Blogging Ethics

Pastor Ed Hogan has a good column at Ethics Daily today entitled "Christian Bloggers Should Have An Ethical Standard." He offers some tips for Christian bloggers:

1. Blogs should treat people with respect. Derogatory, inflammatory, sarcastic or sensational language should be avoided.

2. Blogs should research facts carefully. All details should be clearly and readily supported by evidence. Simple things like confirming sources or seeing documents personally are musts for bloggers who enter the political arena.

3. Blogs should take great care before making allegations of criminal behavior. These allegations can destroy a person.

4. Motives need to be clearly evaluated and communicated. Strong language which brings about needed reform can be very appropriate. Strong and divisive language which destroys people's integrity and person should be avoided.

5. Blogs encourage people to respond and dialogue. Those who respond should be allowed to respond without a strong critical response back.

6. If one is to blog in the political arena, one must be willing to go wherever the facts lead and not where they are convenient or self serving.

This is some great advice! Hopefully, Christian bloggers will set a high standard for others to follow.