Anonymous Commentators
The other day, after coasting from one blog to another, I came across some pretty mean spirited comments. These comments were left on a blog that discussed (vigorously, I might add) what appears to be a growing trend among conservative Lutherans. They are taking a more serious look at Eastern Orthodoxy, and apparently some other Lutherans find this offensive. Some of you may remember that I first visited an Orthodox parish at the suggestion of a Lutheran pastor.
Anyhow, I think most of us who read blogs with any frequency are sort of used to comments that are a little ... tactless. Sometimes it's difficult to decipher the tone of the comment; we have different senses of humor, different vocabulary, different backgrounds that shape our understanding of what should or shouldn't be offensive. I've seen some folks get offended when no offense was intended, and it took a few comments back and forth to straighten the mess out.
That's not what I saw on the blog discussing Lutheranism/Orthodoxy. The comments were patently offensive and mean. Whoever wrote it was being decidedly rude. But that's not the part that I find so troubling. The thing that is most troubling for me is the fact that the hostile comments were posted anonymously.
I realize that not all bloggers use their real names. A screen name provides a certain measure of anonymity. But when one posts using the name "anonymous", the person posting cannot be distinguished from any other person who posts as "anonymous."
While some people post anonymously to protect their privacy, others do so because they are weak and don't have the courage to make a statement, and stand by it. If you purposefully insult someone without provocation, and then can't find the vertebrae to stand by what you said and identify yourself ... that's sort of sad. It suggests you are a small person, with flimsy character.
Never mind the fact that the debate was about Christian theology. I sort of expected some sense of charity to accompany the discussion. You know ... as in "we disagree on some significant issues, but we all love and belong to Jesus, so we'll treat each other with some respect."
Anyhow, I think most of us who read blogs with any frequency are sort of used to comments that are a little ... tactless. Sometimes it's difficult to decipher the tone of the comment; we have different senses of humor, different vocabulary, different backgrounds that shape our understanding of what should or shouldn't be offensive. I've seen some folks get offended when no offense was intended, and it took a few comments back and forth to straighten the mess out.
That's not what I saw on the blog discussing Lutheranism/Orthodoxy. The comments were patently offensive and mean. Whoever wrote it was being decidedly rude. But that's not the part that I find so troubling. The thing that is most troubling for me is the fact that the hostile comments were posted anonymously.
I realize that not all bloggers use their real names. A screen name provides a certain measure of anonymity. But when one posts using the name "anonymous", the person posting cannot be distinguished from any other person who posts as "anonymous."
While some people post anonymously to protect their privacy, others do so because they are weak and don't have the courage to make a statement, and stand by it. If you purposefully insult someone without provocation, and then can't find the vertebrae to stand by what you said and identify yourself ... that's sort of sad. It suggests you are a small person, with flimsy character.
Never mind the fact that the debate was about Christian theology. I sort of expected some sense of charity to accompany the discussion. You know ... as in "we disagree on some significant issues, but we all love and belong to Jesus, so we'll treat each other with some respect."
posted by Wordsmyth at
6:11 PM
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