Public Service Announcement

For whom it may concern we have, with a twinkle in our eye, placed the boxes "Brilliant" "Interesting" and "Heretical" below each post as a quick way of giving us feed back regarding your reaction to what we write.

It may seem given their order that they effectively mean: "Agree" "Neutral" and "Disagree". This however is not the case.

It is perfectly conceivable to acknowledge something as "brilliant" even while "disagreeing... it is perfectly conceivable that you find something that you agree, disagree or aren't sure about "interesting"... In fact I often find the stuff I disagree with far more interesting than stuff I agree with... "Interesting" in particular suggests appreciation regarding presentation and topic...

"Heretical" or as I like to call it the: "I'm an asshole box."  There are two possibilities I consider when we receive a check in the heretical box 1) that you have great sense of humour and feel positively about our post but are affirming that there are assholes that would call us heretics and clicking the box because its hilarious or 2) you are an asshole.

The word "Heretic" is a loaded term that gets thrown around way to much in current theological discussion, particularly at the average level, where study is shallow, nuance is minimal, emotions are excited and actual relationships are at stake.

Because of the baggage of, most notably, the Inquisition the charge of heresy is significantly greater than mere disagreement which is potentially amicable enough. No the charge of heresy has the distinct connotation that a position and therefore a person has stepped so far outside what another person considers acceptable that they are minutes away from tweeting "good bye" to their ex-friend/colleague and newly pronounced heretic. The terms excommunication and damnation are certainly the implied potential or imminent consequences for heretics, who enjoy the sixth circle of hell in Dante's inferno.

Unless you are Catholic or Orthodox you have no way determining orthodoxy with any communal authority so declaring us heretical is either hilarious or mean or both... If you are Catholic or Orthodox then we were officially heretical according to your community before whatever it is we posted that you didn't like so now you are just being mean and superfluous.

Heresy, Heretic and Heretical are conversation and relationship ending words that should either be used either with hilarity in safe relationship (with other safety words like "button") or used very very sparsely, with humility and the utter seriousness. We don't know who you are when you click "Heretical" but be aware it brings an equal amount of judgement on you as you have brought on us. If you click it, we know we are doing our jobs well. Because if we are not deemed heretical every so often clearly we have become irrelevent toaters of the status quo, and our Jesus really messed that up so we are following the greats in rattling the pot and encouraging thought and interaction with ideas. We want people to feel free to click that box, if they would deem something heretical. Of course, we expect you to also comment if you are laying such a charge... this way, together, we can redeem its current tendency to end conversations.

Now as you look at the boxes below remember this is not a simple agree or disagree system. If you want to agree or disagree make a comment... These boxes are more like a "high five" "a thoughtful nod" and "kick to the nuts/punch in the boob/crucification" and we will interpret it as such and pray for your redemption. "Funny" is of course self explanatory and is the appropriate box to tick for this post.