DISQUS

Zach · 7 months ago

Another factor that coincides with the disembodied nature of blogging, is that its a highly individualized practice. Perhaps blogging communities are a next step in the evolution of good blogging. Therein posts are submitted and reviewed by the group, refined, then posted.

On the other hand, there will always be folks who use blogging to vent their anxieties and fears. But for those of us who claim a great command way of living, the expectation is higher.

Blake Huggins · 7 months ago

I think more communities would be great. That who also help remedy some of the inherent narcissism in blogging and other forms of social media. I like your idea though. Sort of like an open-source, collaborative blogging consortium. That sounds cool. Thanks for stopping by!

Tyler_Braun · 7 months ago

Most of this comes down to the discernment of the writer and the commenter. I agree it is way too easy for people to slander others online and somehow we always need to keep in mind of how our words, with no voice to them, could come across.

Blake Huggins · 7 months ago

I agree. The problem is when you're by yourself (which is when blogging and commenting happens) and sometimes in the heat of the moment it is easy to bypass that discernment.

Jim Marks · 7 months ago

Wouldn't a Christian Ethic of Blogging basically boil down to behaving as we're called to behave through our faith? That is to say love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control?

Blake Huggins · 7 months ago

Indeed. It is amazing to me how fast we abandon those for the sake of cheap rhetorical points at times.

Jim Marks · 7 months ago

And how quickly we abandon them in the name of correcting wrong teaching/thinking and/or providing "tough love" to a fellow believer who is getting onto the wrong track.



HUBRIS.

accidental seminarian · 7 months ago

I couldn't agree more. I am always shocked and horrified at the way some Christians speak to one another face-to-face. It only stands to reason that, when using a blog, the same individuals would behave in the same way. The consequence of such actions are rarely considered. However, when read in the cold light of day by anyone in opposition to religious / Christian world views (note the plural) it stokes the fire of their opposition and, dare I say oft times, their resentment and hostility!

erikullestad · 7 months ago

Good stuff here, Blake.

It's always easier to spew venom than to peacefully and prayerfully construct a publicly expressed viewpoint. All too often, we bloggers only consider OUR audience when writing...but we forget that when we click "publish", the entire world has access to our musings.

I liken this tendency to that of driving in rush hour. It's always disconcerting to me when people with a Jesus fish or religious bumper sticker are swerving in-and-out of traffic, honking their horn, and flipping people off as they pass.

When a person who is publicly Christian chooses to mistreat others in the blogosphere, they are setting a bad example (and playing right into the stereotypes that many people have about Christian hypocracy).

Thanks for the thoughtful post!

Blake Huggins · 7 months ago

You raise a good point. Can we even place limits on our audience when we blog? I don't think we can. That's something we should all keep in mind.

jonathanbrink · 7 months ago

Blake, I truly get what you are after here. But I would only suggest that a list of ethics can only be a pale reflection to the call to love. It's simpler too.

Blake Huggins · 7 months ago

I see what you mean. I'm personally a little suspicious of traditional ethical system for precisely that reason. They tend to be disembodied, scientific systems and codifications that are thought up outside specific circumstances and contexts. I guess what I'm getting at with our blogging behavior is that remember who we are by taking seriously the call to love and to be a people of reconciliation and ask ourselves before we hastily click the submit button if we will truly be reflecting the image of God through our words. For what it's worth, you are one of the best examples of that that I know of in the blogosophere. Keep it up!

Jonathan Brink · 7 months ago

Thanks Blake.

trueanglican · 7 months ago

How about we give the free market a try? If someone is writing a truley vile blog, I would think most Christians would avoid it. There is enough censorship out there.

Blake Huggins · 7 months ago

Well, I sure wouldn't want to implement some sort of Big Brother-ish censor system. That would be more trouble that it is worth not to mention limiting. I agree that most of us would avoid a "truely vile blog," but it my experience that is not that problem. The problem is passionate readers writing a heated comment and posting it before they take time to think it over. I know I have done that before. So, if anything, I would like us to always be mindful of who and what we are representing every time we write something online.

Mark · 7 months ago

Nailed it. But hypocrisy reigns. Just last week an incredibly hostile "Wesley blog" owner accused a church bishop of "peeing on his leg" then provided a link to this article! The irony!