Dear Mr. and Mrs. Blogging Program...

Hello,

Could you please let me know how to withdraw from your blogging program? I have deep concerns about Klout and the idea of social influence when it comes to blogging. (The program decided that what books would be available to me would be determined by my "Klout".) Mars Hill Audio had a great discussion of this in this issue: http://www.marshillaudio.org/Resources/Issue.aspx?id=108 (the last two essays on Part 2). As a Christian and as a blogger, my goal is not to be branded or to seek greater social influence. It is to do what God has set before me--to spread the word about good books I find, not for selfish gain (or influence) but that other believers might be encouraged as well.

In Christ,

Anne

This is the letter I emailed to a blogging program tonight in response to an email I received from the publisher informing me that they would be using Klout to determine individual blogger's social influence and using that determination to then determine the selection of books I would be offered the choice to review.

The letter explains a little about how I feel about it. Honestly, it deeply grieves me. The idea of "social influence" that a blogger might have unsettles me. I wish I could do the audio essays from Mars Hill justice. If you are interested in this topic, You can download the MP3 of the issue for only $6. For people like me ;) who don't have time to read the books these authors have written, Mars Hill is a great way to hear their ideas... But, back to the topic at hand--social media influence.

Have you heard of Klout? I hadn't until this week. Klout basically monitors social media outlets (facebook, twitter, linkedin, foursquare (?), and google and wordpress accounts) to determine one's social influence and the effectiveness of one's words (how much power your words have)--I think that basically means how much people follow their advice and ideas. It eerily makes me think of the forming of idols.

A few months ago, my husband had me listen to that episode of Mars Hill Audio while on a date. We discussed the idea of branding bloggers. Neither he nor I wanted my blogging to go that way. I blog because I want to encourage others and share what I'm reading. I want to share the ups and downs along the way, I can't always say exactly why, except that it comforts me when I know I'm not alone in my struggles--that others have been there. So, I assume that someone else might be going through what I'm going through and that me sharing my struggles (and joys) might encourage them as well.

The danger of online blogging for this reason is that it can threaten to take the place of real, face-to-face relationships. One of the positive things about moving for me has been the change I've seen in my computer habits. I am much less drawn to the internet. I generally post less on my blogs and facebook. The computer doesn't feel like it's as needed for me. It has also helped to have my mom living with us. I have an adult in the house that I can discuss what I'm thinking with throughout the day.

Speaking of which, my kids and husband are reading the Chronicles of Narnia and I need to go be present!

Comparison of Verses

Tonight I was reading the Mom's Bible again (NCV) and compared this verse: NCV Ephesians 5:22-24 22 Wives, yield to your husbands, as you do to the Lord, 23 because the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ is the head of the church. And he is the Savior of the body, which is the church. 24 As the church yields to Christ, so you wives should yield to your husbands in everything. NIV Ephesians 5:22-24 22 Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. The Message 22-24 Wives, understand and support your husbands in ways that show your support for Christ. The husband provides leadership to his wife the way Christ does to his church, not by domineering but by cherishing. So just as the church submits to Christ as he exercises such leadership, wives should likewis...

Grieved

Why is it that my generation (I belong to Gen X) and generations after us always seem to think that they know more than the generations that have come before us? Why is there such a lack of respect in our generation for our elders? Why do we think that the liturgy of the church and hymns are irrelevant? It is ironic to me that the emergent movement is saying that the seeker sensitive movement is irrelevant. It seems as if it was only a few years ago when it was the seeker sensitive movement that said to the traditional church that it (the traditional church) was irrelevant. I'm reading a book with all of these big words and I want to be honest--I didn't understand a lot of it. I'm not dumb. I understood most of it, but the author was assuming a lot of background knowledge on the part of the reader. Most of the time I learn deep theological concepts and then I have to store them in my "attic" (as Autumn would say) because there isn't enough room in the ...

ESV, NIV, or NASB and then there's the ICB, ESV or NIrV...which should we read?

I am so thankful for my friend's question about the ESV vs. NASB and NIV. I couldn't remember the difference so I went to look it up. I knew that John Piper and Tim Keller, both pastors and authors that I deeply respect have switched over to the ESV. All of the churches that we have attended over the past few years PCA or Reformed Baptist have also switched to the ESV. I did find a blog that explained the differences and that helped me ( http://thefoolishgalatian.wordpress.com/2007/10/22/niv-vs-esv-and-why-piper-switched/ ) I knew why I didn't like the KJV--it was written in the days when writers were paid by a patron and that often slanted the translation. The NKJV, from what I understand, is a revision of the KJV that uses more modern language. Most churches I have attended used the NIV until the ESV came out. The blog I found explained that the ESV is a more literal translation---like the NASB. The NASB is a very literal translation. The ESV has come to be consid...

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