Imagine this post is about you.

Remember Lot's wife.*

I don't know most of the people who read my blog.

I don't know most of the people who comment.

And they don't know me.

So yeah, imagine this post is about you now.

I think our imagination is the culprit which occasions much of the combative attitudes we engage in online.

"What the devil can't do himself he does by using other people.  He takes up his position on the tongues and in the hearts of his servants and before their mind's eye.  He makes them see what doesn't exist.  So they conceive within their hearts all sorts of evil thoughts and resentments regarding their neighbors - often regarding those they most love." - S. Catherine of Siena, Magnificat meditation for today.

St. Catherine at the beheading of Niccolo di Tuldo

* Take warning from the example of Lot's wife who, because she was disturbed at the destruction of Sodom, turned back to look at it. God punished her for this, and she was 'turned into a pillar of salt' (Genesis 19.26). This teaches you that it is the will of God, even if you were living among devils, you should so live as not to turn back in thought to consider what they are doing, but forget them utterly. You are to keep your soul wholly to God, and not to suffer the thought of this or that to disturb you. - John of the Cross