ARE BLOGGERS A BOTHER?
By Richard Burkard
In September 2005 I was invited to speak before a Kiwanis Club in my home city. The title of my speech was the same as this article - and I was invited because I've been a blogger since January 2003. The blog had been mentioned in the daily newspaper. A church deacon should have known about it, because I taped my speech and gave him a copy to hear. But not until late 2006 did my pastor seem to know I was blogging, and then only after another blog mentioned mine - a blog which tends to take a critical eye toward Church of God groups.
I kept my blog quiet at church mainly because I don't tend to bring up details on my personal life there. (Besides, no one at church ever asked if I had one.) But had I been in one Church of God group, I probably would have been told to shut it down. That's because the Restored Church of God has in essence ordered its members NOT to keep blogs.
The order came in the October 2006 issue of the RCG magazine Ambassador Youth. It was directed mainly toward teenagers, and probably was fueled by the concerns many adults have expressed about the use and misuse of Myspace.com and similar sites. This denomination in effect said blogging IS a bother, and Christians by and large should not do it.
As you might guess, other bloggers buzzed extensively about this order - and from what I've seen online, most dismissed it immediately. But I haven't seen anyone examine and analyze the order in light of the Bible. After all, the article banning blogging says it was based on "basic Biblical principles."
Not wanting to sin against God, I decided to use the article for Bible study and self-examination. Was I angering the Lord, by keeping a blog -- even one bringing up religious topics from time to time? Or is the RCG's instruction really grounded in the logic and wisdom it declares God to have?
When I looked up the article online (we've linked it here if you would like to do the same and follow along), I noticed a disclaimer which apparently had been added since the original publication. It says in part:
As you read the article, please keep in mind that it was written specifically to the youth of The Restored Church of God, with the purpose of setting an internal policy.
A BIT DISINGENUOUS. Doesn't this group believe the claim of Herbert Armstrong, that the Church of God is "the Kingdom of God in embryo?" Doesn't it believe an internal policy now will be a universal policy later, once the Kingdom is established -- one everyone will have to follow, under the rules of RCG "kings and priests" (Rev. 5:10)?
The RCG article continues:
When truly understood, social networking pages and actual blogs are slightly different, and it is sometimes hard to distinguish the difference between the two. Therefore, in the case of this article we will consider them all blogs.)
DISAGREE IN PART. It's true that Web sites such as Myspace have blog areas, as well as "networking" sections for posting biographies and pictures. "Actual blogs" could have personal views and biographies, but tend not to have "friends" lists - unless you count the lists on the side, of blogs the author likes.
The name Laodicea means "the people rule, judge and decide." This is because the people of the Laodicean era have taken on the conditions, attitudes and actions of the society in which they live. This trend is seen in the splinter groups, where lay members dictate how their church is run and what they are taught.
FORESHADOWING THE FUTURE. Jesus said His disciples someday will "sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel" (Mt. 19:28). Paul later indicated the "saints will judge the world" (I Cor. 6:2) -- and he chastised a church for lacking someone "wise enough to judge a dispute betwen believers" (verse 5).
This paragraph is noteworthy for another reason - because the Restored Church of God is a "splinter group." Its founder David Pack left the Worldwide Church of God when Joseph Tkach Sr. was Pastor-General. The RCG seems to practice old-fashioned "top-down" government, with Mr. Pack setting the rules for governance and instruction -- but he apparently didn't like how Mr. Tkach Sr. did it years ago.
The Internet--and more specifically blogs--has enabled everyone to have a voice on any matter.... Whether or not it is effective, as soon as something is posted the person has a larger voice. It often makes the blogger feel good or makes him feel as if his opinion counts--when it is mostly mindless blather!
ARE "VOICES" WRONG? The article suggests they are. But God created people with voices - and sometimes those voices can matter:
* Esther was one voice - and she used it to save the Jews from annihilation (see the book of Esther).
* Moses was one voice - yet his opinion swayed God against wiping out Israel in the wilderness (Ex. 32:9-14).
* John the Baptist was one voice - yet he was "a voice of one calling in the desert, 'Prepare the way for the Lord....'" as a prelude to the coming ministry of Jesus (Mk. 1:3).
* Joseph of Arimathea was one voice - yet he desired the Kingdom of God, and spoke up to handle Jesus's body properly after the crucifixion (Lk. 23:50-54).
(Admittedly, what's significant and important to one person can be "mindless blather" to another. Critics of the RCG apparently took the church's article on blogging this way.)
