:: M squared T ::

:: Wednesday, December 01, 2004 ::

The Real Life on the Web

I've been reading a lot of blogs lately - from my normal reads, those who have some association/affiliation with Jesus Christ - to just clicking the "next blog" button [channel surfing] on the top of my good ol' blogspot blog - and I've started to notice some blog personality.

There seems to be a freedom and openness to speak very frankly and in terms that would not often be superimposed. "I love Jesus" in one sentence is sometimes followed by a four-letter invective. Usually something like "man, that was shit." (Ha ha, now I did it, too!)

Now, honestly, this is often overdone or used for shock value that becomes melodramatic. Thus, it is downright unecessary. On the other hand, I think this bodes well for us to be able to live real life together - life that is not hypersensitive, worried about protecting backsides and keeping well clear of others' toes. For me, this brings freshness to the stale, cautious conversations I can often have where I spend more time fearing the reaction/outcome than actually communicating. Blogs seem to give many of us the room to loosen up and breathe.

Blog communication reminds me of Jesus at Matt the Traitorous Tax Collector's house: God in the midst of off-color jokes, heavy drinking and pure-and-simple irreligiosity. God being told off-color jokes. Maybe God being told jokes that satirized his laws. God being offered more wine than he could handle.

And yet, I don't think he sat in a corner, with his arms crossed, shaking his head. "Oh, these poor lost souls..." There were plenty of others doing that. Nor did he sit there telling religious one-liners like, "so what do YOU think of the Kingdom of Heaven?" I don't think he sat there, wringing his hands, uncomfortable.

So what did he do? How did he handle the guy who got drunk and very philosophical - and didn't make any sense? How did he respond to the women who offered him more of themselves than he knew was good for them? How did he relate to his host, who was just trying on this new life thing for the first time? How did he respond to the "who are you and what do you do" questions? And, importantly in the minds of many, how much did he drink?

Bloggers resist classification. Of course. But it seems like a lot of these Jesus-connected bloggers are trying to figure out how this scene plays out - on the web and in more physical existence. Most of us, I think, have come from an "uptight Jesus" perspective that we are trying to shed. I'm definately in that category.

When I blog, I want it to be real. Real words, real feelings: none of this genetically-modified "nice" that doesn't actually say anything. Don't get me wrong: I'm not here for the shock value of it all. "Love your neighbor as yourself" is still an anchor. But I think genuine and wholesome makes room for the full suite of emotions.

Most of all, I suppose, I want to laugh heartily at things that are genuinely funny.


:: Matt 12/01/2004 02:05:00 PM :: permalink :: ::
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