Questionable Content

"Family friendly" is a buzz-phrase that has been crawling all over Christian culture for years. In fact for many Christians, if something isn't super-sterilized with the "family friendly" radioactive treatment, it isn't fit for enjoyment by anyone calling themselves a follower of Christ.

Many Christians have grown up with the understanding that some forms of entertainment should be off limits and are sinful by their very nature. And it's certainly true that there are forms of entertainment that stimulate sin in us virtually by nature, such as pornography. (Matthew 5:28)

But what about other forms of “unsterilized” entertainment that have had fingers wagged at them for decades? Role-playing games like Dungeons and Dragons, violent video games, movies and books with coarse language or sexual humor, or fiction with dark supernatural themes. The Bible seems to be nearly silent on the topic of fictional entertainment. Is there anything in scripture we can use to help us navigate this issue and avoid problems while not hindering the freedom God intends us to have?


There's actually more than you might think! And God wants us to take this kind of time to discern the difference between what is harmful and what is not, rather than just assuming based on tradition or cultural influence.

1 Thessalonians 5:21-22 “but test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.”

The Greek word for “form” here means “appearance, fashion, shape or sight.” Paul is not saying to avoid anything that LOOKS like evil. (Good luck with THAT!) He’s saying to determine what is good and what is not, and then abstain from evil, no matter what it looks like or how it shows up.

Before we dive in, I first want to point out that the application for much of what we discover in this look at the Bible is only for "grey areas" of scripture. If the Bible identifies something as sin in black and white, it's sin, no matter how you or I may feel about it. But hopefully passages like these will help us navigate other waters more safely and confidently.

We should also be careful that we don’t try to use what we look at here as a smokescreen to get people off our backs so we can continue to live unexamined lives. My hope is that if nothing else, this will act as a conversation starter. As Christians we've got to get better at talking about what we believe, whether it’s with Christians or non-Christians, in a way that is humble and even -tempered.


ROUGH LANGUAGE/ "4-LETTER WORDS"

First let's take a look at the issue of language. Although most Christians seem to have developed a list of words that are "bad", the Bible never gives us a list of words we should avoid using. But it does have a lot to say about our speech. Just a few examples include:

Proverbs 4:24 “Put away from you crooked speech, and put devious talk far from you.” (The Hebrew words for "crooked" and "devious" here mean "deceitful" and "willfully determined to do what is unexpected or undesired")

Colossians 4:6 “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.”

Ephesians 5:4 “Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving.“

The Greek for "filthiness" here means "that which brings shame" or "intending to stimulate sexual appetite or lust". The Greek for "foolish talk" here means "speech that demonstrates the lack of character in a person". The Greek for "crude joking" here refers to joking that intends to stimulate sexual appetite or lust.

In these verses we see that our speech shouldn't be manipulative or deceitful. We shouldn't say anything that validates a lustful mentality. We should speak with the intention of being favorable to the sensitivities of others. Beyond that, we have a lot of freedom!

You might notice that all of this is instruction about what we, personally, should or shouldn't do. They are not immediately related to fictional entertainment we might create or enjoy. In this regard, there are some other verses to consider:

1 Corinthians 10:31-32 “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God.”

In Greek, the phrase "give no offense" as used here can mean either "do not offend" or "do not cause to stumble". So as we tell stories (or run role-playing games), we should aim to avoid offending those our fiction is intended for. We should also avoid creating anything that validates sinful thoughts or behavior, since this can cause someone else to "stumble". However, within these guidelines, there is still a wide variety of "unsterilized" content we can and, for the sake of good fiction, sometimes SHOULD include. (After all, there is nothing "glorifying to God" about boring, poor quality fiction.)

When it comes to the kind of language we should allow ourselves to ingest in fiction, this is entirely based on the effect it has on our lives.

Luke 6:45 “The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.”

As established before, we want to avoid offending others. And certain language can be offensive to others when used in conversation. So if enjoying certain kinds of fiction with certain types of language causes us to "slip" more often and offend others with our words, we should avoid that kind of fiction, or make sure it doesn't affect the control we have over our speech.

But in a room containing only people who will not be offended or "tripped up" by rough language, there’s no sin in using it. I can't find any scripture that argues otherwise.

In my own life, I avoid most words that the average Christian would consider offensive… when I’m around the average Christian. But alone with my wife or a friend I know won't be the least offended, I’ll use the occasional “rough word”, for effect or emphasis.

Even the prophet Isaiah and the apostle Paul, being inspired by God to do so, used some pretty rough language as they represented God to others.

