@Rickross, thanks. The new mods are ready to take people's input, hence it's constructive to participate in meta. Looking forward for stable & integrated community in future.
@iammilind The process of deciding websites to allow is bit tricky and not simple I think. Further we will have to maintain the list by revising it through some community appeoval process.
@iammilind As we can't pre-judge the authenticity of all sites, we can't restrict source at present. As I said in my answer it can only be implemented after determination of allowed sites by community.
@iammilind Rather, I think what the good idea would be is: we can provide lists and encourage users to cite them. The following post was made for such purpose:
I would like to accumulate a list of acceptable sources and citations here for the site.
This is because of the following reasons:
It would be helpful as a reference. We can have this in community bulletin. When writing answers, we might need a source for some important scriptures. It might not...
@Pandya, Ok .. in such case, it will be good if you may cite that post itself in your answer.
But if we don't decide on the approved website, then that means people are allowed to cite any website ==> hence any work. It will be difficult to judge what is blog and what is genuine.
@iammilind Yes, I'll link that post in my answer. Btw hve you find the list of useful resources to get Scriptures?
@iammilind Though it doesn't look big problem to judge which is reliable and which is blog/unreliable at present, If we actually need such list of approved website, we can either create a post for that but I think it is better to accumulate websites first.
@Pandya Some of the sites which should be allowed are already given in one of your answers..like Kamakoti,Sringeri etc..But even in those cases its not like that i am simply quoting from that site..I am quoting either Scriptures or from some scholarly book written by some Acharyas like Maha Periyava etc..For ex i personally often quote from essence of puranas book hosted by kamakoti
@Pandya, I think the list illustrated by @TheDestroyer is quite iterative. But it's not yet a rule. Also are all the websites accepted from that link?
The rule of thumb can be like this: -- Either cite the verse number, such as BG X.Y or Purana/Veda A.B -- Or cite from the trusted website, such as sacred-texts.com
@iammilind No, it is nothing but the opinions of others. If you find a quora answer citing some reliable source like scripture, you should directly cite that scripture.
@Pandya, that means we should have a rule for "disallowing" certain website (e.g. quora). Otherwise, your hands will be tied & you can't delete that answer.
@iammilind If Quora answer has exact quotes, says BG 2.3 or some scriptures, we can accept it, but there's no need to mention Quora link. If it is personal opinion, it is not allowed. Same rules how we decide a blog source .
@Pandya, I know. I am just playing here the devil's advocate. If someone cites a source from there, then under what criteria will you disallow that answer. According @TheDestroyer, quora is personal opinion. So I asked, how something is determined as "personal opinion" or not?
@TheDestroyer, you are explaining me something which I am already convinced. :-) I am aware what you describe about quora.com. But you can't explain the same to new user, unless there is a rule.
Here, we are just trying to bring objectivity into it. **How** something is determined as "personal opinion" or not?
If there is any quality and well researched answer in Quora or Yahoo with appropriate references, can that be put in an answer here as a reference link? Sometimes those answers accumulate references from different reliable sources in a single place, hence can that link be given in Hinduism.SE's a...
@TheDestroyer ^^ I think better to declare there that Quora, Yahoo and other Q & A forum can't be considered as reliable source and one should not cite them.
@Pandya, I have visited that Q&A long back. Do we want to continue that rule, then it's worth mentioning it. It seems that in that old post, there is no clear strategy for quora.
@iammilind That's complex. If a person gives his own intepretation for a quote, say, Brhadaranyaka Upanishad 1.4.10 "Aham Brahmasmi". Should we disallow it or allow it? Definitely, we don't allow if he won't cite any sources. But at same time interpretations of all Acharyas are allowed.
@iammilind His interpretation may go well with Acharyas interpretation or may not be in accordance with Acharyas.
@TheDestroyer, what do you mean by "a person". Do you mean a user from Hinduism.SE? What about some modern acharya's work?
I think, you are making it subjective & speculative. As of now, it's ok, but when you delete an answer then it can be problematic for the user.
@Pandya @TheDestroyer Moreover, quora.com was just an example. Ok .. let's take an example of a very nice & accepted answer from @Rickross on Pornography: http://hinduism.stackexchange.com/a/15336/1049
Now you may refer to my comment there: http://hinduism.stackexchange.com/questions/15138/what-is-hinduisms-view-on-porn#comment39914_15336
We will not discuss, what is right & what is wrong. The above thing is only for reference (as I remembered it)
The work which is cited from Dharmasindhu is modern work. Now do we compare that with quora / blog / personal opinion or not?
@TheDestroyer, ok so that should be added to @Pandya's answer. Because it's not clear.
@TheDestroyer, BTW, Quora allows "verified profiles". Many famous people write there with real identity. Now do we have a policy, that if some Acharaya (verified or not) writes on Quora & that can be cited?
@iammilind Dharma Sindhu, as you said it is modern work. But making such works is common in our history. Vedanta Sutras were written by some Badarayana Vyasa after understanding End portion of Veds. I think all such "sutras " came from vedas. if we go by that, we should also accept, Dharma Sindhu.
@iammilind I'm not sure we have a policy on that. But we allow discourses of Acharyas (a Video or Audio source can be cited).
@TheDestroyer, Ok fine. As of now, things are in place. Regarding websites, I think we want to keep an open stance by not listing them. I will come back further, if any more points.
I would like to accumulate a list of acceptable sources and citations here for the site.
This is because of the following reasons:
It would be helpful as a reference. We can have this in community bulletin. When writing answers, we might need a source for some important scriptures. It might not...
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