Anonymous Comments

Anonymity allows us to do things that we wouldn't normally do in person. It can allow us to be "another person," start a flame-war, or even attempt to ruin a person's credibility through passive-aggressive statements.  It, for instance, allows us to lead our own McCarthyan witch hunt to satisfy whatever ache we have to bully another person with hateful words.  And, FYI, bullying never stops.  It doesn't stop when you graduate from school.  It just gets worse because personal agendas, relationships, and even money and power struggles become involved.  Fortitude, for the win!

There are a few reasons that I moderate my comments.  The main reason is: I don't want vulgarity on my page.  The second reason is: I don't want flame wars started on my page.  Thirdly, if something does not point toward the Good, the True, and the Beautiful, I don't want it on my page.

This comment, then, would definitely fall into that last category.  I found this awaiting my approval today in my inbox, in response to my post, A Modest Proposal:

"You are an egomaniac! I expect you made up this whole story. What is wrong with you? [...]*"
(*I prudently decided to delete the remainder of the comment to protect the author's identity.)

I wholeheartedly welcome responses to this type of comment, my dear readers.  Do you agree, or is this person only representing a very small majority of the, what, 10, maybe 20 people who read this blog on a regular basis?

I'd like to address the issues individually:

"You are an egomaniac!"

I don't think honest self-reflection and truthful reaction falls under the category of egomania.  I'll be the first to admit that I'm prideful, make mistakes, etc., etc., etc., but I hardly think that blogging about true events that have happened in my life on a what, sometimes weekly basis?, are any reason to label me with a psychological disorder.

"I expect you made up this whole story."

Expect to be disappointed.  I really wish you would have been sitting on that bench with me.  I love the Truth.  I abhor lies.  Who's the prince of lies?  Exactly.  There's the end of it.

"What is wrong with you?"

Oh, pretty much anything that a good Confession will fix, just like everyone else.  And I do go, twice a month, because I'm obedient to my spiritual director.  Not because I'm holy, but because I suck at life and I sin.  I thought that would have been apparent by now?  

Dear readers who enjoy my blog: please, for all intents and purposes, let me know what you really think about my posts, and I'd love to share them here, even if they're ugly and mean.

To my anonymous commentator:  Thank you.  I forgive you.  I love you.  I might not like what you did, but I love you.  Don't you love me?  Isn't that what Christ calls us to do?  Love our neighbors and our enemies?  The last part of your comment (that I deleted) didn't really seal the deal; it opened up a can of worms.  This blog has nothing to do with that, and your fear mongering and bullying tactics will have no influence on me via this blog.  I believe it to be a safe distance from that particular arena that you mentioned (id est, I don't talk about that on this blog out of prudence), and I'll continue to keep posting about my life in a clean, honest, humorous, and challenging way.  I mean, after all, isn't that what a blog is?  A Web-LOG?  (In fact, the first two paragraphs featured in the previous link may very well describe my blog, except for the daily part.)

Comment awaiting moderation.......deleted.

Saint Kenitgern, patron against bullies, ora pro nobis!