Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope, but do it with gentleness and reverence, keeping your conscience clear, so that, when you are maligned, those who defame your good conduct in Christ may themselves be put to shame. —1 Peter 3:15-16

PROTOCOLS & RULES OF CONDUCT

Some general Protocols to remember:

To facilitate the Educational Q & A nature of our Forums, the Forum Hosts and⁄or the Q & A Manager reserve the right to refuse to answer without comment questions which are thinly veiled attacks on the Catholic Church or the Catholic worldview, that violate or are inconsistent with these published policies, or that are otherwise unproductive to the purpose of our Forums. Judgement of what constitutes an attack, violation of policy, or unproductive question is left up to the individual Forum Host and/or the Q & A Manager.

1. DO RESPECT THE HOST AND READERS: Our Hosts are willing to answer almost any legitimate question. Please be respectful of our Hosts; they work hard as volunteers to answer your questions. Also be respectful of readers and posters.
   
   
2. DO NOT FLAME: Expressions of hatred, slander, rash judgment, flaming, bashing the Church, its Bishops, Priests, Deacons, Religious, and Laity is grounds to have one's Question Submission rejected for uncivilized behavior. Similar behavior toward the Forum Host, our staff, or the Order of the Legion of St. Michael is also grounds to reject a Question Submission.
   
   
3. DO NOT EXPRESS BIGOTRY OR ASK LOADED QUESTIONS: Bigoted Statements and loaded questions are the fastest way to have a question rejected:

   Bigoted Remarks are remarks such as, “The Pope is the Anti-Christ”, or “Catholics worship statues”. The Pope is NOT the Anti-Christ and Catholics DO NOT worship statues.

   Loaded Questions are questions such as “Why do Catholics Worship Mary?” Catholics do not worship Mary.

   If one cannot help themselves but to act in an unChristian manner as to make bigoted remarks or ask “loaded” questions, please go to the websites listed below. These websites have articles and pamphlets that address all these misconceptions that anti-Catholics are concerned about:
   Catholic Answers
   Scripture Catholic
   
   

4. DO NOT DEBATE: Our Q&A Forums are not debate forums. Any submissions that, in the opinion of the Forum Host or the Q&A Manager, appear to have a motive of debate may not be published.
   
   
5. DO NOT POST DISCUSSION: Our Q&A Forums are not discussion forums designed to carry on a discussion over some topic like one may do on a mail list or bulletin board. Postings must be restricted to a question for our Hosts to answer.
   
   It is permissible to offer your own personal experience as an example of something mentioned in a Answer. Added information to a Host's answer is also permissible if it advances the understanding of the question. It is not permissible, however, to offer an answer to a question submitted as if you are the forum host.
   
   
6. DO NOT TEST THE HOST: On occasion we have people who, for some reason, already know the answer to the question they post and post it anyway just to see if we know the answer. This covert “testing” is rude, disingenuous, and unChristian in nature. These sorts of “questions” will normally be rejected for publication. If you already know the answer to a question, there is no need to ask us, unless you are “honestly” looking for another viewpoint or wish to check yourself for accuracy. If that is the case, then you must state that intention in your post.
   
   
7. DO NOT POST HOMEWORK QUESTIONS: Sometimes we have students post homework questions for us to answer. If we suspect a question is really a homework question, it will be rejected. Students should do their own work and answer the assigned homework question themselves. Asking a legitimate research question is permissible, but asking us to answer the homework question itself is not.
   
   

Thank you for your cooperation in adhering to these guidelines. God bless.