Rules for Engagement
Rules for Engagement
How to earn a thoughtful reply and protect real conversation.
Purpose
Protect real conversation; avoid performative debates. Charitable, concise, one-claim-at-a-time.
Ground rules
- Charity first (steelman). Summarize my claim in 2–3 sentences before you critique. If I’d say “yes, that’s fair,” proceed.
- One claim per thread. No Gish-gallops, motte-and-bailey, or sea-lioning.
- Name your standard. If you reject my biblical authority, declare yours (e.g., human reason, dialectical materialism, utilitarian ethics, etc.) and why it binds all minds.
- Citations, not vibes. Quote sources or Scripture; avoid ad hominem, whataboutism, and psychologizing motives.
- Scope discipline. Stay with this post’s thesis; new topics → new thread.
- Civility. No insults, doxxing, or persistence after “no further reply.”
How I reply (three lanes)
- Engage: Meets rules → I may answer once, maybe twice.
- Acknowledge: “Thanks—read /engage to qualify for a reply.”
- Ignore/Moderate: Violations may be hidden or the user banned.
Rewards for good-faith speech
- Monthly Top Comment shout-out.
- Occasional invite to long-form Q&A.
Family boundary
“I love you. I won’t litigate our relationship in public threads. If you want a real conversation, contact me privately.”
Moderation
I may turn comments off, limit to subscribers/paid, lock threads, delete comments, or ban users at my discretion.
Submissions that pass may receive a considered response or invite to structured Q&A; others may receive silence.
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