Catholics and Corrupt Communications

"I’ve seen people say that we are representing a brand (that we are our brand) so we should watch how we talk on social media, in our writing or what we say in public. I do not agree with that at all. I am not a brand. I don’t represent any brand at all. I represent Christ. That means that I should not go around being rude to people in person or online and when I do then I need to admit that and seek forgiveness for it. Not because of a brand though, but because I am working on being a saint. Because I am Catholic. Not only am I Catholic, but I am a sinner. I am not going to go around acting like I’m not. I am not going to put on a mask of piety for people so that I don’t get fired from Catholic writing jobs or so that I can get Catholic speaking gigs. That isn’t how Catholicism works."
From A Catholic Blogger

 I beg to differ. I have recently noted the direction negative direction of Catholic writers on the internet. It has become more popular for some prominent Catholic bloggers and apologists to use foul language as well as attack their opponents in escalations of flame wars, which no one really wins. Two bloggers recently were taken off the writing staff of The National Catholic Register (EWTN-owned) as a result of this very thing. While there are many Catholics such as the blogger above I quoted from who think we shouldn't "represent a brand" but Christ, I believe we as Catholics should offer the world an alternative. We are all human- sinners, impious, impatient, etc , however, on the web we have the luxury of writing our words then stepping back and thinking about the import of those words. Will these things I have written draw others to the risen Christ? After all, the mission of the Church is simply to bring people to heaven. Do my words do that?

Yes, I know that we Catholics are as gritty and imperfect sinners as the rest of the world. But the reality is, our words and actions are often watched by non-Catholics and can push people away from Christ and his Church rather than towards it. Of all the Christians "on the web" and in the "real world" we Catholics have the advantage of a direct infusion of God's grace through the power of the sacraments. Therefore, because of our access to the Eucharist and frequent Confession, we have the opportunity of allowing ourselves to become fashioned into the image of Christ in a very expeditious way. Do all our problems, sins and foibles go away because of the ability to have union with the Living God in the sacraments? No, but the potential is there, and in such a measure that we have 2000 years of saints who proven that it can be done.

When I sit down in front of my computer, shouldn't I represent Christ to the world as much as I do in my day to day life? Even more so because of the potential for our words to reverberate throughout the blogosphere and beyond, and someday shouted from the housetops during our individual (particular) judgment. (cf Luke 12:3)

"Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers(or readers on the web too)." Eph 4:29