For example, in Philippians chapter 3, as Paul compares his "praiseworthy" background with what he has gained through Christ, he says he thinks of it all as "rubbish". The Greek word here for "rubbish" means “refuse, such as the excrement of animals”. So Paul was saying nearly the equivalent of the word “crap” and if we’re honest, very possibly the equivalent of a stronger 4-letter word. (Rhymes with "grit")

In Isaiah 64:6, the prophet says that our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment, or filthy rags. The Hebrew here refers to menstrual cloths. Yes, those kind. We're talking about the equivalent of a used tampon or maxi-pad. A pretty vile image.

As a side note, if you’re not accustomed to looking into the original language meaning of words in the Bible, you can make sure I’m not “pulling a fast one” on you by using a concordance and Greek/Hebrew dictionary (very easy to find) or a site like blueletterbible.org to verify the information I’m presenting.

My point is not that all language is appropriate at all times around all people. But clearly, we can’t assume that there is a list of “bad words” God unquestionably wants us to avoid at all times. Nor should we expect that “good Christians” will have that kind of view about language and four letter words. And when it comes to enjoying fictional entertainment with some rough language in it, even less immediate judgment should be made.

It may be a valid strategy to ban “4-letter words” from our homes until our children are old enough to understand when these words should and shouldn’t be used. But to teach our children or other Christians that these words are all “bad” by nature is to teach something unsupported by the Bible.


CURSING

Doesn't the Bible say not to "curse"? What does that mean?

Here are two examples of how the Bible commonly uses the word "curse":

Ecclesiastes 10:20- Furthermore, in your bedchamber do not curse a king, and in your sleeping rooms do not curse a rich man, for a bird of the heavens will carry the sound and the winged creature will make the matter known.

"Curse"= (Hebrew) qalal- (in negative relational contexts) to make despicable, to curse, to treat with contempt, bring contempt or dishonour


Romans 12:14- Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.

"Curse"= (Greek) kataraomai- to curse, doom, imprecate evil upon


The Biblical usage of "cursing" has to do with wishing evil on someone or bringing contempt on someone. The word "damn" can be used in this way, which IS sin. And when used with the intention of actually wishing someone to be eternally "damned", it's also presumptuous and judgmental, since a person's final judgment is not our call, but God's alone. (For example, saying and genuinely meaning "Damn you".)

But most times "damn" is not used this way today, and is instead a thoughtless exclamation. Much like hitting my hand with a hammer and saying "crap!" is not a command for myself or someone else to actually poop. (Or a shocked observation that I have just seen poop.) In this way, "damn" is often a figure of speech that is not an expression of someone's desire to (as the Bible defines cursing) have evil or contempt come on someone else. So I have to conclude that, provided it doesn't result in offending anyone who hears it, the use of the word "damn" or even the exclamation "damn it" is often times not sinful.

It should also be mentioned that the same level of "cursing" can be committed (and most often is) without using a word like damn. Any verbal expression of contempt for someone without the use of four-letter words, is just as much a "curse" as an expression of contempt that does use a four letter word.


"TAKING THE LORD'S NAME IN VAIN"

Exodus 20:7- You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain.

First, it's worth noting that the Hebrew word here for "take" does not mean "say", despite the fact that we tend to automatically interpret it that way. The Hebrew word for "take" here means "to lift, bear up or carry".

This command goes far deeper than simply verbalizing a reference to God. God commanded his people not to "carry" his name with them if they weren't being genuine about it. This command is a warning against religious hypocrisy. In part, God was saying "Don't identify yourself with me unless you really mean it."

Also, the Hebrew word for "name" here refers not just to God's proper name, Yahweh. It refers to his entire reputation. The Israelites were being commanded not to speak of, mention or represent God in a thoughtless or disrespectful way.

And although we are not bound by Old Testament law, a similar idea is expressed in Mathew 5:33-35 and is naturally included in the greatest commandment, to love God with every fiber of our being. (Mark 12:28-30)

To use references to God(God, Christ, Jesus, Yahweh) as slang or thoughtless exclamations could be argued to be disrespectful. However there are times when people can use these references to God as exclamations in which they are genuinely thinking of and directing their thoughts toward God, so we should not be too quick to judge others in this regard.

Some may also argue that words like "gosh" and "jeez" are disrespectful as well, since they find their origins in an effort to substitute for words referring to God. But I don't see a good argument here, unless we can prove that when someone says "gosh" or "jeez" they are really disregarding or making light of a name that refers to God. "Gosh" and "jeez" are nonsense words. Even their origins (which have no relevance I can see to their actual use) are an effort to avoid offending God, rather than making light of him. So if anything, the natural intent in using "gosh" and jeez" seems to lean toward respecting God, rather than secretly disrespecting him.

I'm inclined to think we need to give people the benefit of the doubt on this one since mind-reading is not a spiritual gift. But I'm open to changing my position in light of a better argument.


