Moderation reminders

This is a reminder that comments on this blog are moderated. Moderation has significantly helped the atmosphere of this blog to be more Christlike. I never like to disapprove a comment. I only disapprove a comment if it breaks one of our posting guidelines in the upper left of this blog.

If my work load can allow it, I try to communicate with those whose comments have been disapproved so they can know why they were not approved and can revise them so them can be re-posted and approved. But many of you do not have your email addresses attached to your posting link, such as on a blog you may have. I have tried as hard as I can googling for some of your email addresses, but am unsuccessful.

So, if you do not see a comment of yours posted, please do feel free to contact me off-blog so I can email you about that post.

Believe it or not, I do not take sides when it comes to moderation. I know that some of you do not believe this and I have to live with that. I do make mistakes in moderating, but I try very hard to following the posting guidelines as my moderating guidelines. And other co-bloggers here, I am sure, do the same when they approve or disapprove comments on this blog.

I am especially on the lookout for sarcasm and similar communication breakers. Any comment such as "See, I told you so. A leopard can't change its spots" or "Fellow blog member, don't even try to get your point across. It won't work. It's a lost cause," will not be approved. You may feel it is a fact when you are sarcastic or in the ballpark of sarcasm, but it is really just a statement of opinion. And it is a statement which does not build up the Body of Christ. Yes, Paul the Apostle was, at times, sarcastic. But as you all know by now, I am not Paul the Apostle. And my writings are not inspired as his were, so I try not to be sarcastic and I try to disallow comments from others which are, as well. Maybe I should add that I come from a family where there were many cruel putdowns. I was often sarcastic myself. But my dear wife helped me understand that my sarcasm was hurtful instead of helpful. By God's grace it stopped essentially immediately, because I love my wife. I'm still working on some of my other sins, which haven't stopped immediately.

We really do welcome all viewpoints on this blog. I appreciate so very much the different comments as well as blog posts from all of you when they are written with graciousness toward those with whom you disagree, especially others on this blog.

Oh, another thing which I do not approve on this blog is airing dirty laundry in public. If you have a private grievance against someone else on this blog, you need to use the biblical approach and email them privately. If you do not have their email address, you can ask me if I have it and I can give it to you if I have it. Or you can post a comment asking that person to email you privately.

Thanks, as always, to each of you who try to help this be a safe place for discussing divisive issues.