Comment Policy

When I first started this blog, it was intended to be a better-formatted version of the quick book review/book musing notes I posted to facebook, for the amusement of my friends and family. Facebook’s notes have terrible formatting, and do not really support pictures, links, and videos. So, I moved my reviews to this blog.

Occasionally, I would write something different, like my post about the Requiem, or just a few poems that I liked.

I rarely got comments on these posts, and when I did, it was usually from family or friends or maybe friends of friends if I was lucky.

That all changed when a book club discussion led me down the rabbit hole of the Christian Reconstructionist movement, leading me to write a certain post that went (mildly) viral. I started getting comments from trolls and from people who just wished to argue. And also a lot of spam offering "enhancement" to my anatomy and other crap. I ended up deleting several comments, and changing the settings in an attempt to cut down on the junk.

I also decided to write a comment policy so that I can clarify how I respond to comments.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Comment Policy

I do not accept anonymous comments. Period. Get a Google account (or another login) if you want to comment. The internet is anonymous enough. Without exception, the worst comments come from people too chicken to give a name.

Comments on posts older than 7 days will be moderated. Those are the ones most likely to draw spam.

My blog is not a public forum. There are plenty of places to air your point of view, online and off. These venues will have better visibility than my blog anyway, and you can reach a larger audience.

On a related note, I am not a professional blogger. I do not represent a religious or civil organization. I am not a professional influencer. I make no money from any of my posts. I write for fun and my own pleasure. I have a law office and a family, and would rather spend time with them rather than argue with trolls.

Unlike, say, a religious or political organization, I do not feel I am obligated to defend my viewpoints to commentators, or provide a place for opposing viewpoints. This is for the same reason that I do not feel the need to argue with strangers at the mall. I’m just a person with a viewpoint and a blog, not a leader with followers.

That said, I do like a lively discussion, particularly with friends. I don’t mind it when people disagree with me, as long as they are not disagreeable.

With apologies to Micah Murray, from whom I stole this line, my blog is like my house. Come on in and talk, but if you have a bad attitude, you can go home. 

I may delete or moderate your comments, or ban you at my sole discretion and for any reason.

Trolls will be deleted and banned.

If your comment is an ad hominem retort, a gross generalization, or a lazy insult I may delete it.

If your comment is a link to someone else’s writing, without any of your own thought added, I may delete it. It reminds me too much of e-mail spam. If you wrote something interesting on the topic, however, I’ll probably read it, but I may or may not leave your link in place. I'll promote only what I find worthy of promotion. 

There are also some things that will automatically get your comment deleted. These generally fall into the category of “talking points.” Believe me, I have heard the vast majority of political and religious talking points. I don’t really want to hear them again. This goes double for Christian Patriarchy or Reconstructionism talking points. I’ve heard it. Don’t want to hear it again. Also for anyone promoting a racist or sexist point of view. Double if you promote White Supremacy or Anti-Semitism. (Yes, I have gotten attempted comments from guys with "nazi" and "kkk" in their usernames.)  On a related note, see the above policy on ad hominem, generalizations, and lazy work. 

Likewise, if all you are going to do is tell me I am wrong, you will probably be deleted. If you have genuine information that may be helpful, fine, but I'm not really interested in arguing. If you want to make your point that I am wrong, get your own blog. 

If you are just going to quote some verses to "prove" I am wrong, you will be deleted. Proof-texting is lazy and uninformed. I've experienced plenty of "bible thumping" already. Also, quoting a verse does not prove that your interpretation or hermeneutic is correct. To quote Darrell Lackey:

"Fundamentalist Christians (and some evangelicals), when the Church is discussing same-sex attraction, marriage, abortion, the death penalty, gender roles, or any other complicated issue where there is respectful disagreement on both sides, if you think merely quoting a Scripture verse somehow settles the matter, then you are incredibly shallow and, frankly, ignorant. If you really think the people in those discussions weren’t aware of those verses, then I feel sorry for you. It means you are a child who has wandered into an adult conversation." 

I have read the Bible numerous times - I have been immersed in it my entire life. It is highly unlikely that I haven't already heard your proof text and argument.  

On the positive side, I really enjoy thoughtful comments - particularly about books, music, or hiking. I usually respond to these kinds of comments, and have learned a lot from the discussion. 

Note on grammar:

I am a grammar snob. I'll confess it. I actually own a Chicago Manual of Style. I care, and care deeply about the accuracy of this blog. 

I do intentionally break rules from time to time. I am particularly fond of the dramatic use of the incomplete sentence. 

That said, I do not have the time or ability to catch everything. I make mistakes. I am also mildly dyslexic, so I don't always see mistakes. Sometimes, my wife or a regular reader catches them. Sometimes not. 

If you see a mistake, by all means, please let me know. I will make the correction and thank you. Either e-mail or a comment is fine, but I might delete the comment after making the correction because it would make no sense otherwise. Either way, I welcome corrections. If I disagree, I will be happy to let you know.