Can we blame the internet in general?
Or maybe “society”?
Maybe we aren’t responsible for their existence, but we don’t have to succor them. I don’t think there is much hope that they will change. Trolls are known for their trolling.
It’s what they do.
Have you ever been accused of being a troll simply for disagreeing with someone?
Bro. @Pater15
I think our brother Paul called them philóneikos; (Strong5380) in 1 Cro. 11:16, and we sure have those in spades.
KP
No, we want disagreement. @BobEstey
Trolling takes place on a spectrum, not all trolls are equals. Some characteristics include constant disagreement with everyone, and nearly universal ad hominem. It’s never just about what you said - it’s about you. And quite extreme. Quite typically, you are inhabited by Satan and are certainly headed for hell. Or maybe you’re just stupid, uneducated, or lazy. You earn that judgement based on your disagreement with them, because they always know more than you.
It’s kinda fun (watching trains wreck type of fun) when two more start going after each other. Remember, they disagree with everyone, including other trolls.
They are never interested in learning anything. They already know everything.
The cardinal sin for forum participants is to “feed the trolls”, which means engaging with them at all. The opportunity to call you stupid and hell-bound is the air that they breathe, and the food that they eat. It’s not east to not respond sometimes, but that response is almost always a mistake. It just encourages more trolling.
Is it possible a mentally unbalanced person might take to trolling, though maybe in his mind, he is advancing a just cause?
Sure I would think so.
Are we @DavyP thinking of @DavyP anyone in general? @DavyP Or just asking the question in general?
Be blessed,
Peter
Oh yes. That person was me! Before God took me out of the mud and mire and set me on a rock, I was trolling just based on how I felt which was most always lost and drunk. My just cause was, “I need help!” and back in 2008, Youtube was my go to and most always commenting negative and careless thoughts. I was a Christian from an early age and ran into a bunch of trouble. Instead of calling upon the Lord I hid in a bottle of whiskey…many many bottles.
Now I ALWAYS thank God in Christ Jesus for His Love and His Mercy and is everlasting Grace for delivering me, a spec of dust, from those times. He never left me just as He promised in His word. Now whenever I comment online, I am conscious of His presence and strive to do it in love.
God bless.
Bro Pater15
I can’t be completely sure what anyone actually means when they use the trope “troll” to describe someone, but I do notice that the term is always used as a pejorative. I assume we are speaking of someone who enjoys inciting discomfort in others, and does so as sport, and not from actually holding a serious, but contrary POV. I monitor some discussions on this forum, and after several volleys of voluminous, regurgitated, reiterated-ad-nauseum, opinion, I begin to suspect there is no intention of “listening and learning”, only of “pontificating and subjugating”.
I offered Paul’s word, Gk: philóneikos as tongue-in-cheek, but also as a serious consideration. A philóneikos is one who “loves disputation”, from (philos) “lover”, and (neikos) “a quarrel”. It is not just a strongly opinionated person, or a stubborn hearted one, but one who is “itchin’-for-a-fight”, and is going to have one, one-way-or-the-other. I suspect some we encounter on this forum accurately fit this description. Engaging in the quarrel IS the goal; coming to a satisfactory conclusion is never the goal, in fact, coming to a conclusion is to be avoided. The philóneikos may enjoy a feeling of superiority engaged in the throes of safe and anonymous contest; anonymity offering protection from any real danger, (like the arrogant fool teasing a large angry dog, barking wildly at the end of his tether). It may be a philóneikos is actually performing for themselves, acting in safe defiance against their real inner feelings of inferiority and fear. It may be a form of compensation; conforming to their fallen-nature of pursuing their innate desire to be noticed, appreciated, respected, and feared, but to assuage their inner self-loathing. Who knows!
In any case, the Christian is called to the glorious work of applying the peaceable salve of The Gospel to the wounded and broken of our world. This includes the philóneikos. It is difficult and thankless work; hard labor that will often insist we reject our favorite initial reaction and, by Faith, trust in the simple healing power of The Gospel. It does not always remedy the illness, but even so, it is our ONLY calling, and our ONLY hope of ever helping the “troll” recover, to The Glory of Our Savior.
I’m not trying to sound sanctimonious, only faithful to The Word. Sorry if I missed.
Peace
KP
I’m really LAUGHING at all the IDLE WORDS being used against me here! It is SO… funny and STUPID! Because it shows just how FAR AWAY from the actual Word of God some here are.
I don’t envy you your ministry brother 
.
But seriously, I do think my hand is more fit to the rod than the staff, even when the tears (my own) are flowing. Possibly since I know what it takes to bend my own stiff neck. And my 13 kids (all perfect angels of course).
There is also the matter of wolves in sheep’s clothing, who don’t spare the flock. And there is something to the anonymity of the keyboard. Just brings out the worst in some.
We can’t possibly know if someone is wounded and crying out for their last gasp of relevance, or if they are haughty, conceited, and heartless.
Is the answer to reject trollishness always or tolerate always? I’ll let the guys with the staffs decide I guess. Let the Spirit of God lead in love always.
Yes, you are right of course.
I’m not criticizing others, or how anyone deals with irritating people, definitely not you. I am reminded those beloved “sons of Thunder”, the Zebedee boys, wanted permission to “call down fire from heaven” on some Samaritans that “refused to receive them”. (Luke 9:54). No doubt those smug Samaritans deserved it. Even though Jesus corrects them, brother John, even in his old age, still seems to favor his “hand that is more fit to the rod than the staff”, as he says:
" I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have the preeminence among them, does not receive us.
Therefore, if I come, I will call to mind his deeds which he does, prating against us with malicious words. And not content with that, he himself does not receive the brethren, and forbids those who wish to, putting them out of the church. (3 John 1:9-10)
I get it. We have been warned against wolves in sheep’s clothing, so you make a sound point.
Keep being you. We appreciate it.
KP
EDIT: addition
Even so, I will remind us, that the same impulsive “son of thunder” who would call down fire from heaven in response to a slight; and the same beloved disciple as an aged sage who would publicly call out an arrogant Diotrephes, also wrote the greatest and most wonderful treatise on Charity (Love) that mankind has ever known.
“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. (1 John 4:7-11)
He was also the chosen amanuensis who received and recorded the most profound Revelation of Jesus the Christ the world has ever received.
Sound familiar? You’re in good company.
The Apostle John, like you and I, is a very complicated creature.
Blessings and edification to you
KP
Well said brother - I appreciate you and your ministry.
Big brothers that lower their little brothers’ self-esteem, and post something on their MMORPG account are responsible for them becoming trolls. Little girls that manipulate boys with a leer into being a jerk, troll, or bad guy are responsible for boys growing up to be trolls.