About This Blog (Read This If You Ever Plan to Comment)

About This Blog (Read This If You Ever Plan to Comment)

So, once in a while I find it essential to explain my blog to readers. This is helpful especially for me and those who intend to comment here about what I write.

This blog is “my place” to express my opinions, much as a newspaper’s “Opinion Page” is the editor’s or publisher’s place to express his or her or their opinions. Most such opinion pages in newspapers or other publications include a space for “letters to the editor.” Editors of opinion pages do NOT publish every letter they receive. I know because I have written literally hundreds of letters to the editors of newspapers. I have also submitted columns for potential publication. I have never expected that I had any right to have my submissions published.

Posting comments here is solely at my discretion and I do not have to give any reason for posting or not posting them. I tend to delete, not post, comments are are: overly long, off topic, insulting, hostile or argumentative. I get many comments for moderation that are clearly someone’s attempt to use my blog to promote their own, alternative beliefs. I generally avoid posting those here.

What I look for in comments is intelligent, informed, thoughtful comments. Especially if they disagree with what I wrote, I expect them to include some facts that can be verified.

From here on I will no longer post comments that MAINLY recommend books or articles or authors without explaining WHY they are being recommended. The “why” needs to include a key quotation from the book or at least a paraphrase summary of the book’s or article’s main point and how it relates to what I wrote. The same with authors. If you mention an author who promotes an alternative view to mine, you must explain and not just “drop the name” of the author.

All that is to say that this blog is a place for me to express my opinions and engage in useful, meaningful, helpful dialogue with those who agree and those who disagree. Never simply post here a comment that is a mere phrase or scripture passage or quotation without explanation. This is NOT a “discussion board” or a “free-for-all” debate forum.

I also do not post comments that reveal that the commenter did not read my entire blog post (to which he or she is responding) or that he or she stupidly misunderstood it. Again, I will not post comments that appear TO ME to attempts to misuse my blog to promote the writer’s alternative beliefs, opinions, worldview, etc.

I also will not post comments that are mere accusations, ad hominem arguments, rants, etc. Disagreement is welcome so long as it is calm, well-supported, and most definitely related, directly, to what I wrote.

Thanks for your understanding and compliance.