A blog entry will start: "Current mood: ____" The level of shallowness and emotional immaturity this represents is astonishing!
EVERYBODY DOES IT - in life, as well as blogs. If someone's ever asked, "How are you today?" that could fit this description. It's a common greeting, but it can be answered with comments about one's mood, demeanor or physical condition.
So is it wrong to reveal your moods? If so, consider the Psalms. Sometimes David was happy and rejoiced before God, but at other times he was in despair or trouble and admitted as much in his words. Would RCG describe King David as a shallow, "emotionally immature" person?
Certainly, professional weblogs can make a positive difference within some elements of society. However, teen blogging does not.
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE? This standard is open to a lot of interpretation. Earlier in the article, RCG cites one positive "professional" use - as "some journalists log their work for other professionals to read." But can't "teen blogging" make a positive impact as well? Can't Christian teenagers use them as a witness of what God is doing in their lives, to lead others to Him?
Stop and consider. The biggest mark you will ever make is to build God's character and be born into the God Family. Blogging will not help you achieve this.
WHY NOT? The article offers no further evidence to support this statement. If sharing ideas with others cannot build character, why does Proverbs 27:17 say, "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another?" Is this only possible in person, and not online through blogs and comments?
It's tempting to ponder three central books of the Old Testament, and how they might have been written in the "blogosphere" era - Psalms, Proverbs and Ecclesiastes. The books help us consider God's character, and how man can develop it. You can almost envision the writers posting sections at a time today, and coming out eventually with a "compilation" like we have in our Bible.
Some things in one's life should simply remain private, information that should be kept to oneself or shared only within one's family.
YES, BUT.... The RCG's point here is that some people write with too much openness on blogs about their lives. The article is correct in warning against posting every personal detail; that can open the door for everything from "identity theft" to stalking by sexual predators.
The Bible offers two schools of thought on such questions of privacy. "A trustworthy man keeps a secret," says Proverbs 11:13 -- a verse that's in the context of gossiping. Yet King Solomon also wrote, "God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil." (Ecc. 12:14) Paul included such judging of secrets by Jesus as part of his gospel message (Rom. 2:16) So if you think something is completely private - even from God - think again.
If you post mundane details of your life, you are in effect saying that your life is important and that people should read about it.... Many teenagers say, "Listen to me, world, and what I have to say," when they should be focused on changing and cleaning up their lives.
DOES GOD CARE - about your life? This paragraph comes across as if He doesn't, because our lives are not important! In an era of teenage depression and suicides, is this really the right message to send?
It's absolutely true that we should focus on improving our lives spiritually. But the author's words seem a bit like Eliphaz, in his counsel to Job: "Can a man be of benefit to God? Can even a wise man benefit him?" (Job 22:2) The Bible's implied answer is that while God does not need humans to accomplish His plan on Earth (Lk. 3:8), He's chosen to use them for thousands of years.
And do teenagers have to "clean up their acts" before they can have a proper voice in God's sight? Perhaps not. Consider a woman Jesus met at a well - a woman apparently "shacking up" with a man, after having five husbands (Jhn. 4:17-18). She went back to her town of Sychar after talking with Jesus, and suggested He "was the Christ" to people there (verses 28-30). Today's Worldwide Church of God cites her as an example of how God can use women to spread the gospel.
If you blog, are you sure you do not partially enjoy it because your carnal nature is inclined toward vanity?
"ALL IS VANITY." Those aren't my words - they're the words of King Solomon in the book of Ecclesiastes. (Ecc. 1:2/12:8, KJV throughout this section) But the king might agree with RCG when he says, "Childhood and youth are vanity." (11:10).
This is not merely a teenage weak point: "The Lord knows the thoughts of man, that they are vanity." (Psm. 94:11) In fact, David declares "every man at his best state is altogether vanity." (Psm. 39:5) We could turn the question around and ask how many Christian business owners "partially enjoy it" because of an inclination toward vanity - perhaps the vanity of fame or making money. If there's a mix of thinking there, should the business shut down?
(Matt. 12:36). Who would want to give account to God about how many hours a day he rambled on about his favorite pizza place, what brand of jeans he wears, the girl he thinks is cute, when he woke up on a particular morning and in what mood, etc.?
THE BIBLE HAS THEM - at least some of them. Of course, pizza came along after the Scripture was canonized. But God actually uses a few verses to discuss what sort of clothing a priest should wear (Ex. 39:22-26) - and verses like those are cited by other Church of God groups in developing "dress codes" for services and overall living. (We examine that topic elsewhere on this web site.)
