This is a test

Billy started a good conversation about deconstructive epistomology a couple days ago, and if you are anything like me, you will head straight over to dictionary.com for some help with words like hermeneutic and epistemology before you write the post off as too philosophical or “heady” for you. Because I am on a 2 week break from university, I have been reading other things besides text books required for my classes. I started reading How (Not) to Speak of God by Pete Rollins that discusses this very topic. I thought I’d share a quote from one of the many brilliant sections of the book that relates to this conversation:

In contrast to the view that evangelism is that which gives an answer for those who are asking, we must have faith to believe that those who seek will find for themselves. If this is true, then the job of the Church is not to provide an answer - for the answer is not a phrase or doctrine - but rather to help encourage the religious question to arise. In contrast to the type of sermon that aims to answer thought by providing clear explanation of a passage or area of Christian life, the emerging community is in a unique place to embrace a type of communication that opens up thought by asking questions and celebrating complexity.

I don’t usually believe in ripping off others’ posts, but lets face it, I’m desperate for some content. I mean, come on, I used to be at the top of the world, writing interesting posts (at least I liked them) and updating my blog every few days. But now, I have been reduced to a mere ghost; a breath in the night; an aromatic Cold Stone shop you and your friends pass by and wonder where that tasty fragrance was coming from and why it left your nostrils so quickly. I envy Billy and his bloody blog ranking (he is at 23,664, while I am at the pitiful 445,309). At least he has a ways to go till he reaches number 1 (held by engadget by the way)…

Anyways, on with the stealing…The tallskinnykiwi posted about a new site that I thought I’d post here as well, since perhaps some of you don’t regularly read TSK.

If you have ever questioned whether you are saved or not, you can now rest assured. Born-Again-Christian.info has us sinners covered and provides us the sinners prayer so you can finally “be certain you are really Born Again, and forever assured of your Salvation.”

Please make sure that you all “Eat God’s word” and sign up for the “Salvation Newsletter”. I am sure that God will be happy that we have all done so. Oh, and Billy, you better watch out, I hear that you like the Harry Potter stories, your blog ranking might begin to fall (Doing a dance inside my head right now!).

I love the idea of collaborative blogging. I havn’t seen this done too often, but when it does pop up, it turns out to be really fruitful. Johnny Beloved is a collaborative blog where there are a few authors that write articles for the site. There are so many individual blogs out there that it is quite the anomaly to find one that isnt focused on the individual but on the collective. There are a few reasons I believe that collaborative blogging can be helpful:

• More authors = less stress - One singular author doesnt have the weight of filling the blog with substantive articles on her own. This role is shared.
• More authors = better content - The authors dont have to fill their site with a bunch of “filler” material in between high-quality posts. If you have 3 authors, you now have 3-times the amount of high quality posts, and the need for filler is gone.
• More authors = diverse perspectives - Pretty self-explanatory
• More authors = more readers - If a collaborative blog has 3 authors who write high-caliber articles, the chances of gaining more readers (notice I didnt say participaters!) is much higher.
• More authors = collective thought - The multiple authors can brainstorm together as to series’ and blog ideas they may be interested in.

So, is collaborative blogging the future?  Im not sure, but I think that it will definitely play a large roll in the blogosphere. At least I hope so.  But maybe bloggers today are too self centered to be involved in anything collaborative.  Maybe we want all the recognition and glory for ourselves and a collective blog might not give us enough credit. We shall see.

Some of my favorite pics from the past couple weeks taken with my new D40. Click to view in large (they look the best when viewed in large).