Some relevant facts before I begin:
The Bible never contradicts itself. If you think it does, let's have coffee. I'm willing to listen to you if you're willing to listen to me. What I'm talking about today has more to do with lessons of how to live (see paradoxes in Proverbs, which I think aren't contradictory, but are teaching that life take biblical wisdom, and that both can be true) than any apparent historical contradictions.
The definition of paradox is NOT "something which is self contradictory." Let me give you the actual definition:
Merriam-Webster's: "a statement that is seemingly contradictory or opposed to common sense and yet is perhaps true"
I also read somewhere by someone smart who I don't remember that a paradox was something that appeared to be a contradiction but in reality wasn't.
The Blog
I've been thinking about a particular contradiction because of some sermons I've been listening to that has to do with work and rest. That is it's own issue. But some reflection on the tension of things and ideas of "balance" that we all love to talk about, me especially, made me decide I'd write a short (yeah, you're laughing, I'm never short. Maybe my next post should be how I need to learn to say everything that I often say in a minute or two in 10 seconds or less. Or maybe the rule is 10 words or less, main thing is, I know that I need to learn to say more with fewer words and less time. AFTER I WROTE THIS: Well, this post turned into that, oh well.)
Most of you who read this probably already agree with me and it's nothing new, but, eh, that happens, once again, that's another post about further reflecting on the legitimacy of blogging.
All my asides aside, I will now actually say what I came here to say.
Every point in the Bible seems to need three sermons, one of which never gets preached. One to present one extreme (in my case, we are all called to work and redeem the creation, but we're all lazy, me especially), one to present this other extreme (we are all called to rest, particularly to rest in Jesus, but also rest in the general sense, and none of rest enough, especially me, and especially so not in Jesus); pause, here is the paradox, two statements which make opposite statements but are both true; and one to actually teach the balance, the living out of the paradox. This third one never gets given. And maybe it doesn't actually need to be, but, I feel like some people need to be taught about this tension thing, or it needs to get mentioned that there is an opposite, that you can go too far one way in a lot of issues which we present extremes on. Now, I get it, we teach extremes to make points. I do it all that time. I'm not actually against the practice, I'm just saying that we need to remember from time to time to remind people that there is always an flip side of the coin, and teach them how to deal with that. While I doubt this is an issue anyone who will ever read this faces because we've been taught good biblical thinking, there are many who don't get what I'm talking about.
Someone, somewhere, smarter than me, who I don't remember, has written, or maybe gave a sermon, talking about tension. And I'm just realizing that there is a never ending tension in life. In fact, maybe I'm recalling a point that was made to me, if I am, that's okay, I already knew this was nothing revolutionary or new when I started writing it, I digress. There is always tension in life. In fact, if you don't feel tension, you are probably leaning to far one way on this or that. So, now, we have to learn how to live with the tension. To take the extremes, which are both true, and find through biblical wisdom where living life falls between the two sermons.
That's all I wanted to say.
Yep, I've got to figure out how to say things with fewer words. In Bible study yesterday I really became aware of this. I was saying something, and trying to say it eloquently, but if I don't faster, I think I probably lose people. And fact is, good communicators just say what needs to be said without a bunch of extra, or unnecessary. I've got to start identifying what is necessary and what isn't. How to communicate my meaning effectively and not bore people or take forever. I just always want to say it well and illustrate my point and make sure I'm understood . . . and then I feel like I have to justify or defend things as I say them. Now doesn't that say something about a problem I have. Yes, yes it does.
Friday, September 24, 2010
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Blogging Opportunities: Narcissistic or Community Building?
I blogged once. Basically I just told what was going on in life. People read it, commented on it. It was neat. I was in high school and wanted attention. Don't get me wrong, I still do. I very much have an idol of being noticed and loved. Because of this and my lack of time I didn't blog. I sort of kept a journal of thoughts for myself and to give to pastors or friends when I needed to let things out. This blog is not going to be that, that will still exist for it's purpose, but I have a million thoughts that I sometimes wind up going "Man, I'd love to rant to someone about this." Part of that is narcissism and thinking I have great ideas, and part of that is, hey, I'm a smart guy and have some ideas, and I'd like to share. So, today, I decided, I will hopefully with some semblance of a pure motive begin a blog. My first topic: blogging.
