Some Charitable Reminders For Fraternal Correction Online
So you've judged the actions of a fellow Christian online and you've decided it's up to you to correct that person in a fraternal manner. Here are some gentle reminders of what to do and what not to do.
-If the person has a YouTube channel and a lot of people watch their videos or a blog that people read, using the combox to correct them, especially when it's something that other viewers or readers don't have any business knowing, is a bad idea. Find a way to contact that person directly and privately.
-Don't judge a person's heart. This is a sin on its own, but if you post that judgement online where everyone can and will see it, judgement becomes slander. Damaging or destroying someone's reputation is a sin. And if the person is someone who is doing the work of the Church through their online activity, slander could sabotage peoples' growth in the faith and influence people who are thinking about joining the Church to change their mind. The blogger or YouTuber could be the only version of the Bible that other people read. And if you're posting things claiming that someone is not doing something with their heart because you're a mystic, I don't care. You may have a different view of God and other people because of your mysticism and that's great, but I am very skeptical of those who read the hearts of others, unless you've been given that gift like Padre Pio and other saints were.
In fact, St. Frances de Sales, a mystic himself, was very skeptical of self-proclaimed mystics who described as being taken out of themselves in contemplative prayer, but were uncharitable in their words towards their neighbor.
-If you add a piece of trivia in your fraternal correction, make sure you have your facts straight. The Internet is your friend in this case. People aren't going to trust you if you give them a fun fact and find out themselves that you were wrong by Googling the fun fact. With the Internet at your fingertips, there is no excuse to give people inaccurate trivia.
-Only call someone out on their actions and words.
-People may or may not need to show that they've repented of a sin online.
-If someone is a consecrated religious who lives in the world, do not tell them it's unbecoming of them to live in the world and relocate to a monastery and lead a life of prayer. Both cloistered and active religious orders have their place. And if a consecrated religious has chosen a vocation of an active religious who lives in the world and a religious order that's active in the world, respect their choice. Don't tell them that the order they're a member of is bad news just because that order lives in the world.