Without that?

Because it seems pretty clear to me that the offense was offensive language and the warning would have enabled him to avoid it.

Just like it would enable you to avoid it, even if you'd never read any of these posts. Of course, you have read them, like the rest of us, and I suspect no one will be repeat offending knowing they could eat both a slay and a purge.

Personally I barely view slay as a punishment at all, and I've eaten a few from killing imms' followers in their shrines. One was a bash down rather than a slay but a death alone is nothing. Losing all your gear, on the other hand, is quite severe unless it was largely gone already.