Thoughts on comments

We welcome comments here at the St Paul's blog, and are happy for anyone to engage our authors. Everyone who writes here likes to know what you think about their essays or reports or sermons. We also encourage everyone to sign their comments, although this is not required.

 Of course, not all readers will agree with everything that we publish.  With all the voices we represent, that's not surprising!  We are a big, diverse community. Disagreement is healthy, as long as it's respectful.

However, recently someone posted anonymously on an older post and said something quite rude about one of our writers.  Obviously, there's a personal conflict that spilled onto the blog. (The comment was  intercepted before it was actually published.)

We're all human and like any community, each of us likes some people better than others.  Still, we are a church community, and we do try to hold ourselves to a high standard of getting along with one another despite our differences.  And that means, anonymous insults are not acceptable.

You'll notice over there on the sidebar, we remind you that the moderators will delete any inappropriate comments.  We also suggest you consider a couple of Bible verses before you comment, especially for a post by an author with whom you disagree:

Ephesians 4:29-5:2Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up, as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear. 

Matthew 5:22 But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgment; and if you insult a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council; and if you say, ‘You fool,’ you will be liable to the hell of fire.

Romans 12:17-19 Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.’  

Disagreement is fine, constructive criticism too,  but anonymous rude remarks are not.  It's a good rule of thumb that if you would be uncomfortable having your name publicly associated with a comment you make here (or anywhere else on the internet for that matter), it's probably a good indication that you shouldn't make it.  Let's try to model the world we want to live in.

Peace.

Susan Forsburg (blogmaster)