What I love about blogging: the conversation.
I love the variety of voices. I love writing my little pieces and hearing so many different responses. I love reading what others write, and sometimes responding to them as well. I love that I am not limited in my knowledge and understanding of the world to those whose views make the pages of The Cleveland Plain Dealer and The New York Times, to those who write for America and The Christian Century. I love that I have little blogging communities: what's left of the AOL gang, the RevGals, the Ignatian folks, the Presbies, the other moms whose hearts have been shattered by loss. I love that I have readers and people whom I read who fall into none of those categories.
This afternoon, I'm thinking about all of these voices in the context of books. I've been introduced to a LOT of books and authors by bloggings friends. Tomorrow, I'll be participating in a blogging book tour of Carolyn Custis James' book, Half the Church. And some days ago, one of my Karen friends reviewed the controversial new Rob Bell book, Love Wins. I haven't read Love Wins yet, but I will go so far as to say that I missed the Life Instructions on Hell's Occupants, and so the clamor over the book is something of a mystery to me. However, I am guessing that Karen's view (and she likes parts of the book) is something of an unusual one, at least this portion of it:
"The most personally offensive to me? Rob's discussion of life and death as the cycle through which all good things come. His reasoning is that life and death are a cycle since creation, and therefore part of God's great plan. He uses the example that the plant has to die to give us life; the firefighter has to die to save someone else's life. I had a hard time with his shallow thinking on this topic. Having lived through the death of someone essential to my life, I don't see death in general as the mechanism that God uses to restore the earth. He used One Death, Christ's death, to make sure that death died and He tells us that death is the last enemy that will die. Death is an enemy, not a friend. An aberration, not the original plan. It is a result of fallenness, a consequence with which we are forced to live, not a blessing to the planet. How did he miss this great fundamental truth in seminary?"
Karen and I both have sons who have died, and her words made me think of Nick Wolterstorff's in Lament for a Son: "Don't say it's not really so bad. Because it is. Death is awful, demonic."
And that's what I love about blogging most of all. Everyone can be heard!
Actually, the lack of conversation is what I don't like about the blogosphere. To me, it seems mostly about talking without interaction. Perhaps, the bloggers read comments but when a question is asked - even here - there is often no response.
ReplyDeleteI don't read much of the blogosphere anymore because of this. The few blogs that I still read are mostly the ones where this conversation exists. The blogger comments on comments and responds to questions.
Mostly, the blogosphere seems to be about people saying their say and not having a conversation. I am taking that time and energy and focusing on areas where people interact directly.
In the full irrational bloom of a suicidal depression, many years ago, I was able to romanticize death and see it as freedom from the emotional pain I felt at that time. That's truly awful, especially considering that I had young children at the time, and it makes me understand the Biblical view of mental illness as a demonic possession. Something had taken hold of me, and whether you call it death or a death wish or a demon doesn't matter. It was not about resurrection; it was about ending.
ReplyDeleteWe're going to talk about "Love Wins" at my church book group in May, so I'll have more to say when I know what's really in it!
(P.S. Conversation has diminished in some corners of the blogosphere, certainly, in large measure because many read on small devices and don't take the trouble to comment. I'm guilty of that, since I read all Robin's posts, but don't comment from my phone since Blogger makes that difficult. )
I guess I wasn't using the word "conversation" quite so literally, Kathryn, in terms of the back and forth of interaction. And I agree with Martha -- first it was services like google reader that slowed down the comments, and now it's things like phones. I do a lot of my reading on the phone now, and so I often delay in responding (or fail altogether) to both blogs and emails. I do miss the old aol days where a post could generate 30 responses, providing the kind of conversation Kathryn means. These days, you have to post something either very significant or very controversial to get much of a response.
ReplyDeleteI understand but the dialog is what is important to me. Why does your blog not allow me to get e-mails of follow-ups from you or other bloggers? The other blogspot blogs that I follow - Stratoz, Quantum Theology, and Science Teacher - all have a box that I can check to see other comments in my e-mail.
ReplyDeleteThose three blogs and your blogs are all I really read these days. I am in complete agreement about missing the conversations of those early years. I even enjoyed the recent TWONTW debate as much because of the conversation as the reminiscing!
Kathryn, I just signed out so that I could comment to see whether or not you can subscribe to comments -- I don't have any limits on my comments at all except for word verification. I'm posting this comment as Anonymous.
ReplyDeleteThere is a subscribe to comments button way down on the page.
ReplyDeleteAnd now it says subscribe by email.
ReplyDeleteYay - I wonder why your blog is different. Michelle and Wayne's blog have a box I check when I am writing the comment. Now that I have found it, I'm good. Besides, you know I'd never stop reading your blog - I converse with you other ways. We need to schedule a walk this summer - I'll be there in late July!
ReplyDeleteMaybe it is the science lover in me that helps me to understand why this planet requires death and I doubt there ever was an Eden without death. When I imagine an Earth without death it is a sad sad planet. Not saying death is happy or glorious, just saying the planet needs it.
ReplyDeleteWayne, I know that the natural world requires death and decay in order to thrive; for instance, forest fires ultimately produce more varying forms of life and even more forest. However, I don't have any trouble thinking that perhaps it was not always so and that continued life, not resurrected life, would be preferable, for both the planet and its human beings.
ReplyDeleteAnd Martha, I meant to say yesterday that yes, I totally get the Biblical understanding of mental illness as demonic possession. I understand that my son saw suicide as a response to a romantic idea that death constitutes the end of pain, rather than the reality that it is a transfer of pain to those one loves the most. I see now that the forces of evil can work through anything, including the confusion of our own minds and hearts.
ReplyDeleteI can't believe you quoted me. Awww, gee, thanks. You can see that some of the things about Bell's book that bothered others didn't get a comment from me, but his treatment of death distressed me deeply. He is so obviously uninitiated into that kind of suffering. If he had lost a child, he would have written a different book. I look forward to your take on it.
ReplyDeleteRobin -- late to this. "Read on phone." okay, now I realize how behind the times I really am.
ReplyDeleteAnd second, I read "Love Wins" and was bothered by the same thing as your friend. though I read it really fast and kind of "bleeped" over it. Death and Resurrection are NOT the same as winter and spring. The point is that Easter is not part of the natural order of things.
According to Paul, death is the last enemy to be overthrown.
p.s. and I am reading "Half the Church" as well.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to your review of Half the Church, Robin. I just finished writing mine and scheduling it for tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteNow I've got to finish Heaven by Lisa Miller which I promised to post a review on by Wednesday. Note to self: don't schedule two reviews so closely again!