Is Turn About Fair Play?

I am at the point of despair about the inability of good Baptist preachers and others to maintain civil discourse according to biblical standards. Yes, I have gone over the edge a time or two myself, and have said something unkind. I work hard to state my beliefs directly without slander or insult, but sometimes, I fail. We all do.

But I am seeing one tactic over and over again that bothers me. It is a basic principle of Christian ethics that I am responsible for my own behavior regardless of what someone else does. Another's sin does not justify my own.

But that does not seem to be the ethic driving bloggers. When confronted with the practice of using innuendo or slander to belittle their enemies, they respond, "Well, that's what Wade does." Whether that is true or not is not at issue. Let's say Wade did that; that the accusation is true. Does Wade's sin justify my sinful response?

Both sides in this current dispute are using this tactic, justifying their own rhetoric because others "did it first."

Show me one place in scripture where one person's sin justfiies mine.

Show me where the "return good for evil" and "bless those who persecute you" principles were abrogated.

Does "Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you" not apply to the blogosphere?

It is time for this nonsense to end.