From Zippy2006
And yet the slope has certainly increased. Knight's slope provided for free speech to a very large degree, and therefore invited and welcomed those of differing beliefs, perhaps treating them harshly at times but allowing them to fight back, not tying their hands behind their backs as they are struck. Not so anymore.
If people don't like being hit without being allowed to strike back, being abused without being allowed to defend themselves or retaliate, or dealing with hypocritical moderation, they will leave. TOL is inevitably becoming less lively. The irony--and most unfortunate problem--is that it is "Christians" who are taking back with their left hand what they have given with their right. If you are a non-Christian who has survived on TOL, then chances are you already know how to turn the other cheek more than the Christians.
I am all in favor of a more civil environment, but strongly against a half-civil hypocritical environment. So the working model for TOL is changing: debate and lively discussion will slowly begin to dry up as this becomes another strongly-biased forum of like-minded people reinforcing what they already believe; a technologically advanced bridge club, not a theological or political forum.