Once More On Comments (Updated)

by on April 20, 2010 | 10 Comments

Update: a Canadian journalist agrees. (HT: Norman Petersman)

Original Post 6 April 2010

Just a word from the management. Here’s the comments policy:

https://heidelblog.net/comments-policy/

“Commenters on the HB must take responsibility for their comments. Therefore they must use their real names. If using your real name would cause undue hardship you are welcome to contact the management to ask for a waiver of the policy.”

I will publish most comments, even those that are ill-tempered and critical of the management of the HB, but I won’t publish anonymous or pseudonymous comments unless publishing your name would create undue hardship. If you’re going to have at me, you have to own your comments and take public responsibility for them.

You must also use a real email address. I have tried to contact some of you only to find folk using phony email addresses.

    Post authored by:

  • R. Scott Clark
    Author Image

    R.Scott Clark is the President of the Heidelberg Reformation Association, the author and editor of, and contributor to several books and the author of many articles. He has taught church history and historical theology since 1997 at Westminster Seminary California. He has also taught at Wheaton College, Reformed Theological Seminary, and Concordia University. He has hosted the Heidelblog since 2007.

    More by R. Scott Clark ›

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10 comments

  1. I was just trying to avoid accountability. 😉 Just a note for anyone who is as silly as me, if you’re a WordPress user you can edit your display name by going My Account Edit Profile.

    • Hi Benjamin,

      Sorry, I should have been clearer. This wasn’t a shot at you. I’ve had to delete several comments recently because the commenters aren’t following the policy.

      Thanks for the tips.

      You can also just sign your name at the end of posts. You don’t have to edit your WP account to comment here.

      s

  2. Scott,

    This policy may have a side benefit of weeding out those who want to “shoot and scoot” thus keeping the likely-to-be unproductive comments down to a minimum.
    Surely there will still be those asses that wish to bray or those pigs that wish to fly.

  3. It reminds me of another individual who was on a forum for all of a day or 2 and wouldn’t sign his real name to posts—which is the rule. It also caused another to leave because he didn’t want a debate or conversation with someone who he didn’t know by real name, only a pseudonym.

  4. Dr. Clark,

    I think you should also add to your comments policy “Please go ahead and read a copy of RCC, before engaging in debate on the topics covered in the book.” Perhaps that could be more suggestion than policy, but it seems to be the thrust of many of your responses. That way, the commentators who direct comments at you know the requirements of getting a response that goes beyond “Read the RCC”! 🙂

      • Yes! Indeed, I did mean RRC. Maybe you should also suggest to all commentators that they proofread their comments before hitting submit! I am full of good ideas on how to improve your comments policy today.

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