Here are the rules from another spiritual discussion forum that appear to work well for that forum.
Rules #9 and #12 have to most calming effect on those without much self control.
The Rules
1. Posting in Any Language Other Than English Is Not Allowed
2. Express Yourself Clearly, Coherently and Concisely.
3. Stay on Topic
4. Write Descriptive Titles
5. Do Not Neglect Spelling, Capitalization, Grammar and Punctuation
6. Keep Private Messages Private
7. WRITING IN ALL CAPS MEANS SHOUTING!
8. Respect Each Other and Each Other's Opinions
9. Public Discussion of the Forum Rules is Not Allowed
10. Banning - 3 Warnings and You're Out!
11. A New Thread Must Be Started in the Appropriate Category
12. Public Discussion of the Moderators' Actions is Not Allowed
13. Quote Only The Relevant Parts of Previous Posts
1. Posting in Any Language Other Than English Is Not Allowed
This forum is intended for English speakers, and all posts must be accessible to all users. For this reason posts in other languages are not allowed.
2. Express Yourself Clearly, Coherently and Concisely
While this forum supports and promotes a free flow of ideas, please make sure that your thoughts are easily comprehendible also to other forum members. In other words, write clearly, coherently and concisely.
3. Stay on Topic
When posting in an existing thread, please avoid off-topic posts. Non-related posts may be deleted by the Moderators. Remember, you can always start a new thread, dealing with a new topic.
4. Write Descriptive Titles
Please write titles that are descriptive of your post's content/topic. Here are more specific rules about writing titles, please be sure to follow them as we strive to make this forum as user-friendly as possible.
5. Do Not Neglect Spelling, Capitalization, Grammar, and Punctuation
We insist very strongly that users do their best when writing posts and titles. We understand that many of the visitors are not native English speakers, but neither are we. We do not expect perfect spelling and grammar. We simply wish that each person would do his best when writing. Our goal is to make the content of the forum clear and easily accessible to everyone who visits.
6. Keep Private Messages Private
Please do not post messages that are not related to the topic of the thread, and are of no interest to the general public. Private messages should be sent privately.
7. WRITING IN ALL CAPS MEANS SHOUTING!
You are allowed to SHOUT, YELL AND SCREAMMMMM every once in a while, but regular posts written in all caps will not be accepted. Also, DO NOT WRITE YOUR POST TITLES IN ALL CAPS!
8. Respect Each Other and Each Other's Opinions
This goes without saying, but if it is still not clear enough: respect each other and other's opinions and thoughts. Arguing is allowed, degrading each other and using offensive language are NOT.
9. Public Discussion of the Forum Rules is Not Allowed
If you feel that there is a rule that needs to be changed, or a rule that is missing, please contact a moderator or the admin privately. We do not allow public discussion of the forum rules.
10. Banning - 3 Warnings and You're Out!
This is a private community, much like a private home. Those who do not respect our rules have no place here.
11. A New Thread Must Be Started in the Appropriate Category
It is my intention for the content of this forum to be as organized as possible for the convenience of the readers and members. Therefore, please make sure to select the correct forum category before starting a new topic/thread.
12. Public Discussion of the Moderators' Actions is Not Allowed
If you feel that there is a moderator whose actions are inappropriate, please contact another moderator or the admin privately. We do not allow public discussion of the moderator's actions.
13. Quote Only The Relevant Parts of Previous Posts
This is a guideline regarding the Quote function. Whenever you're quoting a post that already exists in the thread, please quote only the parts that are relevant to your reply. Avoid quoting previous posts in their entirety, especially if the post you are referring to is the last post at time of your reply. This is important, in order to save in bandwidth, DB size and visual space.