I decided to post some of my “dislike” e-mail. I received this strange missive today about my blog and my face:
From: XX@cs.com
Date: Thu, 7 Apr 2005 19:52:01 EDT
Subject: Where do YOU stand?
To:LeShawn,
I read a few blogs, most of which leave me angry with myself for having spent time doing such. I read yours once or twice a week mainly because I think you are fundamentally a nice person. I am writing now because your blog site is now looking more like a scandal rag than a personal opinion page. Blogging is an opportunity for common folk such as myself to rant into cyberspace about issues immediate, long term, abstract, or any of an infinite number of potentials.
However, your site is now less about what YOU think and more about your compiling the blogs/rants of others. Your site is morphing into a cyber news magazine. Something far beyond a personal blogging device. Maybe that is what you want, but I find it a little disappointing in that I think your smile reveals characteristics of someone that is more than just a compilation device.
You looked tired today. Burning the midnight oil chasing the already known?
Jim S.
An e-mail from a fellow blogger who de-linked me from his blogroll:
Date: Tue, 05 Apr 2005 18:36:08 -0400
Subject: Saddened
From: “Matt” matt @XX.com
To:Dear La Shawn,
In preparing my post on the death of the Pope, your blog was one to which I naturally turned, as I know you to be a Christian and had considered your perspective to be of value. It was thus with great sadness that instead I read these petulant words:
“I will say, preliminarily, that if the Pope believed Christ died for his sins, and that we are saved through faith alone in Christ alone by his grace alone, the Pope, like anyone else who believes these things, will be spared from God’s righteous and just punishment.”
It brought back years of fruitless discussions with my fundamentalist in-laws, who were as arrogantly certain of their own righteousness. Rather than rehash any of that, I’ll simply note that my Church was founded by Jesus Christ and yours by some guy in the 19th century I can’t be bothered to look up right now.
I have admired your blog and your skill as a writer. I wish you all the best with that and your other endeavors. However, though you will not care in the slightest as your blog is much larger than mine, I can no longer consider myself a reader and I am removing you from my blogroll, albeit with much sadness.
Sincerely,
Matt
This reader wanted to know why I wasn’t blogging about the Pope:
Date: Mon, 04 Apr 2005 16:04:46 -0400
From: XX@verizon.net
Subject: What?
To:You have completely ignored one of the most historic events of the era – the death of a Pope. Why?
As an avowed Christian, you have commented on many events of Christian concern, including Terri Schiavo. Why not the Pope?
I would hate to think that you may carry a bias on this issue. For if you do it would seriously, to my mind at least, negate much of what you have written which I previously found to be cogent and coherent.
This Pope was a true Christian in his beliefs and in his teachings. We have lost a truly great and good man!
Chuck S.
Did you catch that? If I didn’t blog about what he wanted me to, I’m suddenly no longer “cogent and coherent.” The same reader responds to the Pope post:
Date: Tue, 05 Apr 2005 07:57:49 -0400
From: XX@verizon.net
Subject: You have lost me.
To: lashawn@lashawnbarber.com“that if the Pope believed Christ died for his sins,” I see a bias here that is not Christian. For those who have a belief that only their concept of God is correct, a heart is closed. I need no further proof than you statement.
Goodbye, I will look elsewhere for a true Christian. I hope that you truly find God.
Chuck S.
As I said, those who offend easily have no problem offending me. If you re-read my post on the Pope, it will be apparent that these people are over-the-top, reading into the post information that isn’t there. And notice how polite these folks are with “Dear La Shawn,” the proceed to shoot me down:
To: lashawn@lashawnbarber.com
From: XX@new-manifesto.com
Subject: Terrible timing
Date: Wed, 6 Apr 2005 11:38:19 -0400Dear La Shawn,
I can’t tell you how hurt and disturbed I was at your postings on the passing of the Pope. It’s akin to a stranger sitting at the back of the church at Grandma’s funeral whispering to the family that we all know she was unfaithful to Grandpa. Factually based, but bad form. Very bad form.
You note your surprise at how quickly your former compatriots have “severed the relationship.” I think much of this is due to your desire to have it both ways. You bring up the whole centuries-old Catholic vs. Protestant debate, in the midst of a time of great mourning amongst the Catholic faithful, yet you set the terms of the debate such that there really is no debate.
It’s a circular argument: you will not answer email about the unique supremacy of scripture unless my arguments are supported by… scripture!?! That’s like saying, “We are free to debate the color of the sky as long as we both agree that the sky is green.”
You have opened this door at an inappropriate time. Yet, by your statement that, “my comment was mild compared to what needs to be said!” we know there is even more to the story. You’re rude enough to bring up the topic but not respectful enough to tell us what you really think. So it’s time to lay your cards on the table:
Are faithful Catholics assured of salvation?
Or, to be more blunt:
Are faithful Catholics going to Hell?
You opened this door at this particular time. You keep feeding it with hints and comments that there is more to be said. You limit the debate to only those who agree with you. And you wonder why you’re being abandoned?
There is room in the world for this debate, but not like this. If you wish to engage the Catholic community, then engage. But if you wish to simply point us out as heretics, then please get on with it.
Sincerely,
David S.
I get this stuff all day. There’s no end to the “advice” people think they’re qualified to give.
