Write About Now

Letters, we get letters…..Actually, I rarely receive any about my writing. I’m quite fine with this—although some affirmation would be nice now and then, people usually write only when they’re unhappy, so the absence of mail about my Buzz column usually indicates I’ve at least gotten my facts straight.

My recent “Share Dance” Buzz entry didn’t have any inaccuracies, but it did get me one note. (Actually, an email—no one writes letters anymore, even critics.) “Share Dance” talked about a homeless ministry in Pittsburgh and its recent “sock hop” which included 1950s-style music and dancing. (Yep, you know where this is going.) The theme also fit with the ministry’s purpose behind the event—to gather dozens of pairs of new socks for the men and women living on the city’s streets.

You can read the whole thing here. And below you can read the almost-as-short critique I received this week:

The article by Jennifer Taylor on SHARE DANCE page 13 of the December 3rd issue of Christian Standard was inappropriate, repulsive, and anti-scriptural. (I John 2:15).

I can’t imagine Sam Stone, Ed Hayden, or Burris Butler permitting such things in the Christian Standard.

Sincerely in Christ,

xxxxxx

Well. I could talk about 1 John’s admonition not to love the world or anything in it, and speculate about which worldly things—food? TV? really right-wing talk radio?—the critic loves a little too much. Or I could describe the difference between 1950s-style dancing and the get-a-room dancing in clubs today. Or I could question how one finds an outreach to homeless people inappropriate and repulsive.

But……..no. I’ll just mention one mistake by the note’s author—”Share Dance” actually appeared in the November 30 issue. Perhaps reading glasses are too worldly.