A Little Light Blogkeeping

Yesterday's post marked the 650th entry in this blog.  While the past year has been a little more sporadic than I would have liked, I seem to be finding a new rhythm to slip into.  Plus, 2020 has provided ample material to write about.

To that end, I wanted to take a little time to provide some reminders, and to give a glimpse into what topics will be hit over the coming days.  For one, I've been challenged by Jamie to do the 10 albums that have influenced me on Facebook and I'll eventually be doing my spin on that here through the blog over a period of 11 days or so.  I'm looking for a good time to start that series, but so much of current events and issues are requiring attention at the moment, that it keeps getting pushed back.  It will happen, but it may be a week or so out at least.

In the interim, there's a lot to talk about.  About kneeling, and what all that encompasses now.  About shopping small as things reopen.  About de-escalation.  About statues.  About the Texas Rangers.

About reasons for hope in all of this.

About upcoming celebrations and milestones.

And just about life.

A lot to discuss and the events of the day keep increasing that list.

To that end, I am going to include an updated reminder list with this blog entry.  A few points on why I post on the topics that I do and why I post in the manner that I do.

As always, thank you for reading.  For those that read regularly, I am humbled and amazed.

There will be blogs that will either make you mad or will upset you or challenge your position on a particular topic.  The blog is my personal writing exercise and soap box, so it will reflect my biases and my contrarian streak, but I am open to civil discourse on almost any topic.

Finally, I wanted to pass along a reminder that I have an email subscription option on the page.  With that, you'll receive an email link each time a new post is added.  There is also an RSS feed option, in case anyone prefers that method.

With that, an update of the reminders previously posted:

1. This blog represents largely a writing exercise and an outlet for me to get thoughts out of my head.  It contains my opinion on variety of issues from serious to silly and is filtered through my experiences, biases, etc.
2. I promise, I will post on topics that are so niche-focused, so utterly nerdy that anyone but me is going to be bored to tears.  I try to keep those to only once or twice a week and to rotate through a variety of topics throughout the week to keep it interesting.  I use the labels so that you can screen out certain topics if you want to.
3. I will post things that you will disagree with and that will potentially make you upset.  I know I am more liberal than the majority of my audience.  Probably regarding doctrine and politics both.  These are both topics I'm going to write on from time to time.  I personally favor moderation and lean center-left, but will post on a variety of viewpoints from center-right to hard left (maybe even hard right in a few instances).
4. I am going to be harder on Republicans than I am on Democrats.  While I am not a fan of many politicians of many different political parties, I am growing to despise what the Republican party is becoming.  And I reserve the sharpest criticism for them due to one fact above all: the perverse mixture of politics and religion that Republicans promote. Because they purport to hold themselves out as the Christian party, I'm going to hold them to that impossible standard.  I also hold them more accountable partly because they are in power, and I'm going to criticize whoever has power more than those in the minority.
5. I am likewise harder on churches and Christians than I am on non-believers.  Those who profess to believe have identified themselves as recognizing a higher standard.  To put it simply, "we should know and act better."  And do so based on a reading of the entire Bible.  Sadly, we all to often fall far short of this.  While I do want to extend grace to those that slip, when errors occur as abuses of power in the church  or in ways that belittle the faith they claim to hold, I will be discussing it. 
6. To drive a point made above home, I'm going to be harder on those in power than those that are not.  For example, in the current environment, I'm going to be harder on cops than I will be on the protestors and looters.  While there may be bad actors on both sides, one involves an abuse of power and one is a symptom of a larger disease.  The two cannot be discussed with the same fervor and volume.
7. I am completely open to disagreement and debate. Honest and open dialogue is the only way we can move forward in any civilized society.  However, I have a few ground rules for debate:

• I will not tolerate name calling or muckraking.  When the thread resorts to calling each other racists, "liberal snowflakes," "libtards," or four-letter words, I will shut it down.  Likewise, I'm not going to let stereotypes and sweeping generalities go unchallenged.  All liberals do not want the destruction of our country, all conservatives are not bigots, etc.
• I hope for discussion that will foster conversation, not end it.  So I expect more than "guns don't kill people, people kill people" in a discussion on gun control, for example.  I will not let those conversation-enders stand unchallenged.
• Compromise is not a dirty word.  And likewise, I do hope people change their mind from time to time based on what they learn. Including me.
• I follow this hierarchy for the value of information: facts then informed opinions then general opinions.  Saying "that's just my opinion" is going to get nowhere with me if it is not supported by the facts.

Again, thank you for reading.  Please let me know if there are topics that you particularly enjoy or there is changes you could envision.  Here's to the many more posts to come.