Right from the start XMarks has had a strict rule of no politics or religion. The rules were there when each and every one of us signed on to be a member.
I agree wholeheartedly with those rules. Religion and politics can ruin a forum very fast.

This is a site about kilts.
This area is Off Topic but still a part of the forum and subject to the rules.

Doc Hudson wrote, "I am afraid that such strict rules, and strict adherence to those rules will destroy the very ambiance that has made Xmarks THE kilted site on the Web."
The rules were in place when that ambiance was created and, in fact, contributed to the ambiance.

I didn't read the thread in question after my first look at it. It wasn't anything close to kilt related, or anything else I'm interested in. I don't know how religious it got, or even why it was killed.

NOW HEAR THIS!
I am not anti-religious, so don't even start with me. The rules on this site work, so I like them. We all signed up for a forum that doesn't allow religious or political discussion. Anyone trying to change the rules of the forum to suit their religious beliefs should be talked to by Hank right away. Any delay allows more people to feel unwelcome and that's bad for the forum.
I am for the good of this forum. I had more than enough of the religious flame wars on Tom's Cafe. Nobody changed their mind on either side. All there was was an exodus of people seeking peaceful discussion of kilts TO THIS SITE!