These are the best ways to kill off MUDding in general, actually. You shouldn't do anything that you wouldn't do in real life, even if the world is a fantasy world. The important thing to remember is that it's the fantasy world of possibly hundreds of people, and not just yours in particular. Always remember that you may meet these other people some day, and they may break your nose. People who treat others badly gradually build up bad reputations and eventually receive the NO FUN Stamp of Disapproval.
Gods are the people who own the database.
Gods can do whatever they want to whomever they want whenever they want. Remember, they're human beings on the other side of the wire. Respect them for their generosity. It's up to you. Some jaded cynics like to laugh at idealists who think it's partially for real, but we personally think they're not playing it right.