Yesterday, during the sermon discussion time after Sunday service, Pat mentioned this piece by Rick Holland on some of the dangers of blogging and reading blogs. I took a look at it, and he offers some good insights into the whole phenomenon. At one point, he writes:
First, most blogs are masquerades. They make people look like something they’re not. Bloggers pose as theologians, philosophers, statesmen for causes, even spokesmen for Christianity when they are little more than guys with some computer savvy and a strong opinion.
These particular words really gave shape to some of my own sentiments about blogging. It’s been a month since I’ve started this WordPress, and it’s been a lot of fun, and I think, overall, a profitable experience. It certainly keeps my mind stimulated, as I perpetually think of things I can write about, and challenges me to form coherent thoughts rather than have them float around nebulously in my mind.
But at the same time, I always wonder if my writing is an accurate representation of my genuine heart. In all honesty, I think in a lot of situations, I know the “right” thing to say. But the question that never fails to pluck my heart is: do I really believe this?
At the same time, I realized that there’s certainly an element of accountability in blogging that can be profitable. Recognizing that I see many of you on a day-to-day basis, it really helps me to aim for accuracy in the way I represent myself here, and, at the same time, it challenges me to live up to some of the convictions I write about. I imagine that, on small scale, this is similar to the incredible accountability that comes for preachers, understanding that they must be the first to practice what they preach, lest they aggravate their hearers and shame the doctrine of God.
Rick Holland’s thoughts on blogging were a great reminder for me that even in blogging (and the many other crevices of the internet), Lordship should characterize our identity and conduct.
12 Comments
September 24, 2007 at 7:51 am
I share some of the same apprehensions about blogging and the blogosphere that you are pondering here. I began blogging as a means of keeping friends and family updated about a crisis situation. I began to get feedback of appreciation for my spiritual insights along the road. So, I began my new blog as a means of spiritual formation exercise if only for me. Journaling is a wonderful spiritual formation practice; it chronicles your faith, and leaves a record of your journey for others to ponder. I’ve never been good at journaling with pen and paper, but computer work came much more naturally for me. I’m not sure if I will make any impact with the casual passers-by, but my prayer is to maintain a record of some of the significan spiritual discoveries of my life so that my friends and those under the care of my ministry can ponder them as well.
I would heartily encourage you to blog if only as a spiritual formation exercise for your own growth and for record-keeping of your faith journey. If others benefit, all the better. Your very last statement is right on the money; do that and you’ve done a lot! God’s blessings to you on your journey, my friend.
September 24, 2007 at 11:41 am
Do you really?
Good post.
September 24, 2007 at 12:45 pm
That’s so true:
1. Just because it’s printed & posted doesn’t mean it’s authoritative.
2. Blogs aren’t the clearest means of discerning character. For instance, I tend to write more often about the aim rather than the attained . . . & because of that, my actual application is often miles & miles behind what I know to be true. But for a glimpse of my real heart, don’t read my blog. Talk to my parents.
September 24, 2007 at 1:05 pm
I really appreciate the measure of accountability you get from blogging, its what caused me to start doing it again,
but I think we all can use any reminders to be cautious. Me especially.
Thanks for the post
September 24, 2007 at 3:17 pm
i love what tia just said. and it’s perfectly true for me too…
“But for a glimpse of my real heart, don’t read my blog. Talk to my parents.”
September 24, 2007 at 3:23 pm
Gregfish,
Thanks for your thoughts. Like you, blogging has been a good exercise for my own growth.
For private journaling, however, I tried to switch to my computer, but recently went back to old-fashion pen and paper. At least for me, something about the mode makes it more conducive for recording those private thoughts with honestly. I think it has to do with the inability to hit backspace and erase the first thoughts that come to mind (which I do a lot).
September 24, 2007 at 6:04 pm
“I imagine that… this is similar to the incredible accountability that comes for preachers…”
S. Hong, M.Div…?
September 24, 2007 at 8:32 pm
My blog is actually how I really feel about things. I find that if you try to cover up your intentions or feelings when blogging, it begins to sound artificial, and then later, you really don’t want to post anymore. Mostly because you start to feel paranoid about who reads your blog.
I can’t really unload at work. I can’t really unload with some of my RL friends. So I unload and let my online audience read it and determine for themselves how they feel. Note that I do swear and I do use labels. But I don’t expect anyone to really care or read into it.
I don’t just let any comment through, though, because I get a lot of s0-called Christian people who swear at me and say the most unbelievable things (for followers of Christ). Some of them are funny, but I spare people from their insanity sometimes and keep their comment to myself.
Just be yourself, and don’t try to impress or coddle people.
September 24, 2007 at 8:32 pm
More important than our “web identity”, who we are in the internet, or how we project ourselves in the net; I think it’s more important to worry about the content, the ideas, the meaning of the message we want to publish and also how we do it.
World-class magazine “The Economist” does not publishes the author’s or editor’s names of the articles. The reason they argue here for this anonimity, is an also masterful way of expressing the point:
September 25, 2007 at 3:24 am
You raise a very important point in this article Steven. We continually need to check our hearts and motives before we hit the publish button. Blogs can be absolutely brilliant for spiritual growth or they can encourage pride and lead a blogger into sin.
Thanks also for the privilege of being in your Favorites list…
September 25, 2007 at 8:20 am
stinkin encouraging and challenging post, steven. Thanks for it. “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” Gotta constantly be checking the heart, even when the intentions start off as good.
September 25, 2007 at 1:34 pm
[...] Good Word 25 09 2007 My thanks to Steven for posting this entry on the accountability of blogging. When I read the message posted by Rick Holland at the [...]