I really like being listened to, and I don't spend enough time listening. I know that more than ever now that I'm married, and as I reflect on some wisdom a good friend has imparted to me a couple of times. So, I've decided to start blogging. I'll be honest, I will actually probably be a little depressed if no one ever reads my blog. If this isn't a sign of an idol, I don't know what is. God, grant me the grace to actually fight an idol and instead use this for godly reflection. That prayer being made, I have some friends who have some super popular blogs (well, at least, within certain circles, relatively many people read them. See: Jasper Abbott(this is actually several posters on a forum) or Katie Tracy for example) I personally really enjoy reading people's blogs. It's interesting to see what they're thinking. Normally they're not delving into the most personal parts of their lives (which they shouldn't in this public forum) but making interesting observations and quandaries concerning different aspects of life, and it's interesting to see what they're thinking about and what they think about it. So, knowing this, I've decided I'd start my own. But, before I did, I really spent some time pondering, is blogging essentially a narcissistic activity?
It CAN be. But isn't necessarily. Why it can be is obvious. You can be a person just trying to get attention, wanting to rant and rave about your life, being all about you telling your story with no thought of its value beyond your own personal expression. Now, this can have a place in its own right that is not necessarily sinful or a character flaw or whatever. We don't want to be self-centered people, but we do have a self, and some of us just happen to choose that as a form of expression. I think the real question is the motive behind it. And, this is a finicky thing, I can't really identify where that line is between healthy motives and not. But its somewhere.
But, blogging also has the potential for being one of your expressions into the community, of encouraging others, expressing ideas, etc. I am thankful I live in a community where this is so. Reading Doug Serven or Katie Tracy's blogs, for example, is often encouraging to me, or reading Tim Graf's or Becky Myers is often incredibly mind provoking (or Tim's case just HILARIOUS, which has value in its' own right). While I have my own fair share of narcissism going on, which any of you who know me already know, my prayer is that this blog will be one of those. A community building blog, that brings forth encouragement and conversation.
Lots of you who know me hear me talk about the things I'm thinking about, that are often off the wall, or at least, well, esoteric, possibly irrelevant. You've heard me talk about my paper I'm writing that I want to get published about how the Christian worldview is the only one that is consistent with itself in propagating the arts (feel free to contest this, it would be a great conversation) because God doesn't redeem the world in the same order we would. Well, things like that, that I'm thinking about, that's what will go here. I have something for my personal stuff, so don't worry, you won't find that here. This is about getting my thoughts about great conversation topics out there, that sort of things. And yes, most of the time, I will be applying the Christian worldview to every day life. It's just the kind of guy I am.
Andy Crouch actually talked about blogs being a type of power, social capital, if you will, in a talk at Covenant Seminary last semester. I heard it via podcast. It's fantastic. Everyone should read his book Creating Culture. He's not talking about power as a bad thing, but as a reality, we all have it. Rather than power, maybe a better word is cultural capital. People have power, somewhere, in some community, somehow. President Obama has power over the nation and Mike Biggs has power over Christ the King and someone has power over their groups of friend. Not necessarily authoritative power, but, for instance, Stephen Hawking has power of the science community or Tim Keller has power over the Reformed Presbyterian people. Not authority, but for example, the more people that read your blog, the more power, or cultural capital, you have. So, I'm a smart guy, a few of you guys respect me and might find my ideas interesting, I'm here to influence the world in some small way. That's right, I am actually suggesting that what I write here on this blog will actually in some incredibly small way, be my exercise of power in the world, fulfilling the cultural mandate, and in fact be a part of God's redemption of the Creation. I'm not kidding or exaggerating, I'm dead serious. So, I hope at least 2 or 3 people will read this semi-regularly. Yes, for my ego's sake, I admit, but also so that it can actually whatever incredibly small influence on the world, and, give me a place to get all my ideas out so maybe I'll be slightly less likely to spout them at you the next time I have you captured for a conversation.
