I waded into a comment stream yesterday. I simply couldn't help myself. I wasn't much into the topic of the post, it being about Landmarkism (which is beyond my intellectual grasp and desire to debate). The pebble in the middle of the stream (that attracted me) was an ongoing discussion about one commenter pasting into the bloghost's stream (for all intents and purposes of the reading audience) a private email he'd received from one of those debating Landmarkism.
Now, let's put the subject of the post, and the subject of the email aside. Like I said, I'm not into that debate.
What captured my attention was that Christian folks were defending the use, implantation, reproduction and publishing, of someone's email messages as acceptable because they are the recipient's "private property". Can you believe it? I felt like I was watching a debate between Fox News pundits. This flurry in the comment waters occurred because the bloghost had deleted the email portion of the commenter's comment. And the bloghost took a step further and instructed that commenter, and any other commenter, to never ever paste a private email into his stream again to make a point. To him it was a matter of ethical confidentiality and the act was "despicable". But others didn't agree.
So, let's look at this from another angle:
Suppose we focus on this blog for instance. Let's say my post is about forgiveness. And someone has written me an apology for being quite nasty to me. And they are seeking reconciliation. And later on, say a year later, I choose to take that person's vehemenent emails and the one with an apology (since it's my property) and post them for all the world to see to make a point in my blog-post on forgiveness. Is that right of me? Is that ethical? Is that okay since it's my property? Was the person who wrote it "a fool" for having written it with a reasonable expectation it would be kept confidential? And even if that person is "a fool" to believe the email would be regarded as private and unpublishable, what does it say about the person (me, for instance), who receives it and chooses to use it to make a point? Is there no moral obligation on another Christian's integrity to keep it private?
According to one blogger, "anyone who sends an email that could not be posted somewhere/anywhere is a fool."
"A fool".
One Christian sends another Christian an email. Perhaps to share a prayer request. Perhaps to ask an innocent question. Perhaps to confess an attitude. Perhaps to simply toss an idea off another. And because of the age of computers and hi-tech advancements, he/she is a "fool" to write it and send it without accepting [in a state of approval] the fact that it will become public some day, "somewhere" on someone's blog, vlog, newspaper article, or book.
Dear friends, brothers and sisters, readers and lurkers,
I truly believe that we have entered a very dangerous age in our faith when the rules, laws, regulations, values and actions of the secular world are to be used as the counter weights for Biblical principles, Christian values and moral integrity. Our consciences have become hardened and our spirits calloused. Our righteousness must exceed that of the Pharisees, not be patterned after them. At least, that is what the Savior said. Have mercy, Lord; have mercy. selahV
