Blog Comment Policy

Well, it had to happen eventually so here is my policy on posting comments to this blog. Its not that many people are rude but enough come along who think this is their playground and their ball and insist on playing it their way. I hope this isn't restrictive in any way and that it helps us focus on issues

This blog addresses a variety of issues surrounding faith and life from an Evangelical Christian and biblical perspective. All comments are moderated before being posted. That said it is always encouraging when people post lively comments that challenge preconceptions, bring new insights and move the discussion along. To keep order and encourage discussion I would appreciate people keeping to the following rules:

Please, let’s be civilised and avoid personal attacks or inappropriate personal comments. Contributions can be robust and challenging but should be informative and constructive. Whatever our faith position most contributors at least consider themselves “Christian” and should behave accordingly. Remember, “Do as you would be done by.”

Sometimes in robust discussion offence is taken when none is offered. Let’s be grown up about this and not hide behind feigned expressions of hurt. George Orwell wrote, “Liberty is the right to tell others what they don’t want to hear.” There is no such thing as the right to not be offended.

Please try to stick to the subject under discussion in any given post. By all means introduce what might be appropriate and helpful related issues but keep these relevant. If you must follow a tangent somewhere not germane to the post why not suggest it as a separate discussion?

In discussion quotes are appropriate within reason but I don’t tolerate wholesale cut-and-paste jobs. It is just lazy to expect others to do your thinking for you. I solicit your views, not the views of your leaders, or those whose books/sermons/blogs/web sites you admire. Links to outside sites will be allowed though carefully monitored and short messages like, “nice blog”, accompanied by links designed to do no more than advertise another blog/website will not be posted. (Comments with Chinese characters NEVER get through)

I prefer contributors not remain anonymous, although I understand why some would prefer that and will not have a hard and fast rule about this. I like to know who I am talking to however and this doesn't seem unreasonable since anyone can know who I am and, anyway, what have you got to hide? This doesn't mean your comments will not be posted but they will be considered carefully.