A Lenten Blog Comment Fast

I really enjoy blogging, including commenting on others’ blogs, in many ways.  It has helped me clarify my thinking about many things.  It gives me an outlet to talk and debate about things I think are important.  At its best, I’ve learned from some really smart people, and have made a few virtual friends.

But, I am about to take a sabbatical from commenting on blogs, at least for my Lenten fast.  I’ll keep posting here at TGD — at the very least I’ll work on my Daybook — but I’ll be keeping comments closed and I won’t be commenting on other blogs.

I’d like to commend this idea of a Lenten blog comment fast to others, particularly if you’ve found this to be true in the past year (these are all things I’ve done):

• You’ve managed to insult someone you admire.  I did this very recently to one of the public figures I admire most, someone I consider a sort of virtual mentor;
• You’ve posted a blog comment in anger that displays your anger;
• A debate in blog comments has distracted you from interactions with friends or family;
• You’ve taken a tenuous position in a blog comment, a position you might not really want to endorse, to win a debate;
• You’ve made assumptions about another commenter that turn out not to be true;
• You’ve posted a comment primarily to get yourself noticed or bring attention to yourself;
• A blog debate has caused you to lose sleep.

I could add to this list, but the picture is clear.  James 1:19-20 summarizes a wealth of Biblical wisdom on this:  “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.”

If you find, as I do, that when commenting on blogs you are often slow to listen, quick to speak, and quick to become angry — it’s time for a fast.