Thanks, M&M. As much as I'd like to say I don't give a rat's arse about what careless commenters have to say behind the veil of the internet, there is indeed "a person behind this author bio" - a person who is admittedly limited in artistic expression, who likes to read & write & share, and who can taste burnout & frustration from time to time.

Thanks for creating a space for reflection, encouragement, and constructive criticism. There is certainly enough real destruction going on all around us that we don't need to create even more with our reputation-defending arguments and counterarguments, which the internet certainly foments. Hopefully, we can resist the ever-present urge to defend ourselves from slander, whether deserved or not (thank you Henri Nouwen).

Personally, I find the poem very biting, and in that regard, exactly what we need to read sometimes. To judge the post on whether or not it qualifies as "good poetry" is beside the point. Last time I checked, JM was not a publishing house for poetry, but a hodge-podge collective of like-minded Jesus lovers who want to contribute to a deep conversation about what it could look like to be the Church in an increasingly globalized postmodern world. Adam's lines do us a great thing by diverting our attention to the methods of our "charity" and the inner angst and pride that can lie deep within all of us.

If you have something to contribute to the conversation, the editorial team would love to read it, but regardless, what ever happened to a sense of reading with the intent of being edified. An Augustinian "hermeneutic of love" would go a long way on JM (and in the rest of the blogosphere), not only to trace love's path throughout whatever it is we are reading, but to respond in a loving manner as well.

Perhaps what irks me the most about some of these comments is that I personally asked Adam to contribute. I did this with knowledge of his writings skills and previous thoughts, but more importantly, with knowledge of his person--I believe him to be a man of God and a seeker after Jesus' way with the least of these in a manner that many of us do not hold a candle to. Please remember that behind this "author bios" are people--otherwise, we are going to run off anyone who may have something worthwhile to contribute. After reading some of the comments in regards to Adam's post, I will be hesitant to ask any more of my colleagues to write.

Yeah. I have had a couple friends write less, or not at all, because they didn't want to get dumped on.

The truth is, JM is a controversial place. And it is likely to get more so as it rises above the radar. We can take two approaches to this:

1) We can say "well the web is a harsh place. If you can't handle it, don't write."
2) We can try to make JM a safe place and discourage needless controversy as we promote dialog (even if it does get heated).

Option number 1 sucks. Only people who are tattered and hardened, or super-web-savvy can say this. There are many great saints with strong hearts who simply won't share if tehy think it will spiral off into backbiting and argument.

So, in order to foster option #2, I reserve the right to delete comments that are likely to move the conversation from dialog to meaningless or destructive prattle.

I really enjoyed this poem. I'm studying Anthropology and Human Rights (seperate departments). This really communicated the frustration I have between the two... Anthropology helps me look at my culture critically by beginning to understand things from others perspectives, but in Human Rights, as my as we try not to, I feel like we end up just trying to make people more like us... which is screwed up in different ways.

of course... I still want to help, but I understand this guy's frustration. Its really hard when things seem so simple from our perspective, and then the irony is do we really want to make the poor into our imagine? especially the poor who come from a very different culture and perspective?

anyone who has ever written crap poetry of their own could see that lazy last line coming a mile away. what a letdown. the bigger letdown is having my earlier comment censored into oblivion. do yourselves a favor chums, stop being so dang nice to eachother. you're "radicals," remember?!

zitmob...feel free to submit some poetry of your own.

Yep. I deleted your post. You were acting like a jerk and your comment didn't really offer anything. When you rip on a post, rip, on a response to the post, and cuss, I reserve the right to delete you. This website isn't an anarchist collective or a pure democracy...so you don't have the right to say whatever you want.

The word "radical" implies that we're trying to "get to the root" of the way of Jesus. Last time I checked, being like Jesus doesn't mean acting like a butt.

i was offering that i thought the poem was similar to alot of the lame stuff my brother and i have crafted in the past. i don't think i've gotten much better at it. no need to tell someone they really hit when you don't feel so. my comment and the four-letter vernacular you call cussing was just as valid an offering as "really grabbed me."
you chiming in to make everything okay is ridiculous.

I'm not sure why you're so irritated. You can call me ridiculous if you want. I was just clarifying things to Tina, who I kinda know, because she specifically asked for clarification. I deleted you comment because it seemed like conversation would be better served by deleting it rather than keeping it.

Here's the deal. I have an editorial philosophy when it comes to comments on this site. This isn't free space. It is a moderated space. Just as I edit articles and only publish things that serve the purpose of this site, I feel free to delete those comments that I feel are deserving of that treatment. I allowed these latest comments of yours because you raise the important question of censorship.