If it's wrong to focus on a "cute" lover, how does RCG explain the Song of Solomon? Some Christian groups see that book (although curiously, the United Church of God does not) as a collection of loving expressions between Jesus and "the bride of Christ," the Church. And as for details about how and when to wake up, see what David wrote in Psalm 57:8-9 - notes actually repeated in 108:2-3.
Then there is the language itself. Here is a mild example: "If your a hater then whateva i dont have time 4 your negativity in my positive world." Phrases such as "screwed up," "I dunno," and every type of swear word are commonly used.
POSITIVE IS WRONG?! Perhaps RCG is arguing in the quoted sentence for the "King's English" in writing style, and certainly young people should learn to write in a proper way. The shorthand of "text messaging" never would pass the essay section of an S.A.T. exam. But at least the message sent by this sentence is one of thinking positively, as opposed to constant hateful or negative thoughts.
Ephesians 4:29 seems to support not only such thinking, but also the RCG author's point. "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs." While God hates things and attitudes (Prv. 6:16-19), He loves people (Jhn. 3:16).
While we're here: the American Heritage Dictionary refers to "screwed up" as slang - but not "vulgar slang," which other definitions for "screw" can have. (No, we won't delve farther into that.) And is it wrong to admit (in shorthand or otherwise) you don't know something? A lack of knowledge can be a sign of humility; that's why Solomon appealed to God for wisdom in I Kings 3:7-14 - and was expressed by David as he wondered about the heavens in Psalm 8.
There should never be a need to use slang or any type of wrong words.
NEVER?! Then hopefully the Restored Church of God has banned all use of acronyms which became so commonplace in the old Worldwide Church of God - from "2T" for second tithe to "U.B." for Unleavened Bread. Outsiders would at least consider them "insider language," yet this article has "RCG" twice.
Young people who strive to live up to Christ's standards CANNOT get involved in such things! Not even a little!
GROWN-UP MINISTERS DO IT - in the Churches of God at that. Examples include the United Church of God's prophecy blog "Longitude," and a personal blog kept by Living Church of God pastor/TV presenter Wallace Smith. Or are ministers considered "professional" bloggers?
Everyone following Christ should follow these scriptures: "Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength, and my Redeemer" (Psa. 19:14).
AND DON'T FORGET.... Proverbs 10:32, which says "the lips of the righteous know what is fitting...." The tone of this article suggests the RCG does not consider its young people to be righteous. Yet I Corinthians 7:14 indicates "church children" are holy even if only one parent is a believer.
"He that has knowledge spares his words...." (Prov. 17:27-28).
EXAMINE YOURSELF. I've never heard the founder of this denomination speaker, but he's been known to give sermons in the 90-minute range.
One young person who apparently attends a splinter group actually states on her blog, "I used to wait tables at Hooters"! Although she may not have been familiar with God's Way at the time of that employment, and so may not have known that this was wrong (I Thes. 5:22), she still should be discreet.
WHAT'S THE CONTEXT? If the teenager became convicted that she should no longer work at such a place and can express the reasons why on her blog, she might be a witness to other people.
Perhaps that's a core issue in the debate over church blogging - the matter of "being a witness" for God. In general, the Churches of God dissuade members from doing this; perhaps you've heard ministers use phrases such as, "You're a light, not a loudspeaker." But a check of Strong's Exhaustive Concordance shows the word "witness" in the New Testament usually has a judicial meaning - as in someone giving testimony in a courtroom.
Consider this: did John the Baptist wait to be asked, before crying out about the coming Messiah? (Jhn. 1:15) Will the "two witnesses" at the end of the age have to wait for someone to ask what they're doing? (Rev. 11:3)
There are even different online whiteboards where one can scribble a picture down and post it to a friend's site. Boredom in action.
HIDDEN TALENTS?! Perhaps a budding artist can be revealed by boards such as these. Magazines used to be filled with ads for art schools, appealing to amateur "scribblers." The only such "online whiteboard" I'm aware of actually was posted as a link by a UCG minister, who called it a "great stress relief."
Young people should spend time doing things that are productive. Our goal in life is to become a more effective person....
WRITING'S NOT EFFECTIVE?! Besides the obvious question about the goal of this RCG article, there's the author's own admission in his introduction: "Some parents want their children to blog so they can improve their writing skills."
