sad and confused

Over the past week two of my readers have been taking me to task. In response to a post expressing the idea that love is the greatest possible weapon against hate, they have asserted that I am a hypocrite, selfish, dishonest, a liar, a gossip and generally ignorant in the nature of love. Clearly these two individuals have something of a problem with me.

Looking back over the past couple of days and the onslaught of comments left on this blog, my predominant emotions are confusion and sorrow.

I am confused because these two critics have expressed everything from distain to pity for me, but neither has taken me up on my offer to contact me and attempt to resolve their grievances. I have made (and continue to make) this offer sincerely: if anyone who reads these words feels that I have wronged them, please contact me directly at your earliest convenience so that we can begin to work toward reconciliation. If you truly believe I have wronged you, then please consider this offer as a productive alternative to internet snipe tactics.

I am sad simply because I don’t have the desire to fight anyone.

I don’t write this blog because I want to engage in theological debate. I don’t write to prove anything about myself or for personal gain. I write because I enjoy writing. I think faith is a journey—a careening, confusing, frighteningly wonderful journey that should be shared. I am saddened that there are people who would rather fight, would rather prove something, would rather gain something (though what I don’t know) than to engage in dialogue along that journey. That they fuss and fight in the name of righteous indignation only compounds my sorrow.

If my words hold no weight for you, if something I’ve done or said has invalidated my opinion in your eyes or if you feel anger towards me and you simply cannot stomach the sound of my voice in any medium, then I invite you to ignore me with a vengeance. Pay no heed to what I write and just move along.

If you desire reconciliation, please contact me.

For those new to this unfortunate discussion or those who just want to go back and skim the highlights of the last few days, I’m sorry to disappoint but I’ve deleted all the aggressive comments—even the ones posted by my friends in defense. (Though I thank my friends for speaking up and for encouraging reconciliation.) I will continue to delete any comment that seems to me to be a personal attack. If you just disagree with me, removed from any personal grudge, please comment away. I welcome you to the dialogue.

I want to close this post by saying again that my heart’s desire is reconciliation and peace. If either of the two of you who are angry with me choose to contact me, I will be happy to listen to your frustrations and I pledge to join you in working to re-establish friendship.

I can offer you nothing more than this. Take it or leave it as you choose. Either way, please abandon your anger and move on. Life is too short to wallow in hate.