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How much editing is allowed to improve a question or bring it to the point of being acceptable? I feel we have a lot of questions on hold (probably rightly so), and many could be salvaged with a little editing.

For example:

https://christianity.stackexchange.com/questions/35379/breaking-engagement-due-to-cheating

As one comment states, this would probably be acceptable if worded to ask something like: "Was it permitted in the OT to end an engagement due to cheating?"

But: Such a thing often can change the meaning of a question drastically. At present, I feel the question is too much a Truth question aimed at whether this is now acceptable behavior. It is difficult to judge whether an answer to the modified question is what the OP had in mind or is useful to him.

Is there a policy on editing questions? Should only OP edit the question in a way that may make an off-topic question on-topic?

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    Generally, I would not try to edit questions like the one you linked. I would not try to edit obvious Truth questions. In the end, the OP is still looking for advice not knowledge on doctrines, theology, history, etc.
    – user3961
    Dec 16, 2014 at 19:12

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Any amount of editing is acceptable, as long as you respect the intent of the original poster. What that means to us varies by user, but most of us would rather see an OP edit their question than do it ourselves: it demonstrates effort on their part, helps them learn how to use the site, and ensures the edits are in line with their intent.

That said, questions belong to us, not the OP, and any question, but especially abandoned questions, can be edited if you feel like it and the community agrees.

In your case, your rep is not yet high enough that you can edit without review. You should edit any question fitting your criterion that you are willing to do so for, as doing so will be massively beneficial to the site, and the extra review by higher rep users ensures that any mistakes or unpopular edits you suggest can be rejected safely without any risk of 'messing up' a question. Having your edit rejected doesn't hurt your rep, doesn't take anyone but you terribly much time, and isn't really that big of a deal. You (and other people like you) are thus at the ideal rep amount for these kinds of edits, as the mandatory independent confirmation that you are reforming these closed questions into useful, on-topic questions that are reasonably similar to their original questions is an extremely helpful safety net.

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    "That said, questions belong to us, not the OP, and any question, but especially abandoned questions, can be edited if you feel like it and the community agrees." Note that while this is true, the community generally doesn't think that offtopic questions should be forcibly brought ontopic except with the OP's input. Instead, ask a new question!
    – curiousdannii Mod
    Dec 16, 2014 at 12:48

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