Some claim blogging is therapeutic. If that is the case then here is a classic example of someone "therapeutically" expressing himself: "Im feeling sad again…"
BIBLICAL PRECEDENT. Job is allowed to openly express his grief and sorrow in chapters 3 and 7. See also Psalm 42 and 22 - the latter often cited as prophetic of Jesus, during His hour of greatest trial.
Yes, there may be a time when you would want to write a list of things you need to work on about yourself, or maybe a list of goals. But these things should be done in private.
CONFESS YOUR FAULTS?! James 5:16 came to mind when I read this sentence -- and the NIV takes it even beyond the King James: "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed."
This is another core issue where the Churches of God in general seem weak. While other denominations have small "accountability groups" to build up each other in the faith, COG's tend to focus on SELF-examination based on II Corinthians 13:5.
By the way, this section seems to contradict a point made earlier in the RCG article - that bloggers reflect a self-centered generation which is "pure in their own eyes" (Prv. 30:12). If it's so pure, why is it confessing so many faults and problems?
We must do everything in our power to be concerned with how we appear to others.
WHAT ABOUT GOD? Didn't this article already appeal to the day of judgment, based on Matthew 12:36?
This social network allows people to become "friends" fairly easily with another blogger.... This "friends" problem goes further than just appearances. Just as in person, such people will pull you toward the world and its temptations.
I JOHN 4:4 - which declares to children of God, "you.... have overcome them, because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world." (KJV) The context of this verse involves determining spirits of God, as opposed to those of "the antichrist" (presumably Satan).
Core issue #3 now arises: do the Churches of God in general believe this verse or not? Based on this article, some apparently don't - else they would encourage people to be bold and "go forward in faith," as in the song Onward, Christian Soldiers. Sadly, I've seen some splinter groups talk about faith a lot, but often practice internal fear of "outside elements."
Jesus Christ and His Church have standards. Those who desire a more permissive group or lower standards should look outside The Restored Church of God.
SELF-JUSTIFICATION - not to mention a large dose of Phariseeism. Just because a group claims to have high standards does NOT mean the standards necessarily are right, or are honored by God. Jesus said as much in Mark 7:5-8; see also Luke 18:9-14.
When trying to justify something, teenagers will often narrow in to specific areas, and say, "Well this particular thing isn't wrong!" They will then use this as proof that the larger thing is okay. Do not allow yourself to think this way.
NOT JUST TEENAGERS - as the Worldwide Church of God seemed to use this form of logic in justifying the celebration of Christmas during the 1990's.
But let's turn the argument around here. Isn't RCG finding faults with specific things inside blogs, to declare the larger thing wrong? Where is the old-time Church of God logic that a thing is not wrong - only how the thing is used? The article seems to suggest that by endorsing blogs kept by "professionals and specialists," but it's not put very well.
(Churches of God tend to take this same approach with foods, with one "unclean" ingredient disqualifying the entire product. I'll save an analysis of that for another article.)
All that said, you can--and SHOULD--maintain friends the "old-fashioned" way, through actual personal contact, as well as letter writing, emailing or instant messaging
MOVING THE PROBLEM?! Doesn't this simply shift the "boredom" and confessionals about "mindless blather" to other areas? Doesn't that treat the effect, rather than the cause?
SUMMARY: As I prepared this article, a study was released which sounded like it could have come from RCG headquarters. It concluded young people in 2007 are more self-centered and narcissistic than ever. Yet I vaguely recall people calling the 1980's the "Me Decade" - and that was 20 years before anyone came up with a blog. So selfishness and self-focus are not traits created by the Internet. They are truly timeless.
The RCG article notes how one web provider has defined blogs: "A personal diary. A daily pulpit. A collaborative space. A political soapbox. A breaking-news outlet.... there are no real rules." The RCG would consider that dangerous, and properly note God has rules. But if we were to substitute the word "magazine" or "newspaper" for "blog," would anything be different? In fact, some newspapers combine elements of all those definitions.
If periodicals are wrong for church members, then Ambassador Youth might want to reassess its purpose and publication. And if blogs are wrong, the church runs the risk of retreating and cloistering instead of going out to "make disciples of all nations." (Mt. 28:19) It risks restricting the talents of its members -- talents God actually may have given them. And it limits the impact members can have individually in bringing people into God's family.
To respond to this article, e-mail the author directly.
© 2007 Richard Burkard, All Rights Reserved.