Please read this brief introduction before answering the poll questions below. Then, please answer the poll questions before reading the extended explanation below those.

Many of you got here via a link from a thread about the recent confrontation between the Catholic Church and President Obama over how contraception will be provided under the new health care act.  It's because of your interest, that your participation in the poll is sought. Others are most welcome to participate as well in the poll.

Further explanation will be provided below. Please take the poll before you read that. Enjoy!

Responding this week to news events in the world through the Newsvine platform, as I have for almost five years now, a tingly synchronicity occurred that got me thinking seriously about humor and religion, humor and politics, and humor and politics and religion. I wanted to write something serious about it and get a serious conversation going on the subject.
 
This particular article came about this way:  Three or four years ago, someone left a couple of comments on an article of mine and a couple of other places, then the account went dormant until she showed up on my Super Bowl article last week. So I've been guiding her around (Sorry OFFICAL Guides!). You know, giving advice to make comments and seed stuff, etc. Things went just like you'd expect: First seed, 3 comments; second seed, 1 comment, then, fifth seed ..... 311 damn comments. While that monster thread was still percolating I put up a similar seed elsewhere about Sister Carol Keehan. I figured that would get 10 comments, 5 from me, 5 from others. I got 206.
 
So, there I was carefully monitoring another person's thread to give guidance on moderation and also moderating my own thread when they both blowed up real good.  And if you don't mind me whining for a moment, I couldn't have the kind of discourse I wanted to have on the subject I'm interested in on my own thread without it being swamped by ... whatever was animating the explosion.
 
I could see the problem, but the problem with that was that me trying to discuss the problem would be part of the problem. So when I tried to explain what happened to the person I was guiding, we brainstormed a half-dozen different approaches. This poll is the result of our pondering.

We also  decided: An article in two phases. First, a set of questions to gauge the depth and breadth of attitudes on the Vine on the subject at hand. That's the polls above. But then, a cooling off period. Except for the tracking comment, we're going to post this article with comments closed for at least 24 hours, then open comments.

Although the polls above are not scientific, they are for a serious purpose. They better be, it took us a full day to write them. Every question and every answer was polished and tested, so if, despite your explicit instructions above, you have not answered them yet, do us a favor and do so now. A few clicks won't kill ya. Please? Pretty please?

Go with your impulse in answering the questions above. Then, go back and read them again and think about them more carefully. Then please contemplate your reply once comments open in 24 hours. We want reflective not reflexive comments. Of course, if you don't see this poll until after comments are open, do us another favor and don't comment immediately after taking the poll.
 
In the meantime, again: Enjoy!

~jfxgillis