That's what I'm going to do here and why. So, here goes. . .
I really like being listened to, and I don't spend enough time listening. I know that more than ever now that I'm married, and as I reflect on some wisdom a good friend has imparted to me a couple of times. So, I've decided to start blogging. I'll be honest, I will actually probably be a little depressed if no one ever reads my blog. If this isn't a sign of an idol, I don't know what is. God, grant me the grace to actually fight an idol and instead use this for godly reflection. That prayer being made, I have some friends who have some super popular blogs (well, at least, within certain circles, relatively many people read them. See: Jasper Abbott(this is actually several posters on a forum) or Katie Tracy for example) I personally really enjoy reading people's blogs. It's interesting to see what they're thinking. Normally they're not delving into the most personal parts of their lives (which they shouldn't in this public forum) but making interesting observations and quandaries concerning different aspects of life, and it's interesting to see what they're thinking about and what they think about it. So, knowing this, I've decided I'd start my own. But, before I did, I really spent some time pondering, is blogging essentially a narcissistic activity?
It CAN be. But isn't necessarily. Why it can be is obvious. You can be a person just trying to get attention, wanting to rant and rave about your life, being all about you telling your story with no thought of its value beyond your own personal expression. Now, this can have a place in its own right that is not necessarily sinful or a character flaw or whatever. We don't want to be self-centered people, but we do have a self, and some of us just happen to choose that as a form of expression. I think the real question is the motive behind it. And, this is a finicky thing, I can't really identify where that line is between healthy motives and not. But its somewhere.
But, blogging also has the potential for being one of your expressions into the community, of encouraging others, expressing ideas, etc. I am thankful I live in a community where this is so. Reading Doug Serven or Katie Tracy's blogs, for example, is often encouraging to me, or reading Tim Graf's or Becky Myers is often incredibly mind provoking (or Tim's case just HILARIOUS, which has value in its' own right). While I have my own fair share of narcissism going on, which any of you who know me already know, my prayer is that this blog will be one of those. A community building blog, that brings forth encouragement and conversation.
Lots of you who know me hear me talk about the things I'm thinking about, that are often off the wall, or at least, well, esoteric, possibly irrelevant. You've heard me talk about my paper I'm writing that I want to get published about how the Christian worldview is the only one that is consistent with itself in propagating the arts (feel free to contest this, it would be a great conversation) because God doesn't redeem the world in the same order we would. Well, things like that, that I'm thinking about, that's what will go here. I have something for my personal stuff, so don't worry, you won't find that here. This is about getting my thoughts about great conversation topics out there, that sort of things. And yes, most of the time, I will be applying the Christian worldview to every day life. It's just the kind of guy I am.
Andy Crouch actually talked about blogs being a type of power, social capital, if you will, in a talk at Covenant Seminary last semester. I heard it via podcast. It's fantastic. Everyone should read his book Creating Culture. He's not talking about power as a bad thing, but as a reality, we all have it. Rather than power, maybe a better word is cultural capital. People have power, somewhere, in some community, somehow. President Obama has power over the nation and Mike Biggs has power over Christ the King and someone has power over their groups of friend. Not necessarily authoritative power, but, for instance, Stephen Hawking has power of the science community or Tim Keller has power over the Reformed Presbyterian people. Not authority, but for example, the more people that read your blog, the more power, or cultural capital, you have. So, I'm a smart guy, a few of you guys respect me and might find my ideas interesting, I'm here to influence the world in some small way. That's right, I am actually suggesting that what I write here on this blog will actually in some incredibly small way, be my exercise of power in the world, fulfilling the cultural mandate, and in fact be a part of God's redemption of the Creation. I'm not kidding or exaggerating, I'm dead serious. So, I hope at least 2 or 3 people will read this semi-regularly. Yes, for my ego's sake, I admit, but also so that it can actually whatever incredibly small influence on the world, and, give me a place to get all my ideas out so maybe I'll be slightly less likely to spout them at you the next time I have you captured for a conversation.
That's what I'm going to do here and why. So, here goes. . .
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