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Modern Trends: The Truth is in the Comments

February 11th, 2009 in Web Design Worldview

by: Matthew Griffin

The recent explosion of social features on the internet has given us access to a representative slice of culture we've never been able to see before. I've seen this most intimately in the form of blog comments on Mirificam Press, and I think I've come to understand the state of Christian designers better through these interactions. Recently, I stumbled upon a Solon blog called World O' Crap that reminded me of all the comment adventures I've had in the past year or so. The blog post was about an organization called the Nehemiah Institute. And, being a solon blog, World O' Crap was ruthlessly critical of the organization and its Christian worldview test. The article was poorly written and littered with typos but it at least stopped short of calling for the systematic extermination of all Christians (how tolerant). The commenters were not so tolerant. Here's what one of the authors of Blondsense had to say in the comment section (Be advised: I left profanity and hateful speech uncensored in the following examples):

I'm over trying to understand these monobrowed, mouth-breathing, cousin-fucking neanderthals.
Kill 'em all, let the bottomless black void of nothingness sort them out.

I laughed for a second at the complete absurdity of this comment—it's completely over the top. And then I started thinking back on some of the comments I've received here at Mirificam Press. I've always been careful to allow the expression of dissenting views in the comments (some might say to a fault). I think it's important for everyone to see the thinking that goes in to different perspectives. I even allow violent and threatening comments to remain (as does World O' Crap apparently). I think to remove these comments would be to present an altered picture of reality. But most of the really nasty comments I've received have been from anonymous visitors. This wasn't the case with the Blondsense comment. Since Blondsense has several contributors, I'm not sure which one actually posted the comment, but the fact remains that the commenter was proud enough to link back to the blog. And, no, I'm not comforted by the fact that this comment is a historical allusion. It seems that we are entering a time when open hatred and violent speech toward Christians is tolerated by western culture at large. And it may be at least partially our fault.

Some of the greats from Mirificam Press

Posted on: Show and Tell: A Web Designer's Guide to Faith in the Workplace

I'm a former christian who finally saw the light of truth, though not the one you all think. I finally saw through the sham that is derives from religious memes. Please keep your faith to yourself. It is more than annoying to others -- it is insulting. Most evangelic christians don't seem to realize (or don't care) how completely hateful their attitude toward the "unsaved" becomes as they work toward more pious proselytizing activity. Save your "belief talk" for your private life. One day all religious belief will be classified as a mental illness. That will be a great day indeed.

~ posted by: bc on 9/3/08

I think religion in the workplace is terrible. It's bad enough it has polluted our national politics, but to poison our offices with mindless superstition is pure insanity. Keep it in your homes or churches. Not everyone appreciates your stupid mind-washing. We are at work to do a job. Leave the preaching to the corrupt pastors living high on the tithes. PS. The earth is round, creationism is a delusion of the insane, and christ never existed.

~ posted by: rico on 9/7/08

Posted on: Function Vs. Form: Rescuing Design from Insanity

I'm so sorry, I couldn't keep reading after the first paragraph. "...I'll present the Christian worldview of design and briefly map out a practical Christian approach to design."

~ posted by: Cara Pinle on 3/4/08

Of course there are many more that are just inflammatory name-calling. But these in particular show either a violent opposition toward or pre-assumed rejection of anything labeled "Christian". The most telling comments, though, haven't come from the dissenters; they've come from the Christian designers.

Christian Designers Comment Back

The first comment in the list above by the mysterious "bc" is nothing less than a call to round up people of all religions and place them in mental institutions. In any other context we would be outraged. What's suggested is that a horrible injustice be perpetrated on us and our families. What is our response? Well, we apologize of course. The immediate response from a Christian in the comments (other than myself) was to apologize to bc. After all, his attitude of hatred must be the result of some hypocritical Christian who did him wrong, right? The rest of the commenters just ignored him (A legitimate response to some degree). Understand, I'm not bringing this up to bash Christian designers. Rather, I want to encourage fellow Christian designers to see these things for what they are. If we let these kinds of hate mongers bulldoze us, we may wake up one day to reality as the writers of Blondsense have imagined it. And that will be a horrible day indeed.

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