I have a task and a purpose in maintaining this blog. It is free and a work of love and an offering to God. It provides a place to write about the Orthodox faith. It also provides a place for reasonable discussion of the topic at hand.
By the same token, it is not a site that answers all questions about the Orthodox faith because I do not know everything about the Orthodox faith. Nor is it a place for argument, because I believe argument to generally be useless and simply a work of the flesh.
I have jokingly said in the past that when comments get past 50, very little new or interesting is being said. It is certainly the case that the original article becomes more and more obscured by comments and the work and labor of my own writing is largely nullified.
Unlike general readers, I am obligated to read every comment and maintain the order of this small creation.
Recently, one article had 187 comments. I have turned comments off on that posting. The discussion while interesting to a few kind souls had long since ceased to have any genuine relationship with the original article and its points. I do not have the time to manage such discussions.
I would ask those who comment to help the conversation stay on track and close to the matter at hand. We serve a good God who works ceaselessly for the salvation of all. This blog, occasionally blessed with playing a role in someone’s conversion, is in no way necessary to the mission of the Church or God’s Kingdom. I need God – but I am not necessary to Him.
Please forgive me as we begin this Lenten season and pray for a blessing on this small internet effort.
Please forgive me Fr Stephen
Please pray for me the sinner
May God forgive us all, Katia.
Have a blessed fast, Father. May we emerge in the brightness of Pascha at a place more pleasing to the Lord, such that He may say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
God forgives.
Forgive me, Father.
GetReligion.org started a separate email list (like Yahoo!Groups or Google Groups) to deal with just this sort of issue. The list is a place where tangential, extended or not really on-topic, private conversations that started in the combox could be continued. It’s sort of like an e-version of Frist Things’ ROFTers. Just a thought.
Thanks for your work here, Father.
Thank you, Father, for your continued posting on this blog. It has helped me immensely as I continue to explore Orthodoxy. 🙂
Forgive me, Father. And may God forgive us both.
Out of curiosity I spent about an hour reading through all the 100+ comments on your recent Scripture post, Father. It made me realize how blessed we are that you are so patient in and dedicated to this particular form of ministry. Thank you.
Fr Stephen:
Point well taken.
One encouragement is that so many people have honest questions about E. Orthodoxy and about what the Lord has taught His people.
Thanks for your labor of love,
Paul J
You practice ‘limit-setting’ well.
Bless Father!
As an avid reader of this blog, I try to avoid the comments: usually my blood gets boiling for all the wrong reasons. There are plenty of places on the internet for people to hash out their views, engage in spirited repartee and to seek more information on their personal quest. I wish the main postings with Father Stephen’s commentary stood alone.
All the best,
Daniel
I am so grateful to God for this blog and for your careful, pastoral oversight of it, Fr. Stephen, thank you! Thanks God!
I appreciate being able to post sometimes, even to let you know how thankful I am. I have noticed, especially with the Lenten oriented postings, that I am doubly blessed at times when you respond to one of the comments in the comments section.
As someone who also hosts a blog, I recently vented rage in my comments section at a man who was trying to convert me to Jehovah’s Witnessism. I was well over the top in many, many ways in my responses, and I hope the Lord will forgive me for offending the man needlessly and I hope that he will not see Orthodox people through the lens of one stupid catachumen’s rage.
Forgive me, Father. Forgive me, world. Forgive me, Jesus. Forgive me, Jeff, whoever you are, wherever you may be…
“I believe argument to generally be useless and simply a work of the flesh.”
Amen! If only my college Bible study leaders would have known this. If only I had known it and not participated in endless arguments in the name of knowing Scripture.
Please forgive me as well.
Father Stephen,
Thanks to you and God who works through you for this blog. Your patient answering of my questions has brought me closer to God and to his Church.
Perhaps turning off comments in general, for a time, would allow us to relearn the habit of listening and learning instead of talking.
Regardless your ministry here is valuable and I again say thanks and forgive me. Pray for my salvation.
Regards,
Lucias
I am completely against comments! (just kidding 😀 ). For the most part I find the comments beneficial. Keep up the good work Fr. Stephen, and thank you!
I agree with you Father, because in so many ‘debates’ or some comments which begin to be defensive and who right or who wrong, actually don’t bring the peace and love that Our Lord thaught us, and clearly the work of flesh…
Forgive me, Father. Bless me, Father.
Yudi Kris
Just dropping by.Btw, you website have great content!
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