Since about the fourth grade, I have been interested in magic (of the illusion and prestidigitation variety, not the occultic). Although I wouldn't consider Penn & Teller among my favorite magicians, they put on an entertaining show and are good at their craft. Penn Gillete, he's the talkative half of the duo, is also an outspoken atheist. Don't know about Teller; as the silent half I'm not sure he is outspoken about anything.
Penn podcasts his musings and ramblings and I stumbled across one of them posted on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JHS8adO3hM
It is amazing to me how an atheist has a better grip on sharing the Gospel than most of us Christians:
“I don’t respect people who don't proselytize. If you believe that there's a heaven and hell, and people could be going to hell, or not getting eternal life or whatever, and you think, 'Well, it's not really worth telling them this because it would make it socially awkward'...How much do you have to hate somebody to not proselytize? How much do you have to hate somebody to believe that everlasting life is possible and not tell them that?"
So now I'm left to wonder how much of a hypocrite I am. Why am I so concerned about the "socially akward" situations when people's eternal lives are at stake? When I say that I love my brothers, does my failure to share Christ really mean that I hate them?
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Why blog?
I am an admitted late-comer to the blogging party. It wasn't that I was technologically incapable of creating one; I just wasn't sure I saw the point. Most of the people who are interested in my life are already involved in it. I don't have relatives scattered across the continent who need updates on the kids or who want to know the latest home-town gossip. So why blog?
I know that there are also other reasons for blogging, not the least of which is sharing your thoughts on the subject du jour. This kind of struck me as arrogant (and this from a guy who knows arrogance first hand). Why would someone care what you thought about the presidential race, global warming or Britney Spear's comeback? Do you fancy yourself the guru who lives atop the mountain ready to dispense nuggets of truth for the seekers who are willing to make the pilgrimage? Please.
(OK, reality check time. I have often seen myself as the smartest person in the room who is quite willing to opine on most subjects (it's a character flaw, I know) and I do like to spend time in the mountains. I have, however, never asked anyone to make a pilgrimage.)
And yet, here I am. But I'm not blogging for family or friends or for those in search of great knowlege. I'm sure I will have curious friends stop by and they may in fact learn something about me they didn't know. I may also be able to say something that speaks truth to someone. That's all fine, but it will be a by-product rather than the purpose. No, I am not blogging for them; I'm blogging for me.
This will be my place for recording my thoughts, my spot to jot down events -- both significant and not -- that decorate my journey, my area to note the things that others say or write that speak to me. Basically, this will be my file cabinet to hold my periodic memory dump.
Of course one of the disadvantages to arriving anywhere late is that all the good seats are taken. Such is the case with blogspot. BryanSimpson.blogspot is already taken, ironically by a college minister in the Northeast. So after trying to create some really catchy name, I just decided to add the "r" (it's for Ross). For those who might follow along, please take note.
I know that there are also other reasons for blogging, not the least of which is sharing your thoughts on the subject du jour. This kind of struck me as arrogant (and this from a guy who knows arrogance first hand). Why would someone care what you thought about the presidential race, global warming or Britney Spear's comeback? Do you fancy yourself the guru who lives atop the mountain ready to dispense nuggets of truth for the seekers who are willing to make the pilgrimage? Please.
(OK, reality check time. I have often seen myself as the smartest person in the room who is quite willing to opine on most subjects (it's a character flaw, I know) and I do like to spend time in the mountains. I have, however, never asked anyone to make a pilgrimage.)
And yet, here I am. But I'm not blogging for family or friends or for those in search of great knowlege. I'm sure I will have curious friends stop by and they may in fact learn something about me they didn't know. I may also be able to say something that speaks truth to someone. That's all fine, but it will be a by-product rather than the purpose. No, I am not blogging for them; I'm blogging for me.
This will be my place for recording my thoughts, my spot to jot down events -- both significant and not -- that decorate my journey, my area to note the things that others say or write that speak to me. Basically, this will be my file cabinet to hold my periodic memory dump.
Of course one of the disadvantages to arriving anywhere late is that all the good seats are taken. Such is the case with blogspot. BryanSimpson.blogspot is already taken, ironically by a college minister in the Northeast. So after trying to create some really catchy name, I just decided to add the "r" (it's for Ross). For those who might follow along, please take note.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)