And Now, A Word from Our Moderator.

I'm just a guy with a family, a day job, and a blog. (Hint: the word order is significant.)

I'm not here 24/7 (more like 3/4), and when I am here, I don't check all the comments. Even when I manage to check them, I don't respond to all of them. Therefore, you should not interpret a lack of response on my part as anything other than a lack of response. Silence does not equal disinterest, disagreement or a tacit endorsement. For example, Raving Atheist dropped by with a flusher-iffic opinion that I didn't even notice for a week. When I stumbled across it, I realized I hadn't missed anything.

All of which is a roundabout way of saying that I am extraordinarily moderate in my moderating. I installed the comment system to encourage discussion, disagreement, opinions and (most welcome) major suck-uppery.

I haven't had to delete or ban anything or anyone in the seven months this blog has been in existence. I'm not planning to now.

Wait for it....

But. I will if I have to. Actually, since I have other things to do in my life than patrol my blog, I'm much more likely to say the hell with it and pull the comment system entirely.

All I expect is basic courtesy towards each other. It can be a stiff, grudging, throttled-anger kind of courtesy--my definition is loose. You can call an opinion stupid, grasping, venal, etc., but I simply ask that you not apply the same labels to the person. Think "Catholic." And don't give me the St. Paul/St. Jerome excuses for invective unless you can prove you have (1) written inspired scripture or (2) translated your own version of the Bible by yourself.

Last time I checked, (1) the canon is closed and (2) Msgr. Knox is dead (God rest his brilliant soul).

If you are a more secular-minded visitor, comport yourself like you were a major party candidate at a presidential debate and remember that the candidates criticize "fuzzy math" "and there you go again." To my knowledge, no candidate has dropped the a-h bomb (or worse) in a major debate.

Vociferous disagreement is welcome. Cheap shots at posters are not. Especially when I personally know several of the posters here, and tend to take such shots badly.

Police yourselves and we'll all be happy. Don't wake the moderator.