I remember well back in April and May 2011, when I started blogging, what it was like to post 2-3 times a week and realize that there were very few folks actually reading what I was writing.
It was up dramatically from when I would write in my own scripture journal, or when I would have so much to work through that I would use Word or Open Doc and seal it with a password.
So I did what this person did, as it would be more fun to have actual readers. I went off reading and commenting. I over-followed initially, looking for the reciprocal follow back to my blog. This was not a statistically successful tactic in retrospect.
The comment was nasty because it was blasphemous, and belittling, not that I avoid a good humbling, with all the great Saints telling us over and over again how important humility is to advance in the spiritual life.
Decision then:
- Leave it, and post a reply
- Delete it
- Move it to spam
I went with 3. I could have taken it if it was just insulting to me, but not if it was insulting to God. It was basically a rebuttal to the God is Love post I did late last month.
I have no idea how young, or old the person is, nor how long the person has been an atheist. What I know from the comment is there is an assumption that anyone that believes God is Love is not actually using the thinking potential of the brain.
I'm going to say a whole 5 mysteries of a rosary tonight for this person so they can know that God exists, God created this person to be loved, and to know, love and serve Him, through the mediation of Jesus Christ, Our Savior. In short, I am going to be a militant intercessor along with our Lady for this person. A shrink might say I'm passive aggressive or something, but this just feels right.
Well what would you have done, or what have you done when this happens to you?
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On different note, the 9/11 memorial programs are really getting to me. I had a baby girl 14 days after the tragedy. I thought it was the pregnancy hormones then that had me sobbing on the way into work every day. It wasn't. It is just that sad, because I am doing the same thing tonight when they are showing the families of the deceased in the days following the attacks.
Our Lady of Peace please pray for us. Please pray for peace in this world, and an end to the two wars that our country's military is fighting.
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| Our Lady of Peace |
God, Our Father, we thank you that you are going to bring about the Kingdom of your Son and a new heavens and a new earth, and that the delay is to save more of your children. We thank you for your mercy, and ask you for a greater outpouring of your Holy Spirit that your will would be done on earth as it is in heaven. In Jesus Name, Amen
Hi Colleen, it must be very unsettling receiving such a comment.
ReplyDeleteI had a comment a few weeks ago that I think was criticising my views on reverence and receiving Communion. I didn't quite understand what the writer was getting at because it rambled on and used fancy language instead of just speaking in plain English. But the tone of the comment wasn't right. I didn't like the way it was worded at all. I don't mind people disagreeing with me but I think we should word our opinions carefully so we don't give offence. I published the comment and then ignored it. I didn't think it was worth the time trying to answer it, but it is still on my blog if anyone else wants to agree with him or her. Yes, of course, it was an anonymous comment. Why don't people have the courage to add their names to their opinions?
I am sorry to hear you are suffering in spirit because of the 9/11 anniversary. With prayers xx
Sue, thank you for the kind comment and your prayers. That is exactly right the tone wasn't right, but worse it was a repackaging of blasphemous lies about God, and I didn't want to have that on my site.
ReplyDeleteUnkind comments go with the territory. They often are mindlessly anti-Catholic (of the Jack Chick variety), ramble, poor grammar, poor spelling and of no actual value. If there is an e-mail address, I respond kindly in the hope of reaching the person and pulling them up a little from the pit they are in. I don't publish them on the blog however.
ReplyDeleteColleen,
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry that you had to deal with these type of comments. Sooner or later most people get them and all you can do is delete them or report them as spam like you have. And pray of course. I will too.
Mary, it was just my first. I was wondering why you and others have comment moderation on, and wonder if this type of comment was one of the reasons. Was it?
ReplyDeleteHi Colleen, my name is Natasha and I'm actually probably half of those profile views, besides you I'm the only one to have posted on their site I saw your comment on that bloggers blog and I just wanted to say it was well written and thought out.
ReplyDeleteI found this persons blog through craigslist. It was under groups and was titled Christian women and I thought I'd check it out as it would be nice to get together with other Christian women. What a disappointment to find their blog. (isn't it sad they have to use trickery to get people to view their blog?) I have commented on several of their post and keep coming back to do so because for the most part they are filled with garbage and lies and theories presented as fact.
Anyways I thought I'd stop by and say thank you for writing that response to their "brains" post, I've been trying to find the right words to reply to it and you hit the nail on the head.
I'm one of those who tend to ignore nonsense or negative comments, or politely reply that I appreciate their comments, but --- as I state on my bloghead --- I am not trying to convince anyone of my beliefs.
ReplyDeleteNatasha, thanks for following me back here, and for you very nice compliment. I hope the Holy Spirit will work on whoever reads it.
ReplyDeleteI have probably added 10 profile views for them too. Now they are cooking with gas!
Your comment to them was also well-written and thought out! You were respectful, and considerate of where they might be coming from, and spoke to the facts. Their -- is it really more than one?, because it sounds very consistent across the comment and the post. It sounds like the mind is temporarily closed and proud at getting to the belief of non-belief in God. I don't think I'll go back there, but I could not help myself but to ask a few questions. Isn't it so hard sometimes to understand, having been touched by God, how someone else could be content in unbelief?
Probably you were meant to stumble upon them, although how you found them shows an ironic form of proselytizing going on. No encumbrance to the morality of the Ten Commandments, nor the handy summary by Christ, nor cross referencing to scholarly articles to explain how they became so convinced of their non-belief in God.
You will easily find many others in the blogosphere that are Christian women, Catholics, like my friends and me as well as other Christian women from many other denominations. You could try searching on your favorite scripture verse + "blog" and you will probably find a trail to many other real Christian women instead of an atheist or team of atheist bloggers pretending to be Christian women.
George, Colleen, and Tom, thank you so much for your help with this too. I am a newbie with this.
ReplyDeleteI would prefer if there was an email, George, as I would like to have an email to contact, but that seems like is not always part of the territory if someone is going out to leave some nasty comments. It is kind of the opposite of what Pope Benedict recently said about having an authentic online presence. I don't know who Jack Chick is, but I imagine that is a temporary situation.
Colleen, thank you for both your comments. Your latest posts have the effect of pulling my glance and focus very much back to God and his revelation and teaching through Christ. I am almost craving a silent retreat, and maybe I'll get a little of one tomorrow!
Tom, I agree I personally have no intention of changing people's minds, but there is a strong tug, especially as I am working my way through the Better Part, to cooperate with Christ and the Holy Spirit in terms of witnessing to my own beliefs, if it can be of any use to building up his kingdom, particularly in the hearts and minds of those that have not turned to him. I would prefer to not spend tons of time reading apologetic, because personally I do not have need of them where as I have much need of conquering the barrier between where I am now spiritually, and where I crave to be.
While I may not personally have the will to go about changing peoples beliefs, I also don't want to fail if my God wants me to witness, since as we pray, His will be done. Is that how you feel too?
I would have been happy to have left the comment if it would have not been so insulting to God.
Colleen,
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry, I did not see your question until just now. Yes, crude comments are one of the reason I use comment moderation. One of the comments I received was linked to a site so full of blasphemy that I was horrified. When I failed to publish his comment he changed his profile picture to a little girl giving the finger and I had to block him as a follower.
He wasn't the first and will probably not be the last. I have considered not moderating comments but I am a bit worried that a real bad one will get through and I won't catch it quickly enough.