D E S I G N /// ck

Over at the Wigshop, there's been some strange and malevolent commenting going on. My post earlier this month about Cliff Clark has made someone very mad. You won't find the comments anymore, they've been deleted. But they were just nasty stuff. I don't know if it's Cliff himself or someone who has strong opinions on the matter. I chose to address this individual and try to talk to him/her. Alice (who does not like conflict) quoted Proverbs 26:4 at me:

"Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you will be like him yourself."

I've thought about this all afternoon and read through Proverbs. She's right, for the most part. I don't think you can reason with a mocker "according to his folly." Proverbs is pretty clear he won't understand and will despise you for it. However, 22:10 says:

"Drive out the mocker, and out goes strife; quarrels and insults are ended."

Also, 19:25 says,

"Flog a mocker, and the simple will learn prudence."

The latter proverb voiced my main feeling about all this. The commenter may never respond to kindness or reason, but other people who see it may learn something. I don't want to "flog" him/her, but I do want to expose their folly and malice, so that other readers can see it and gain knowledge. Blogging is more public than we think- we all put our opinions out here for literally the whole world to see. Sometimes we might draw hate from people we've never seen. I think it's good for others to see the pitfalls and snares of the blogosphere. Hopefully we can all learn something. I pray for wisdom in dealing with this situation, and for good things to come out of it.