'What Would Jesus Blog?' First Ever "God Bloggers" Convention Shows Promise

If you're unaware there's quite the schism between rank and file Christians and self proclaimed Christian leaders, welcome back, how was your trip to Mars?

But the overwhelming frustration among the meek is there regardless of the conspiracy by televangelists and politically co-opted pastors to own the dialogue that is Brand X activism these days.

Good news! The Internet may help the much needed reformation.

What Would Jesus Blog?
Wired.com
Associated Press
01:38 PM Oct. 15, 2005 PT

LA MIRADA, California -- What would Jesus blog? That and other pressing questions drew 135 Christians to Southern California this weekend for a national conference billed as the first-ever for "God bloggers," a growing community of online writers who exchange information and analyze current events from a Christian perspective.

The three-day conference at Biola University marked an important benchmark for Christian bloggers, who have worked behind the scenes for years to spread the gospel and infuse politics with religion.

Topics included God bloggers' relationship with the traditional church, their growing influence on mainstream politics and how to manage outsiders' perceptions.

Some predicted bloggers could play a role in reforming the modern church by keeping televangelists and other high-profile Christian leaders honest.

Joe Carter, author of The Evangelical Outpost, compared blogging to the 95 Theses posted by Martin Luther nearly 500 years ago that launched the Protestant Reformation.

"It's like putting 95 blogs out there," said Carter, who previously said God bloggers offer an "uncensored and unadulterated" view of contemporary Christian thought on politics and organized religion.

Many bloggers are now writing about religious oppression, poverty and world hunger, instead of hot-button issues such as abortion, homosexuality and assisted suicide, said the Rev. Andrew Jackson, a seminary professor and pastor at the Word of Grace Church in Mesa, Arizona.

"With blogging you tend to break out of those circles and you see other points of view," Carter said. "There's a bigger world out there than gay marriage and abortion."

That unfamiliar odor you're smelling right now? That's called fresh air.

He stressed that God blogging has the potential to be a "train wreck" because done wrong it can reinforce stereotypes of evangelical Christians as angry and close-minded "pit bulls of the culture wars."

"As Christians today we are embroiled in the argument culture and we have forgotten this one thing: 'Blessed are the peacemakers,'" he said. "Wouldn't it be nice if we could say we brought a level of civility back to the conversation?"

That would be nice for everyone but mainstream media of course that insists on shoving the microphone only the face of the most radical extremists they can find and calling that "fair & balanced." But time will tell if this effort works and regular people (mainstream Christians) ever get a say in anything again.

[edit on 16-10-2005 by RANT]