Commenting on Commenting

I have a Christian blog here. More to the point, I have a conservative Christian blog. That, in itself, makes it something of a target at times. If you're writing about how to make taffy or giving shopping tips, you're not likely to raise any ire. If you're suggesting, "Let's just all be friends," you're not likely to upset too many. But if you offer "You know, the Bible says that your pet sin is sin," you're more likely to irritate some readers. There are some who seem to cruise the Internet looking for just such blogs in which to deposit their little "gifts". Some are trolls -- the Internet term for people who come in just to stir up trouble. Others are troublemakers. These come in to actually do battle. One is "hit and run" and the other is "stand and fight".

One of the difficulties I have is in figuring out how to respond. I generally -- not as a rule, but as a general principle -- try to say something to everyone who comments. (Sometimes there is just nothing to say.) I want to answer, but I don't want to "answer a fool according to his folly" (Prov 26:4). I want to "speak the truth in love" (Eph 4:15). Obviously sometimes that "love" will look friendly enough and other times it will lean more toward "tough love". That is, sometimes it will be understood as love and sometimes it won't, even if it is. But that's my aim. I don't want to be like so many other duelists who simply want to parry and thrust. I want to stand for the truth.

I don't know about you, but for me that's not always easy. Sometimes the trolls are easy and sometimes they're not. Sometimes the fighters come across with such vitriol that it's hard to contain an emotional reaction with a reasoned response. And, frankly, I'm not entirely sure that in all cases some heat is not required. I mean, Jesus "brought the heat" in the Temple (Matt 21:12; John 2:15). Paul wasn't quiet when he confronted Peter (Gal 2:11-14). So some "righteous indignation" may be warranted. It just seems to me that it should be controlled and motivated by love rather than anger.

I'm not typically one who goes around the Internet hunting down mistaken self-identifying Christians to inform them that they are wrong. My Internet commenting is limited almost exclusively to my own commenters here. Oh, I might comment on other blogs, typically in an affirmative fashion, but sometimes asking questions. "Are you sure about that?" But I don't think I suffer from the "Someone's wrong on the Internet" syndrome that others appear to.

Still, I want to the words of my blog to glorify God and I want my comments to encourage, "reprove, rebuke, and exhort" (2 Tim 4:2) others. Maybe the commenter, maybe a reader, but someone. I want to defend the reason for the hope that is within me, but I want to do it with gentleness and respect (1 Peter 3:15). It's not always easy. I'm not always able to do it. It is my aim.