Who to listen to?

Over the last little while, I’ve been getting used to the world of blogs (or blogosphere as some call it) and the internet community. The majority have been Christian blogs where people discuss theology, encourage other Christians, meditate on observations of the world and so on. My question is this - who does one listen to? How can we discern who we should and shouldn’t be putting our stock in?

In this shrinking internet driven world, the access to information is incredible. I can read about the personal issues of someone on the other side of the world (which is what some may be doing at this moment if they are reading from the UK!) and listen to talks given by speakers who are separated from me by entire seas and continents! If anyone can (and do) write blogs, where is the moderation that would normally accompany a magazine article or opinion piece? If talks are given to people in the states, would they want people in other countries listening in?

I aim to think through this in two posts (shock – my first two part post!!), firstly thinking about blogs in particular and then about talks and international information more generally.

While I appreciate that most blogs are just the ramblings and opinions of the author and so are to be taken as such - opinionated and personal, some blogs express information that is more than this. These blogs seek not only to present an opinion or idea, but to teach and even convince the reader about the particular topic written on. I think that my question matters most when directed at the Christian/theological blogs available on the web. Ethical and political blogs are always allowed to voice an opinion, and obviously comedy blogs are good as long as they get a laugh!

There are many people out there who will voice their opinion about what they think is right and will criticise what they believe to be wrong. And in a blog this can be done very flippantly. The amount of time thinking and revising what goes into a book is what helps the writer to develop their idea. They must be totally sure of what they are posting. In an article or opinion piece, the time needed is shorter, and in a blog, this time is shorter still. Some thoughts may be posted half formed. There is no editor to moderate the thoughts or even help shape them fully. This all leads to the posting of both helpful and unhelpful opinions. How do we sort through these ideas?

There is an importance in this when the issues matter. People should stand up for beliefs when they are ‘salvation issues’. False teachers should be called out as such, just as Paul does in Galatians. This may mean speaking politically incorrectly (just as poor ol’ Miss California did) and so losing popularity with those around you. But, the loss of popularity is nothing compared to the wrath of God given to those who shun Him.

So, what to do with issues that don’t matter? Many of these are based on personal opinions and a persons interpretation on a particular issue. For example – paedobaptism. I don’t completely agree with it (I would be happier with child dedication than baptism), but have no problem with those who agree with it (my wife believes in it – which will mean some interesting conversations when we have children!). As long as my belief does not cause them to stumble (for example drinking in front of someone who struggles with alcohol), I am entitled to my opinion. Reading widely (including blogs) can help you come to your own stance on the issue.

With this second thought, who do we listen to? People with ‘training’? Others who have thought through these things? Random people who have strong opinions? I would submit the former two. I had some valuable conversations and did some reading when thinking about baptism, both with those who had some theological education and those without. But these conversations were with people I knew, whose lives I could see. I therefore knew that their advice and counsel was more helpful than the rants of the local ‘crazy’ (who knows, they could also have a blog!!) Blogs do not always have this accountability - anyone can write a blog. How can you tell the difference between a blog that is the ‘helpful conversation with a trusted friend’ and the one that is the ‘local crackpot shouting their rants from their blog-soap-box’?

With these ‘non-essential’ issues, those who present their ideas may be right or wrong. To take what you read online as ‘gospel’ is dangerous and should never be done without further exploration into the issue - comparing these thoughts with other research (using books and people rather than just the internet!). This extra exploration is vital as with blogs, you may not always know the person writing the blog.

Does this mean I will stop reading blogs? No. But it does mean that I will read them with a discerning eye. I will also make sure that I am reading, listening and talking to others, through whose lives I can see that they not only have strong opinions, but also live these out to the glory of God.

All this for His glory!

Luke