Christian Blogging: Are We Just a Bunch of jerks?

Wade Burleson has an interesting current post where he, in a proper way I might add, critiques Dr. Russell Moore, Dean at SBTS, who recently spoke to Southern's student body.  After citing a very good grade overall for Dean Moore's lecture, Burleson offers a stern response to Dr. Moore's apparent characterization of Baptist bloggers as 'immature jerks" and "blogofascists" >>>

According to Burleson, Moore stated:

"You have some bloggers in the SBC who are just immature jerks. But the things they are blogging about are just the same kinds of things they would be saying as immature jerks in a seminary cafeteria just now the have a venue to say these sort of things. And then you have the blogofascists --- a group of people who are using blogs in order to spread gossip and division and in order to use these blogs as means to destroy. Those are very different things."

Now, while the description Dr. Moore offers surely contains rhetorical, emotively charged language, the thing I find quite telling is that Dr. Moore seems to only be calling for accountability in the blogging community which, at present, seems to be lacking.  I have myself visited a couple of blogs that seemed not to be very much different from what Dr. Moore tried to communicate.

Even more interesting is at least two popular blogs recently called for rules of engagement and Christian character while debating issues.  Dr. Brad Reynolds is one, whose recent post is entitled Christian Blogging. The humorous irony is the other popular blog that has called for rules in the SBC blogosphere is Grace and Truth to You, Wade Burleson's blog. 

In a recent post entitled 10 Rules of Etiquette for Blog Debates, Burleson says "I realize that there have been some very angry and harsh responses to posts and comments among some Southern Baptists..." For me, this seems like a frank admission that there is at least a problem that Dr. Moore tries to address.

In addition, Burleson writes, "Disagreement will never disappear, but when our convention gets used to free and open debate on issues we will find the discussion to be more courteous and respectful with far less acrimony and hostility." 

Again, it appears that Burleson is conceding Dr. Moore's point by stating that as time goes on, debate will happen with "far less acrimony and hostility."  Consequently, he offers his own ten rules and asks for input from his readers who logged out 64 comments packed with innumerable rules for bloggers from varying perspectives.  I guess that means most of us do see a bit of what Dr. Moore sees.

Understand:  this is not an attack on Wade Burleson.  I possess no reason to believe otherwise than he is a great SBC pastor, trustee and SBC leader. Rather, it is meant to be a funny reminder that all of us sometimes can participate in the wonderful little game of the pot calling the kettle black.

With that, I am...

Peter

Comments

[Bob]

By the way, thank you for enlarging the font used in displaying the blog.

The Moore lecture can be downloaded and heard: go to http://www.henryinstitute.org/ and click on "Confessions of a Fundamissional Dean".

I don't know what other rules are being suggested, but I think that the Bible's requirement for private discussion with an offending brother is rarely observed, or at least it is not noted in the blogs that are critical of brothers. I do not understand why it does not apply?

[peter]

Bob My Brother,

Personally, due the nature of the internet medium, I don't know exactly how a consistent application of the "privacy principle" could be utilized.

In addition, for me, I simply refuse to enter into what I consider unedifying chatter over a matter. I remain personally determined that I will not make a habit out of being "offended" at what someone might say, especially about me.

I will not live up to that perfectly but it will be my target nevertheless. Thank you Bob for posting here. With that, I am...

Peter

p.s. I like the bigger fonts as well. It takes a miracle for me to figure out these technical issues. That gives my age away :)

[volfan07]

peter,

i think that you have said what many of us feel about wade and his followers. and, we have many more questions than what you expressed.

also, it's a little hard to hear all the unity talk by some when they are attacking anyone who disagrees with them. or, they are calling people liars and legalists. its a little of the "i'll be friends with you as long as you agree with me" thing. if you disagree, then they call you everything but a born again christian.

volfan007