Thank you for honoring Badge's purpose

A reminder: "A Badge of Honor" was created so that people who have experienced unchristlike behavior at so-called Christian online groups and forums, may have a place to report this behavior. The intention is that two things may then happen: The person targeted by such behavior has the opportunity to tell the truth about what happened to him/her (since such venues often shroud their behavior in secrecy), and, through informing other Christians of what happens on these sites, positive change may be effected as members of such groups insist on more christlike behavior from their group leaders and one another.

The purpose of this site has been honored by those who have submitted stories and, for the most part, by those who have submitted comments to them. As always, comments are still welcome (with the exception of one non-story entry for which it is clearly posted that comments will not be accepted).

A number of "Badge" readers have been aware of one notable exception from an individual who blatantly attempted to divert discussion from the stories to grab for center stage for herself, demanding that I follow side issues, despite my statement that I will NOT do that. Again, I will NOT follow you elsewhere to discuss anything. IF you follow the same rules as anyone else, your own story can be posted and your comments will be accepted. IF your comments don't conform to the guidelines posted, they will not be accepted. It's really not difficult. I don't appreciate lies about Badge of Honor told elsewhere, but obviously I don't have any power to prevent people from lying. That's a matter for their own consciences. I really don't appreciate people targeting anyone who tells a Badge of Honor story for slander or ridicule. Again, however, it is beyond my power to prevent this kind of unchristlike, juvenile behavior. If you find yourself doing such things, the responsibility is entirely your own; I hope you find your conscience a tormenting companion until you repent and make amends. But whatever your reasons or lack thereof for this kind of misbehavior, remember that I will not permit you to engage in it here at Badge of Honor. That's not a matter of my "not accepting comments"; on the contrary, it is a matter of my enforcing some standards of Christian decency for comments at this venue.

As with nearly all entries, I will accept comments to this entry, so long as they conform to the posted guidelines. Please do not waste your time or mine by submitting comments that don't.

Let's clear up some misconceptions, shall we?

"A Badge of Honor" is a clearinghouse for people to tell their stories when they've been treated in an unchristlike manner by online Christian communities. They compose their stories themselves and submit them to the Postmaster for inclusion on "A Badge of Honor." The people who tell their stories are NOT the postmaster. I preserve their anonymity, as well as my own, unless they indicate they want personally-identifiable information to be posted. Read a ways down to find the parameters of story postings here.

I knew only one person who's submitted a story here, before he or she requested inclusion in "Badge." All others I've met when they e-mailed me. I did very limited "advertising" about the site when I first set it up at 4t.com (recently renovated and now in blog format) and people started sending me their stories. I've had to twist no one's arm, nor have I posted fake stories or composites. I don't do background checks on the people who send me their stories and I don't try to figure out their real-life identities. They're on their honor to tell the truth about what happened to them on the sites they write about. With all the nut cases hanging about the web and with the way some of them have been treated, no one ought to blame them for a desire to remain anonymous online.

As for thinking I'm some person or other: As most people who frequent the web are aware, people link to other people's sites all the time. An example is Metacrock, who blogs at Metacrock's Blog, and who visited "A Badge of Honor." Metacrock blogged an entry and linked to "Badge." Metacrock is in no way responsible for the content or scope of "A Badge of Honor." Metacrock is not the Badge Postmaster, nor (I suspect) would he wish to be. So...if you have a gripe with Badge, my e-mail addy is clearly posted all over here. In case you missed it, it's badgepostmaster.hotmail.com (edited 3/17/07 to reflect current e-mail contact). If you want to get in touch with Metacrock, you'll need to contact him yourself; I don't take messages. Who knows? He might even be glad to hear from you. Just don't insult him by confusing him with me. And I've never been a part of the CCC community, nor have I any wish to be. I do read their public archives, and that's the reason why I've never desired to be counted in their number.

So Mike, though I'm in no way upset to have been mistaken for Metacrock, I'm surprised that you made the mistake. He never called himself the Postmaster, we have totally different writing styles, and he has a different Blogger ID than I do (which showed when he commented on "Badge"). You might even want to find out if there's a reason for why he does what you were so quick to ridicule. Were he your brother (as indeed he is in the Lord), maybe you'd think twice before judging him as you have. Do you want people making nasty comments about your spelling and grammar? It could be done, and it might only be carelessness on your part.

Think whatever you like about "Badge." Post whatever you wish, truth or lie, on your sites. But for the sake of your own witness and everyone's well-being, the truth is much preferable!