Friday, July 27, 2007

Hopefully the only time I'll let myself respond to something so ridiculous

I started this site something like one year and seven months ago. Over that time, aside from the occasional strange comment or mean email, I've had nothing but great experiences reading about people's lives, opinions, questions, jokes and so much more. The fun I've had expressing my own thoughts here has far outweighed anything negative I've ever had to deal with. I just consider myself lucky. I've avoided the controversy/drama/people with their heads in their hiney quite well.

Then, as I mentioned in my last post, someone made a comment to me on another blog that I let hurt my feelings. Fine. Another person on Earth doesn't agree with me. Not exactly shattering information here. I talked about it, I got over it. This other person though, (we'll call her Amanda) did not get over it. In fact, Amanda took it upon herself to follow my link to this site, find my email address and send me an email.

She tried to start out being kind "look, I ain't saying you don't know anything." Okay fine, Amanda. Thanks for that. Then it gets better, much better! "I just think that if you were a good Christian woman you would know what I meant." Okay, so now I'm a bad Christian woman. She goes on to say "maybe if you focused a little less on thinking you knew what you were talking about and a little more on actually learning and developing your life in a good way, you'd recognize where you were lacking." I was unaware I've been underdeveloped so far. "It has been my experience that people without faith have little to offer when it comes to giving others direction."

Amanda, apparently the one person on Earth with a red phone to the Lord, went on for quite a while. I'm not sure if she read all four hundred or so of my posts or none at all, but she sure does believe she knows me. And not all but about 90% of the bones in my body are telling me it doesn't matter what Amanda says. So you got a random email, big deal. But then there's that part of me that's irritated. Because how dare she. How dare Amanda, never having commented on my blog before or since, insult me. How dare she insult my Christianity. My faith.

I know I don't talk about my beliefs much around here. And believe you me, it's not likely headed that way. But regardless of what I've posted or not (I know it is shocking to you, Amanda, that someone's entire life may not be on their blog) I have deep beliefs. Beliefs that I rarely doubt or question and though I am not perfect, I am profoundly offended that someone would use my choice to talk about my faith sparingly as a tool to insult me. To make assumptions about my life. I find it hard to believe, in all her "experience" Amanda hasn't learned the number one rule when making assumptions. (Hint for Amanda: It starts with A-S-S.)

Shallowly, perhaps, I wonder about Amanda. I wonder why she feels the need to judge a stranger. I wonder if, on her blog, she shares these opinions. I wonder if she has readers that think like this. I wonder what I'd say to her, if anything. But after going through all this, writing it all out, I have nothing for Amanda.

However, it does remind me of a Sunday School lesson when we learned that even if we don't care for some people, it still might be a good idea to pray for them.

14 comments:

tine said...

Just to put a drop in the other cup on your weight; I just found you through a comment on another blog, went here, and totally like you; I read ten of your postings and you come through to me as funny, smart, in touch with whatever you believe in, and with a healthy reaction to the Amanda affair - you care what other people think of you, but decide that she's not one you really take in as the 'other people' in your world. Good for you. Cheers

Oh ps I up-loaded some YouTube videos from Texas recently, and got several hate-mails for my pronounciation of the name Hereford - ?? - I'm a foreigner, give me some slack here. Some things and people just have to make you laugh.
I blog with a label called BoMB, Best of My Blasphemy, and hear nothing bad for that, but I shall not try and call it Hairford, that'll get me to Hell for sure..? Some people, some people. Hope Amanda's self-righteousness can make you laugh a little too, Just Run

anne said...

I so seriously am continously baffled when people feel the need to take time and write such hateful and ill informed e-mails or comments. What part do they not understand about the fact that THEY DON'T KNOW YOU? More so, why do they care what you? It baffles my mind. To me that is what is/would be most annoying about these situations. Over and over again I just think, what do you care?

Runner Girl FL said...

1) I presume nothing about a person's faith by what they put on their blog...unless that is what there blog is about. (FireGuy writes a blog about religion and only about religion) Otherwise it personal to me so it may be personal to someone else.

2) Your Sunday School lesson was right. If she is worried about your faith shouldn't she be trying to be your friend, be a good example, and show you the way? Jeasus spent more time with the tax collectors and the hookers rather than those already religious.

Your blog is usually upbeat and you usually in your writing you come across kind and honest. No one is perfect. I know I'm not.

I too will pray for Amanda.

egan said...

Man, I know an Amanda and really hope this wasn't her. I highly doubt it since she's not judgemental like the person you mention.

Hard to believe you don't share every single detail of your life on this blog. Geez, what are you thinking? It will pass. One person, just one person. We love you!

Bre said...

Pray for her to get a healthy dose of reality, of course.

I'm a person of rather deep faith, but like you I'm pretty quiet about it on the internet. Nothing irks me more than people who twist my Faith and use God in ways that I know in my heart aren't good.

The problem is, the insult doesn't go away. It still stings even when you know how false what she's saying is. For that I'm very sorry because, of all the bloggers I "know," you certainly don't deserve that.

What a W-I-T-C-H

Anonymous said...

It would appear that the nasty bug is going around because you are the third blogger this week I've read had some random person a) make them feel awful b)judge them like their name was Judy. As someone who got two nasty emails last week, I can say that I know how crappy it feels, and how good it feels when you realize that the people who you respect, admire and enjoy reading, wouldn't ever send you something like that.

adam said...

Sounds annoying. I have faith that you will forget about this so-called Amanda after awhile. One good thing about blogging over the real world: thank goodness for the delete button!

megabrooke said...

man, i dont get it either. i seriously dont understand what people get out of saying mean, hurtful things. judging when they have no right to judge. i hope you dont let this get to you. i enjoy reading you a hell of a lot. you are always entertaining, insightful, funny, and thoughtful. keep on rockin on lady! :)

Anonymous said...

Oh dear...do I know what this is about? Gosh, if so, I'm sorry. She's a bit spicy, but she means well most of the time!

singleton said...

Well, that's one chic I wouldn't want to spend "Friday night out with the girls" with.....

When will people ever get it? No judging, No judging, No judging.

Rock on, just run, rock on....
We love ya girl!

Anonymous said...

Some people just think they know everything - I don't think that is you. You have wonderful insights to life that I always appreciate. Thank you.

Not that it helps I once had an anonymous hater of my blog no actually just of me - she told me I needed a therapist to help with all my issues! I'm surviving just find without her comments or a therapist at least for the moment!

runliarun said...

I was raised as an atheist, through no choice of my own, by I think I am a mystic by nature. I conquered a claim on spirituality on my own terms, during long years where vocabulary itself offered no choices. I am now quite certain of my allegiances. Religious dogma turns me off. Any kind of fanaticism, religious or not, turns me off.

Never take it personally. It's their problem. Intelligence and openmindedness go with humor, and neither humor or intelligence go with fanaticism.

Forget Amanda. It has nothing to do with you.

justacoolcat said...

Amanda's email sound to me liks a plea for help and more a statement on her own unfullfillment than anything else.

Airam said...

Egan this is so not our Amanda.