Among the Touchstone editors there has always been a strong consensus on what gentlemanly behavior is and a corresponding resolve to hold ourselves and our contributors to that standard in all our publishing efforts. This is based on our agreement about how Christians should present themselves to each other and to the world, as high examples of gentle reasonableness--patient, sympathetic, quick to explain and slow to anger.
We will henceforward require the same from all contributors to this weblog. We do not wish for anyone to be reluctant to make comments on Mere Comments for fear of being ridiculed, patronized, or otherwise abused by other contributors. Unfortunately, in the past a great deal of that has happened because we editors have not had the time adequately to supervise the site and deal appropriately with comments that do not meet our modest standards.
Fortunately, those days are over. The editors now have a moderator--who will remain anonymous—who, we believe, will do a good job in keeping discourse in Mere Comments civil.
This does not mean disagreement may not be expressed in strong terms, but that those who do it must find a way our moderator finds acceptable. We will not listen to complaints about not being allowed to call people bad names they deserve to be called. One is free to try that--but the one making the comment had better be sure the moderator, who may consult with the editors on marginal cases, will agree that in doing so he is doing something which the Lord would approve of (and is not acting like a swine).
Whole comments will either be accepted or rejected--we will not edit--without apology or explanation. Also, the moderator will have the ability (and the right!) to ban some individuals from submitting future comments after it is determined they are wasting too much of the moderator’s time. We must add that most of our contributors are in no danger of being banned.
We also hope that others who have been driven away by the atmosphere-souring rudeness of a few will find their way back to Mere Comments. Indeed, we invite them back. Let it be known that someone is now regularly minding the street, and that bullies and hijackers (as well as those wishing to proselytize for their church and tear down others) are not welcome.
Everyone will start with a clean slate, even the contributors about whom there have been numerous complaints, and whose aggressions have brought us to the place where we believe radical corrective measures are necessary. It is our intention that Mere Comments look more like a school for wisdom than it has for some time, and our belief that this end is best served by giving a good moderator sufficient power to insure it.
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