The Orthodox Jewish Online Debate Conundrum: Obedience Vs. Argument.

The Internet has created a connected world where ideas can be shared across boundaries in many ways. This has been a boon to society, but it comes with its downsides. Most people have had to dealt with trolls and rude anonymous individuals wasting the internet with their garbage, but few will face the problems that some Orthodox Jews must face.

If there are two things Orthodox Jews like, it's Obedience to G~D and Argument. They says if two Jews are arguing there are three opinions between them. The internet has been a boon to the Jewish diaspora to maintain intellectual debate amongst themselves. However, the distance and time zone differences have a fatal flaw in that debate.

Imagine it's Friday afternoon and a particularly strong debate is going on a Jewish forum. If a Jew in New York and a Jew in Chicago are arguing a point and neither wants to concede the last word, the Chicago Jew has the upper hand. He has a full hour before sundown to make his final replies. Jewish law prevents the use of computers on Shabbat, meaning the Jew in New York must shut down if he is to stay obedient. By the end of Shabbat the debate will be a day old an lose its fire and the New York Jew must concede to that putz in Chicago.

Distance becomes a hindrance. While before it would be comical to see a Jew on one side of the time zone dividing line arguing with another Jew on the other side until one becomes quiet because of Shabbat, how does one online deal with it in the real world?

A few suggestion for Jews who find themselves in this situation.

1.Think globally, argue locally - Stick to debate partners that live in the same time zone. Even if the argument remains unresolved, you'll at least have equal chance to get in the last word. and you'll have the whole next day to think some witty retort to the schmuck's counterpoint.

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2. Think globally, argue the guy a time zone ahead - It's not your fault time zones are what they are. If the other guy's fool enough to argue near Shabbat with someone a time zone ahead, shouldn't he already lose?

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3. Suppose you end up having to argue on the Internet with some else, hire a Gentile as a typist. That's kosher, right?