True, spam is not the same. That's why you can publish spam with not being unethical or illegal, as the message is not personal but sent with just commercial purposes.

On the other hand, PMs are public, directed to someone and originated from someone specific. That makes it exactly the same as snail mail. I don't know the law term in english for this but it's a postal xyz (not crime, not offence, you will know the word), just as opening somebody else's mail.

I've read now all messages in this thread and besides the "piss my throat" one, none I found offensive (and if throat pissing was more common, not even that one). They may be too direct, cold, hopeless, etc. But they don't qualify to be offensive IMHO.

If a judge could care to make a decision on this thread, he would surely find that there is private mail revelation and given the subject of the website, would consider that those PMs are not offensive.

Guys: Just don't send this kind of messages in your bible study website.