I completely agree with your comments, Lynn.
Well, except that I use Rainbows a lot without any silicone and never have a problem. However, I have read enough comments about thread on this forum to realize that threads act differently on different machines.
My first sewing machine was a Singer that I routinely took apart to clean and oil. My Pfaff needs machine oil in the bobbin area but is "self-oiling" and I can hear it "squirt" when I turn it on! I am warned not to oil it anywhere but the bobbin case after cleaning because too much oil attracts thread dust. I also have a Juki that I have used alot, mainly for machine quilting before Millie, and it had places where I needed to oil frequently. Millie has those little wicks that I over-oiled in the beginning, but Amy at APQS set me straight when I sent her back for a Spa treatment. My point is there are a lot of different machines with very different requirements!
With all my machines I have used the oil recommended by the manufacturer. That strategy has never failed me. I am sure though the oil today is probably a better product than 30+ years ago when I was oiling my Singer!!