By Todd Tillinghast
It has been said that the Internet and particularly the Blogosphere has redefined the way we disseminate information from being lecture oriented to being conversation oriented. If this is true then the way that we search for, receive and process the truth has necessarily been altered as well. Is this something that we as Christians should be concerned with and if so what we can we do about it?
There is no question that the Blogosphere has positive attributes. It has given voice to many people and has encouraged involvement in arenas ranging from politics to religion to charitable giving. In many ways it has enhanced our connectedness. It can also be said that it has increased our level of intelligence as a people as we are becoming researchers by nature and delving deeper into issues than maybe ever before.
But on the other hand, the case can be made that the Blogosphere has created more confusion than good. That it has not engendered a conversation but an ongoing argument and debate in which all parties involved simply dig in and defend their own positions. And in an ironic turn of events, some believe that the blogosphere and all social networking for that matter have had the opposite effect of what we thought. It has made us more disconnected and close-minded.
Personally, I am leaning more toward the second option when I gauge my own reactions to the blogging that I have gotten involved with. If I write a blog and someone comments and disagrees with it I find myself digging in and at all costs and defending what I already wrote. I also, ashamedly, find myself at times looking for someone to appose on the Blogosphere. I have a sneaky feeling that I’m not the only one who does that.
At its best the Blogosphere seems to offer a great idea forum in which to express and discuss issues. At it’s worse it seems to be an instrument that highlights sentiments of intellectual superiority and causes unnecessary arguments devouring hours and hours of people’s time that they could be utilizing for more important things like parenting, earning a living or eating a meal in order to sustain life.
The real question I would like to pose here is “What should the Christian’s response to the blogosphere be?”
Without a doubt the Blogosphere offers evangelistic opportunities unlike any other medium. Now we can all be armchair missionaries not even needing to leave the comfort of our own home to communicate the gospel. I have to believe that the blogosphere would fall under Paul’s “become all things to all people category” in 1st Corinthians 9:19-23. “To the bloggers I have become like a blogger, multitasking so as to win the multitaskers to the lord.”
But how successful is this ministry of evangelism? How effective can it be when every truth that is uttered and every idea that is thrown into the blogging machine is immediately cut to pieces and examined and reexamined and reconfigured in a million different ways? I wonder if evangelizing on the Blogosphere is liken to throwing our pearls before swine. (Mathew 7:6)
Well, we know that in any forum and every forum people will disagree and reject the gospel. We also know that in any forum and in every forum it is only the Goodness of God that will ultimately lead someone to repentance anyway RM. 2:4). So it seems imperative that we view the blogosphere as a mission field. Our task however is to do it without getting bogged down in the mire that can be the blogosphere. After many wasted hours of getting tangled up in threads and saying many things that I later regretted I have decided to place some restrictions on myself when it comes to the Blogosphere.
1. Only write blogs that have a purpose beyond just inciting a debate.
Argument and debate will most definitely ensue no matter what the topic to some extent. But many of us have thrown topics out there or downloaded videos onto our blogs that we know will stir up the pot. And many of us have taken a guilty pleasure in watching people go at each other over it. This, in my opinion, although completely acceptable within approved blogosphere culture, is not what Christ would have us to do. Sure Jesus had no problem engaging in public debates with the Pharisees. And he wasn’t always polite either,. But usually they would come to him with a question in an effort to try to trip him up and make him look like a fool. The instances in which He challenged them on His own accord were times when he had a definite purpose in mind. Paul admonishes us that “if it is possible live peaceably among all men.” (RM 13:18) The reality of the matter is that sometimes it isn’t possible when there is real truth at stake to be defended. But it is possible to not argue constantly for the sake of arguing.
2. Only engage in other blogs that you are passionate about.
Again, when I feel that there is a truth that needs to be defended in a blog or I believe that there may be something I can contribute that might actually help someone then by all means I should engage in that particular blog. If it is a subject that I am passionate about then it will be something that I am knowledgeable about and won’t need to spend too much time researching in order to authenticate my statements. If it is just something that really doesn’t matter beyond the possibility of me being able to show my intellectual prowess or an opportunity to irritate somebody it is probably a waste of my time. It is the truth that we know that sets us free (John 8:32) and it will be the truth that we know and that we can effectively communicate that God can use to set others free.
3. Stick to just the facts and don’t be afraid to actually say something.
Many blogs and bloggers do a whole lot of talking but really don’t say anything. This idea of “just putting it out there for discussion.” Often times has the effect of watering down anything of substance. Don’t be afraid to say what you believe and stand your ground. Provide the necessary authentication for your statements but then don’t just morph into the “just saying” kind of attitude. Say something and then defend if you are going to say anything at all.
4. Don’t go to the Blogosphere seeking truth go there to speak the truth.
Conversation is not the best means to arrive at truth. It is a great way to work out the implications and personal applications of truth but it is not an effective way to obtain it. Conversation causes us to arrive at conclusions which are based on consent of all opinions offered. Consent is not truth. This is a form of subjectivism and usually results in more confusion than enlightenment. As Christians we do not need to consult the popular opinions of the gurus on the blogosphere to arrive at a truthful synopsis of any subject. We need to go to scripture for that. (2nd Tim 3:16)
At first glance this statement sounds arrogant but if you think about it this is less arrogant than the idea that we can all sit around and pontificate with our intellectual musings and somehow arrive at the truth. This makes our source for truth ourselves. When we allow the bible to be our baseline of truth we are humbly submitting ourselves to a higher enlightenment than just our own minds and emotions.
When Paul steps into the ancient equivalent of the blogosphere the “Aeropogus” in which “the Athenians and the foreigners who were there spent their time in nothing else but either to hear or to tell a new thing.” (Acts 17:21) he doesn’t pull any punches. He is not informed by the philosophers but to the contrary he speaks the truth into their context.
Well I am hoping that these new guideline will help me as a Christian blogger to waste less time getting bogged down in the blogosphere. I am very interested in knowing what you think about this blog which I have no doubt you’ll tell me that is, I hope, if you are passionate enough about this topic.
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