Godly Blogging?
June 6th, 2005 | Published in Culture, Technology
Be sure to read–if you already haven’t–an article about the Lordship of Christ over blogging by Joost Nixon. I wish he would have addressed the medium of blogging itself and how that affects communication, but his counsel still applies whatever your view of blogging is. Especially pertinent is his jab at online diaries:
Godly blogging begins with the right metaphor. Many young bloggers write as though they are scribbling ugly secrets into their private diaries. Because their blog-thoughts are just them “thinking out loud,” they think their grumbling lawful—as if our thought-lives aren’t under the Lord’s dominion. The fact that the “diary” metaphor is faulty only multiplies the destruction of sinful speech. Blogging is a form of diarizing, but one written expressly for others to read—or else why the public forum? But blogging is like reading one’s diary over NPR. Bloggers should reflect on whether they really want such a public forum. My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment (Jas. 3:1).
But the real warning is our tendency as bloggers to be (overly) critical:
When a critical spirit is pointed towards individuals (usually unnamed, though their identity is rarely in doubt), it gets especially ugly. Remember that others bear the image of God. Understanding this is the foundation of courtesy. Because we love God, we honor His image wherever we find it—even if we find it on someone who irritates us. “There is one who speaks rashly like the thrusts of a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing” (Prov. 12:18). One pastor recommends that one critical comment about someone should be preceded by four positive ones. Try it, and the effort alone will be revealing.
I think this “critical spirit” has to do with the nature of blogging, although it has to do with the nature of typographic discourse in general. The word is disconnected from the person, and we are tempted to be more harsh when there is no personal connection. This was made very clear to me when John Marstall and I were corresponding (see our “A Word Wrapped in Light” exchange/debate). It is always easier to attack something when there is no personal connection. This is something that we must be careful of–for the rules of Christian charity do not stop during blogging.
(HT: Justin Taylor)