issue, so it complies with the guidelines.

Tangent: Once upon a time, early in my internet days, I was signing up at a site. The username "Fred" was unavailable, so I thought to myself, "hrm, maybe the first initial-middle name thing, like F. Scott Fitzgerald." I've been C.Fred online ever since. —C.Fred (talk) 04:47, 5 July 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Thank you! I had not thought of the obvious: Username "RLDS" is too accidentally deceptive, it does give the appearance of officialness when officialness is not the case. I am, however, a devout adherent to the RLDS and to Wallace B. Smith, and seek to add and clarify information which boosts the profile and credibility of he and his "flock." Thank you for the "C. Fred" lore, nice to meet you. R L D S not "Rids" (talk) 04:52, 5 July 2010 (UTC)[reply]

You're welcome! One other note right now: remember that Wikipedia is an encyclopedia, and all articles are presented from a neutral point of view. That means that when a subject has been involved in controversy (e.g., Bill Clinton), the article needs to present the full story fairly, accurately, and based on reliable sources rather than second-hand accounts and opinions. I don't know RLDS history enough to say whether there are any such incidents in the church's past; however, if there are any, they need to be covered in the subjects' articles and not glossed over. —C.Fred (talk) 15:18, 5 July 2010 (UTC)[reply]