By the way, now that we don't use the regular wordpress commenting system, it is harder to know who is actually commenting. I'm assuming your a new commenter, right? Do you have a website or blog?

i dont have a blog or website. i was just passing through last night, viewing an archived postabout abraham heschel and wendell berry. i am reading heschel's god in search of man and was curious of his relationship to Yeshua. apparently he rejects him, which just completely throws me. anyway, i appreciated the connection to berry, since i recently read a book of his essays. yeah, i get irritated about the whole censorship, editorial philosophies thing. the "this is not an anarchy or a democracy!" explanation. my dad talked to me that way one time about church(he was reading it somewhere. he's the pastor). you guys kill me.

Hi,
Just my 2 cents here but if you see this poetry is similar to the "lame stuff" you and your brother used to write, maybe your stuff isn't quite as "lame" as you think it is. You might be a much better poet than you give yourself credit for. Don't be so down on yourself and don't use that as an excuse to be down on everybody else as well. You don't have to like the poem, but there is a way to say that without being vulgar or rude.

Well I was briefer than zitmob, but as mentioned before, I didn't find the poetry powerful, compelling, or well-written.

I found the intent to be worthwhile, and I appreciated what was behind it, but personally I didn't like it. But I understand where Mark is going with this. I've had articles rejected here. There is an overriding philosophy and intent that is behind this creation, this site. I don't always agree with it, and heck, I've got my own blog and whatnot if I really feel I need to get my voice heard. But this poem opens us up to conversation better than my rejected articles did. My critique above and here opens us up to conversation better than your prior comment did.

Personally, I would love to see Adam write more, have some stuff rejected, have some stuff succeed, have his poetry and his life molded by the honest and loving support and criticism that he should be able to find here. The internet is a world of over-reaction, but the connections are closer. Therefore, unlike mentioning to my wife how crappy a movie was after leaving the theatre, a harsh comment here is read and mulled over by the staff and writers here. The former example can be expressed without detriment to the filmmakers, but were they present, you would probably want to restate it, so that your opinion can be heard in a way that expresses love and critical concern.

Peace

well said, hewhocutsdown.
i took for granted the fact that people out there fill in the blanks.
the above first comment by myself isn't very well worded and reads pretty scathing. but here is the thing: the previous eight comments, even your own, really said nothing.
me relating that this poem reminded me of times when i have cringed at myself was of no essential constructive neccessity. the original comment (the one stricken from the record) was a humorous attempt on my part to cut through the politeness. the fact that it was taken out was, regardless of any justifications or guidelines, unneccesary sterilization. it is not necessary for me to be pleased at all. neither is it necessary for zitmob to be tina or joel or markvans or hewhocutsdown. but it is necessary to give tina, joel, markvans, and hewhocutsdown an opportunity to ignore or respond to zitmob, without getting distracted with whether or not the word shit was used instead of the word crap or butt or whether someone might be encouraged or discouraged by the comment. these considerations should really not be the concern of markvans or pastor darrel as much as they might think. i can't make the leap from mark to my dad to all religious authority figures. that is a crazy flattening. they just happened to have both recently informed me of what type of structure i was in, in their respective domains. i don't find any usefulness in that assertion.
but bless your soul, Adam, for writing poetry all. and everyone who enjoyed it, could relate to it, and was instructed by it. hopefully there will be many more, and many sincere responses. Creating somehting that isn't too highly regarded by others or especially yourself is nothing for you or I to ever be down about. Rejoice in the act and keep moving.

Oh, dear internet... what have you done?

owwch.
now that was poetic.
i fully repent.
again.

I guess you can't please everyone. I guess I can understand why you'd feel the way you do. Maybe I should post commenting guidelines so that things are clearer.

I find it interesting that you link me to your pastor-dad. You certainly don't have to answer this, but do you tend to have negative views of religious authority figures?

Or, maybe that was the point...

Since poets are usually supposed to refrain from explaining their own poetry, I'll jump in. You are right, tinap1...that is part of the point. In a way, the perspective of the poem forces us to confront our own assumptions, judgments, hopes, and fears. It exposes the ugliness of both sides of the desk with and unflinching gaze...and leaves the man behind the desk exposed.

Awesome. Thanks :)

Thanks Mark :)

Judging from the other comments, I must be missing something because I find the author pretty self-righteous and condescending...as did my co-worker who read it.

What am I not seeing??

great poem... really grabbed me

Really like it. Beautiful, thought-provoking.

how often, when working with the poor and oppressed do we come with qualifications rather than radical grace.... God forgive us

I had a tough time with the format, but I appreciate the sentiment. Thank you, Adam.