Then there were three.

I have been reminded that Mr. Rubb was subjected to multiple insults himself, which is more than a technical violation of the rule. I apologize for that. Let me clarify what is, and is not, an insult in these parts:

Insult: "You are stupid."

Not an insult: "That idea/comment/argument/claim/etc. is deeply, devoutly, irredeemably stupid."

If it's not clear, think about it. Let's try to slice and dice the ideas, not the person. But again, this is much more a factory floor than a salon, so expect the occasional bruised ego. They heal.

Moreover, I now have a functioning email address and some information confirming that we are dealing with a full-orbed human being, and no spammer. Religion: "raised Catholic," but long since gone, has problem with authoritarian institutions. Other personal info far beyond what was asked for was also provided, but I'll leave that up to him to reveal.

In other words, the ban is lifted.

However, the topics will remain what I want to talk about, thank you. The communion story I deleted was interesting, but not germane, even tangentially. I think Amy Welborn's "agenda rule" remains a good one: If you really feel that passionately about an unrelated issue, blog it yourself.