There is a better way.
- Find a blog/article about a topic you’re passionate about online.
- Read and comprehend the original post.
- Think about a reasonable response.
- Write your response, erring on the side of grace and caution.
- Read to see if other people have commented since your last comment.
- Reread your comment.
- Make sure it’s loving in its tone, and not offensive.
- Post it.
- Realise that other people aren’t like you and don’t necessarily want their comment pages spammed. Post once per response.
Comments
Eating humble pie sucks. It isn’t tasty or satisfying, and you just wish you could go back and order a harmless sausage roll instead. I feel your pain, brother.
But what I admire is that if you go off a bit half-cocked, you’re the first to then admit it and make amends.
It’s an acquired taste.
Nath,
these are good insights! Thanks for the discussion, and thanks too for the apology. I’m glad that we’re both keen to see the gospel go out everywhere. Praying for you as you do that where you are.
I like passionate people, even when we disagree; they are interesting to talk to. It’s good to keep our character in check (me included) but don’t let that stop you having opinions and being passionate about things!
@Sam – right back at you. I think there are lessons that many people need to learn about online discussions and what works and what doesn’t. It’s such a great forum for robust discussion with people you only virtually know – but it has some obvious shortfalls where emphasis and non-verbal stuff get lost in translation.
@Soph – I think perhaps there’s a less preachy and more appropriate way to be passionate than to highjack someone else’s page. I should probably just have responded with a few comments and posted a more lengthy response here. But I’m glad you guys prefer passionate disagreement to boring conformity…