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I'm rather new to this "blogging" stuff, and I find the "whine" ratio fascinating--in a morbid kind of way. Tell me, are blogs somehow not "speech" and use of "the tongue" that they are exempt from the Lord's statutes and ordinances?

I'm not referring specifically to *this* post. But if blogging isn't speech, but is rather letting someone else into your brain--then here again: are our thoughts (published for all to see) somehow exempt from the rule of Christ?

Is Christ Lord of blogging? Or is this the one place where we can sin with impunity?

Sorry to break up the fun, gang, but *in general* (this is a statement about many of the blogs I've read--and admittedly, only recently), there seems a freedom to write things in a blog that if they were spoken would be considered slander, gossip, backbiting, complaining and ingratitude. But aren't these things grieving to God? Do we think that somehow God doesn't lurk our blogs?

Help me here. What's going down? In our blogging, should we not blog to the glory of God?
If so, what does that look like?

This isn't a loaded question.

Posted by joost at April 15, 2003 07:49 AM

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Joost,
I know God is here. I don't think I'd refrain from saying any of this in person. If I have a problem, that's it.

Posted by Rick at April 15, 2003 11:01 AM

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Rick:

Eschatology and hugging isn't my issue. I didn't vote because both options were like deep fried pork chops that had been first breaded in Kitty litter.

I think that largely you've behaved yourself. I had a question, and since this was the latest post, I dived in *here*. But my question, to all bloggers everywhere, is why there is so much cotton-picking whining. And so much of the whining is of the "lonely, misunderstood poet" variety."

My speculation is that many bloggers have the illusion that what they are doing is private and not public, and my point is that blogging is like reading your diary over a bullhorn.

That's all. Anyone care to enlighten me?

Posted by Joost at April 15, 2003 11:56 AM

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Joost, I cannot enlighten you. I can, however, offer some suggested blog reading; see the list below.

My experience with blogs and blogging is very different from yours, and, as such, (no offense) your reaction sounds pietistic to me. My suggestion is that - if you really want to know what's going on in the blogging world - you should read more blogs, and read them for a longer period of time. Then I think your perspective will be worth more.

Here are some blogs, at random, from my roll:

REFORMED
Duane Garner
Jon Barlow
Jeff Meyers
Matt Colvin
Kristen Knox
Scott Cunningham
Emeth Smith
John Barach
Tim Gallant
George Grant

OTHER
Telford Work
Todd Hunter
Daniel Silliman (I hope Daniel doesn't mind being under OTHER; he's a self-professed Anglo-Catholic, so I doubt it.)

Posted by jon amos at April 15, 2003 01:11 PM

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Jon and Rick:

Good points. I'll chill out now.

Thanks,

Joost

Posted by Blog police at April 16, 2003 11:55 AM

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So here I am nearing the bottom of one of a glass of Guinness and thinking that in many ways I am like Thomas Cranmer, and the first thing that needs to burn are the hands that wrote mt retraction.

Jon, thank you for pointing out my pietistic strains. They are most certainly there, and generally need a good whacking now and then. But I must disagree with you on the *locus* of my pietism. You seem to think it I am pietistic because I think that many young bloggers are whiney and self-absorbed ninnies. But I think I am pietistic for feeling guilty for saying so. See the distinction?

But heck, this sin can also be repented of, as I hope to do. And in the future, I invite you all hold me accountable as I seek to mortify this sin.

Posted by Joost Nixon at April 16, 2003 09:31 PM

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Thanks, Joost. I do see the distinction you're making. My point is that there are older, wiser bloggers out there, and these are the bloggers from whom I try to take my cue. But you didn't make the older/younger distinction in your first two comment posts. I think much of what you said is indeed true of the younger sort, of which I myself am included (by age, at the very least). We need your warnings - and you shouldn't feel guilty for giving them - they just need to be better qualified (e.g. the older, wiser vs younger, whinier distinction). Blessings.

Posted by jon amos at April 17, 2003 01:28 AM

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