How would you feel if your private jornal or personal letters were read by family members or published online?

Question

Upset that Mother Teresa's private letters were published after her death when she asked that they be burned.

Answer 1

They should have respected her wishes, she was one very great human being and an inspiration of strength and perseverance for all, especially women.

Answer 2

Unfortunately, famous people often have this sort of problem. It is sad that her wishes were not followed, but it was easily foreseen.

In this case, the letters were not only hers, but also property of others. The Catholic Church determined that they were of such importance that they should be kept and published for the benefit of others. While Mother Teresa may have felt personally embarrassed by her struggles with her faith, she lived primarily for others, and that is the one argument that I doubt she could have disagreed with.

This leaves me with a dilemma, as I really do believe that a person's last wishes should be honored, but also feel that she would have been willing to have them published had she realized how much good they could do for others.

I'm just glad that I wasn't the one that had to make that decision.

Answer 3

She didn't want all of them destroyed. Now you have a choice - think about what she said and ignore a side issue that you have made up, or zero in on the side issue and evade the real issue.

I think many religious icons really doubt the existence of a god. Think about it - do you really believe in some supernatural thing creating the universe, us and judging us? I can't imagine you really do.

Answer 4

No matter how much good they would do the world, those journals represented her private thoughts and feelings. Journals can be as intimate as prayers. I think its wrong to invade the privacy of another person in that way, esp. if it were that persons dying wish.

...And hadn't she sacrificed enough? I mean, c'mon.
I smell exploitation.

Answer 5

I wouldn't be bothered by it, since I don't write embarrassing things about myself. I write about how I feel about other people sometimes. I am always nice to people, even those I don't like. If these people got a hold of what I write about them, I'd politely tell them "Yes, that is how I feel about you, but no, I never meant for you to read that, that is rude and disrespectful." If they decide to never talk to me again, it's their loss, my gain.

Answer 6

I think that people should respect the wishes of the dead and do as they ask.

I would not like my personal papers published.

Answer 7

yikes!