Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace(Ephesians 4:3)
Sometimes in the blogosphere, we write things that others take in the wrong way. They have a view of some certain item that causes them to “rise up” in defense of some supposed injustice. Yet sometimes this defending of God’s honor, scripture, matters of conscience, or whatever the case may be, is unnecessary. Sometimes it is done with a misunderstanding of what the other person actually meant. Even if the person wrote something that could be or perhaps even should be construed a certain way, not every one articulates their thoughts to the level that is needed in the particular instance, especially in written form. Can we, and if so, how can we take things back before it gets out of hand? What happens when it gets to the point that “its on!”
This is one of the problems inherent in the written word, whether in the blogosphere, a letter to a friend or relative, or even and especially when interpreting the Bible; what was the intent of the author. We must remember to separate the emotion from the intent. We all have hot buttons, those issues that we debate with a passion, sometimes with more heat than light, but always with heat. As Christians, how then can we best engage in vigorous yet humble debate? Here is a link to a prominent blogger, the jollyblogger, addressing the issue.
http://jollyblogger.typepad.com/jollyblogger/2004/05/some_thoughts_o.html
Please leave some comments on this one, if not about the article link then about the issue itself. I expect we can learn a great deal from each other if we will "enter in" this discussion.
5 comments:
I'm already "hot" about this one!
Here is a comment I left on a post at pyromaniacs
http://teampyro.blogspot.com/2006/07/how-to-deal-with-posts-you-dont.html
about posts you don't like:
Sometimes, though not seen often, a way to deal with a post you "don't like" is to give the balance. It has the effect of getting a reasonable, thought out, (usually that is) response. And if it is not responded to in kind or at all, well, then you can see, without having to say, who is the "lesser" in this particular exchange. And then don't spoil that by saying so...
IOW, begin with the idea that you understand where they are coming from, if you do, give what you agree with, and THEN, talk of what you felt was where they went off track, or what you don't understand. Then give what you believe would be the conclusion of the matter if corrected, and say that otherwsie you aren't on the same page but perhaps could be if convinced otherwise by Scripture and conscience.
Yes, this will take more time, but it will set a higher standard, if I can say that word. It is worth it.
I am not one of those who feels that blogging is unproductive or a waste of time...many have not thought through their theological, doxological, or dare I say, exegetical or lexical ideas. As simple as some of the ideas presented on this and other (ahem) blogs may seem, the tangential repercussions of such discourse can have a profound effect. This is what we want, no?
I'm more than all for fun, I love it dearly...but if you are seriously needing clarification, go for that, go the head, or the heart, not the throat...
Take the time to learn to get to the core of the issues, and you will learn a valuable and vital tool in helping you witness to others (oooh that was a nice trump card)...where to place the humor, that is the question, IMHO.
Where there is no fuel, the fire goes out.
I think sometimes our passion is not fueled by a desire to see God glorified - instead, we have put a stake in (invested in) our own opinion on a matter, and when we do that our reputation becomes a "treasure" for us to stumble over - and many a man stumbles here - but the humble will rise again, but without the burden of maintaining a reputation.
Good post.
Daniel, thank you, and to be honest, I have been wrestling with this all day, except for while I was officiating the funeral of a dear friend. She's in heaven now!
I want to grow, I am willing to be wrong, and I have to question motives if I don't know them and I am trying to understand a position; I can't judge the hearts of men, but I can inspect the fruit and ask questions.
I hope that is what I have been doing, but I feel bad. When someone else isn't "willing", per se, I don't know what to think except to look at myself first; what did I do wrong?
I ask God to reveal secret faults and keep me back from presumptous sins, and to let the words of my mouth, etc... you know Psalm 19, Psalm 139...not as ritual but as real, I want to know. It is like what I wrote to you about the man who replied with grace to me when I praised his denomination's website, but in a sense degraded others, remember? I felt and was exposed, but I was helped...
This only Daniel will understand, so sorry folks...provoked, ad hominem, holier than thou?....is this what was being done? Doesn't this tell the true story, or am I way off? It can't be all of it, I must be culpable in some way, or all the way, but there was something really wrong here...wasn't there?
To Daniel, continued...
I want to repent, I need help to understand what of, I am not joking, except that if I thought I was right, I would have to repent about feeling vindicated if I was shown to be so. Perhaps this is all way too introspective...
I do repent that I apparently caused this brother to be provoked into doing something he might not otherwise have felt the need to do.
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