Vile letters seem distinctly un-Christian

Mary A. Jacobs: Vile letters seem distinctly un-Christian
09:45 PM CDT on Friday, September 23, 2005

In response to a column, I once received a handwritten note from a reader saying: "Dear Ms. Jacobs, You are going to hell. Stop trying to take other people with you." This reader at least had the courage to sign his name, beside which he affixed a cheery little rainbow "Jesus" sticker.
Letters like that puzzle me. I think of Christianity as a path of peace and kindness. But the meanest, most sarcastic and hostile letters and e-mails I get come from people who call themselves Christians.
One Christian letter-writer called me a liberal, God-hating agent of the devil. Apparently he disagreed with what I had to say. (Point of fact: I am not a liberal.)
Even more puzzling was a letter from a reader who didn't like one of my news articles. The story was a Q&A, so all I did was write a short introduction, ask questions and excerpt the interviewee's responses, word for word.
But the interviewee was a self-described "progressive" Christian, so this reader fired off an angry e-mail calling me a "political hack writer." His message didn't take issue with the way I wrote the story. Just by giving a voice to this particular interviewee, he was certain, I was part of some evil cabal trying to put a Democrat in the White House. And then, somewhat creepily, he defended his nasty note by likening himself to Jesus, because Jesus spoke pointedly to the Pharisees.
Of course, I also receive many kind and encouraging e-mails from Christians. One reader greets me almost every Monday morning with an e-mail, almost always disagreeing sharply with something I've written, but thoughtfully and respectfully. I'm honestly glad when his letters are printed. I'm sure he's voicing the opinion of a lot of our readers. They help complete the picture on the issue at hand.
So I don't have a problem with people who disagree with me – just the mean ones. What are those about?
A colleague who is Jewish still smarts – more than 10 years later – over venomous reactions from Jewish readers responding to a column about how some Jews get caught up in Christmas festivities. Maybe people get ugly when they feel one of their own has betrayed the tribe. Or, because I've identified myself as a Christian, maybe readers presume I'm trying to speak for them.
And some people are just plain mean anyway, and will use whatever religion is handy as a weapon.
Here's what I think (and oh, boy, I'm gonna get letters). Offensive, ugly letters are the verbal equivalent of religious terrorism. Islamist extremists are so certain they're right, so utterly convinced that God is on their side, that they feel entitled to kill people. Christians who write venomous letters aren't resorting to physical violence, but they feel similarly entitled to insult or attack. It's on the benign end, but it's the same slippery slope.
But verbal drive-bys hurt the Christian cause just as surely as suicide bombers give Islam a bad name. Because ugliness is particularly ironic for a faith based on the character of Jesus, who was famously silent when it came time to defend himself before Pilate, even though his life was on the line.
So why do the meanest e-mails come from Christians? I think it's mostly about numbers. Statistically speaking, most readers are at least nominally Christian, and Christians aren't immune to the incivility that's so prevalent these days.
And, to extend the comparison with Islamic terrorists, it would be unfair to make any conclusions about Christians based on these letter-writers. For every mean letter, I can think of dozens of Christians I've known or interviewed who are doing incredible, selfless work, quietly helping the widow, the orphan and the poor.
But we all should inquire what sort of witness we create by resorting to sarcasm or hostility. No matter how "right" we are.
Once, a Christian reader wrote to accuse me of pandering to indiscriminate multiculturalism. I fired back an angry reply, which was probably just as unfair. And you know what? She wrote back and apologized. And, chastened, I backed off, too. This reader's generosity was truly a witness to me. We still disagreed, but we parted friends.
Another friend once asked if the "you're going to hell" e-mails ever freaked me out. Did I ever worry, she asked, in the back of my mind, that I might possibly really be headed to hell?
Nah. I find them oddly comforting. Because, judging by the glee with which those readers seem to anticipate my eternal suffering, and given what I know about Jesus, I feel pretty confident they won't be on the same page when Judgment Day rolls around.
And if you're one of readers who sent those ugly e-mails?
Don't bother, I've already blocked your addresses.
Meanies.

Mary A. Jacobs, a Dallas freelance writer, is a frequent contributor to Religion. Polite e-mail may be sent to maryjacobs44@yahoo.com.
source: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/religion/opinion/stories/092405dnrelguestcol.21f24476.html