For me, the answer isn't really either of the two alternatives you suggest. I like to state my views or describe what I know if different from what others have said in a conversation. Not more, not less. I don't pay much attention to who has said what from one thread to the next. I might agree with someone one time and then disagree another. I try to stimulate the discussion by adding what I think might be useful or interesting, not pick fights or start a banter. I like to learn from talking to people, especially those of backgrounds and views that differ from my own. I'm not referring indirectly to anyone at all, but I think you've seen in your life (as I have with mine) that some people feel threatened and get defensive when someone disagrees with them. That may account for what might seem to be bickering on any particular thread.

He posted his recipe on a thread (cranberry sauce) in November 16, 2017.

Hi Lucille. We were on what had been planned as a 10 day visit to SoCal when the stay put order hit, so here we still are. The weather has mostly been great, even if we're not out as much as we would normally be to enjoy it. A downside is that we're having an extended stay in a place that we had mostly equipped (and stocked) for limited stays. We're getting by okay, venturing out only for exercise. We're avoiding stores and getting groceries only by delivery or pickup as those can be arranged - demand is high and a few times it's been a one week queue after waiting days to get anything at all. Frustrating at times. At one point we debated making a drive home to pick up more clothes, things we'd forgotten, and other things we don't have here but have there in better supply (and that are a bit tough to get here right now). We decided against that. Aside from food, we've been keeping Amazon and other sellers busy with little thises and thats. Thanks for the shout out. I care about you and everyone else too, believe me. No matter what's said (other than needless personal comments) on any particular silly topic.

In the interest of sharing an explanation about Thomas Sheehan and the podcast, I'll repeat the background: Thomas Sheehan is a professor of religious studies and philosophy at Stanford. A devout Catholic and (I believe) a one-time seminarian as a younger man, he spent a large chunk of time during his career doing research and being part of the community of religious studies scholars and historians focused on what is known factually about the world during periods covered by both the Old and New Testaments, and how the historical record agrees or conflicts with what is said in these texts. He's not unlike scientists I've encountered who have sincere religious beliefs who say something like this - "my intellectual life and activities and my religious beliefs are two separate worlds that I don't try to combine or draw links between. They exist independent of one another with no need to be associated". The podcast was from a series of lectures given in Stanford's School of Continuing Studies, which isn't the regular university setting but is aimed toward adult students. The podcast is free and can be found by searching in the ITunes store under iTunesU, Stanford. It's a series of very interesting and personable lectures in which he reviews the factual historical record among scholars and how the analyses relate to what's said in the two parts of the Bible. Sources and explanations of biblical texts and stories are discussed. Through the lectures, he is repeatedly respectful and apologetic, saying that he doesn't intend to contribute to or challenge in any way any person's religious beliefs or lack of religious beliefs. And says that the class is a history class. You don't need an Apple device to get or listen to the podcasts. You can use a PC by downloading the free iTunes program and playing it on that. Or transferring files so obtained to a different device. If you want to listen on an Android phone or tablet, you download the podcast on your PC using iTunes and then sync it to the Android Apple Music app. I've listened to the series many times over the years because I find it that enjoyable, which is why I'm enthusiastic about sharing it. I hope others will like it too.