A Reader Comment

“You are a douche”

This simple four word comment to a post entitled “America’s Fall?” was left in my “awaiting moderation” inbox earlier today by “Anonymous”. I have been debating about whether or not to post the above comment. Up until now, nearly all of the comments left on my blog have been positive and supportive of my viewpoints. This one, while utterly lacking specifics as to why I’m “a douche”, is certainly not supportive. And to top it off, the comment was left by anonymous. Ah, the wonderful world that is the world-wide-web.

When I first put this blog together (with high hopes and dreams that I’d change the world), I also put together a very brief paragraph on comments (here, scroll to the bottom, or read the whole thing). The intent was to have dialogue that wasn’t poisoned by name calling. I like people who offer opposing viewpoints, it makes me think.

I also like to engage. Over the course of my many years my viewpoints on some topics have changed or moderated. Take the environment for instance. Many years ago I was completely opposed to any form of environmental regulations. But I have spoken with many people who I would call tree-huggers and my views have moderated somewhat. I really do think we should take care of our environment. After all, God only gave us this one earth; we should do our best to take care of it. But He also put us on the earth to reign over everything. So while He has left us in charge, so-to-speak, that doesn’t mean we should be stupid about it. Humankind comes first, but we should do our best to take care of the rest.

Anyway, the individual who left this comment did not bother to read my short little comment policy, such as it is. Personal attacks are a no-no. When I comment at liberal sites, I do my best to adhere to a self-imposed rule of not personally attacking the writer of the blog post or others who leave comments. I will state facts as I know them, and have even thanked a liberal or two for correcting something that I might have had wrong.  I generally don’t receive reciprocation though.  Case-in-point: Last week on the liberal site the Huffington Post, a writer wrote a piece on how the left should at least listen to the right because there actually might be some common ground. Those commenting on the article had a cow with the common thread being the right lies so why should we listen?

I didn’t bother commenting on those, there really was no point.  However, one comment did catch my eye. In this comment he was trying to turn the tables on the right by bringing up some loose references in the Bible.

“Where are our alters for sacrifices, as God instructed Moses who instructed Aaron and all of the temple priests? Where is the grain & wine offerings? The burning of incense in the amounts God instructed, all of them an “aroma pleasing to the Lord? How do we as a people in our own practicing religion deliberately ignore an instruction such as this which comes directly from God? And yet we deny the homosexual, the lesbian, the transgendered? … So the next time you run into a Hannity or an Ailes, ask them this and let’s see where the conversation goes.”

My response to him was as follows:

“The reason why those us who believe in God don’t follow the instruction given to Moses and passed to Aaron is because Christ died on the cross for our sins. Those other sacrifices were so man could make atonement with God for our sins. Because Christ died on the cross for our sins, we are no longer required to this. There are some factions of Christianity who still do some of these things, but more as a reminder of the tremendous sacrifice Christ made.”

I did not receive a response back from the commenter which goes back to my point of lack of reciprocity, but I think my point was made, and I did not attack the individual in any shape or form. All I did was state the facts.

All I ask is when you leave a comment like the one mentioned at the top of post, please factually tell me why I am a douche.

As a sidenote, I have a theory as to why many folks on the left just can't seem to keep the discourse civil.  I think it is a right-brain, left-brain thing.  Logical thinking folks use their left brain to control their actions which is a very basic definition of consrervatives. The right-brain people (liberals, progressives) are more emotional, which might, very basically, explain the name-calling and inability to have a rational discussion.

In the end, I decided to moderate the comment and let it stand.