SEXUALITY/NUDITY

In similar ways, we can apply some of these verses to sexuality/nudity in fiction. Most of the time, nudity in fiction is portrayed by people with beautiful bodies and easily results in temptation. I don’t see how one could argue that portrayals like this do not involve serious risk of lustful thoughts, which Jesus speaks against.

Matthew 5:28 “But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”

In rare instances, nudity can be non-sexual and unattractive or un-tempting for various reasons. (Several scenes in “Schindler’s List” come to mind.) Some may be in no danger of lustful thoughts in these situations.

It’s also very common in visual fiction for attractive people to have clothing (or lack of clothing) that draws attention to their physical attractiveness. People will have various degrees of sensitivity to temptation in these kinds of scenes. Individuals should not assume that others have the same degree of strength or weakness against temptation in this area. (More on this in Part 2) This is a realm that many will have to judge for themselves, as lust is often an internal, mental temptation. But let's also use caution here and not allow ourselves to use "it's a personal judgment call" as a smoke screen for unexamined living.

There are certainly forms of entertainment with sexual subject matter that many will find no temptation in. For myself, I can say that the typical kind of sexual humor on a show like “Everybody Loves Raymond” does not stimulate lust in me. If anything, the sexual humor I’ve seen on that show tends to take the fantastical Hollywood shine out of sexuality and showcase the funny, awkward realities of human sexuality through a married couple that, despite their issues, loves each other.

So what about other kinds of questionable content? Violence, gore, the supernatural, or material advocating false ideas about God or the spiritual world?



VIOLENCE, GORE AND DISTURBING THEMES

God is the ultimate storyteller. Throughout the Bible, we see metaphor, poetry and graphic symbolism. It's natural that we would see some evil, distasteful things in the historical accounts of the Bible. But even in the parables, poetry and artistically symbolic words of the Bible, we see graphic and unsettling images.

Ironically, mainstream Christian culture has abandoned these elements of storytelling, opting for a "family friendly" philosophy that takes higher priority than dynamic communication of truth. We've decided that realistic or intense depictions of violence or evil behavior in a fictional context are almost always inappropriate. But in God's "fictional" writing, he often used elements that we would find offensive by these standards.

“Wait a minute. God didn't write any fiction! Are you saying the Bible is fictional?”

The Bible is not a work of fiction. Although it does contain fictional stories and artistic, metaphorical language. For example, Jesus often told stories called "parables". These were not stories about historical people that Jesus knew. These were fictional characters that Jesus created and put in a story in order to communicate truth. And some of his stories were pretty intense!

God also used one of his prophets as an "actor" in a sort of "street performance art". God had him do some strange and disgusting things in his performance to make a point about something in real life.

We usually wouldn't approve of this kind of storytelling in modern Christian circles and you likely wouldn't see it being sold in Christian Bookstores.

Imagine a man comes to your church. He stands out in the parking lot. Or maybe he goes to the parking lot of a Christian bookstore. In any case, he goes to where Christians will see what he's doing. (Ezekiel 4:3) He takes a few common items and starts building a little model of a city. He's tied up with ropes and lying on his side in front of the model.

This guy also takes time now and then, in front of the model of the city, to bake himself some bread. And he bakes it over human poop. At least, that was the original plan. It got toned down a little. Not to avoid offending God or spectators. The human poop was actually God's idea. But God decides to go easy on this "performer" and let him use animal dung, since cooking over his own poop was a little too "intense" for him. (Ezekiel 4:1-17)

Jesus told a story that ends, not on a happy, positive note, but with a guy being handed over to torturers until he could come up with the money he owed. (Matthew 18:34) And this wasn’t the only violent story Jesus told with a dark edge. (Matthew 21:35, 38-39, Matthew 22:6-7)

Some might use Philippians 4:8 as an argument against enjoying any fiction that isn’t constantly smiles and rainbows. It says:

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”

First of all, even in dark, disturbing fiction, there is much of artistic excellence. And artistic excellence is worth praising! We shouldn’t assume that because something is dark and disturbing, or even promotes ideas counter to scripture, that there are none of the above elements present to enjoy. Even the apostle Paul validated the positive and truthful points of poetry from non-Christian sources. (Acts 17:28) He would have to have read a lot of untruthful parts by the same poets to find the nugget that he did, so we can't assume we should always avoid entertainment that sometimes promotes bad ideas.

Notice, in Philippians 4:8, the repeated use of the word "whatever" and the words "any" and "anything". God is the originator of ALL creative excellence and EVERY creative talent of EVERY person in existence was brought about by God. We shouldn't compartmentalize our appreciation of creativity to only Christian artistic endeavors, as though gaming experiences like "World Of Warcraft" owe nothing to God. "WHATEVER is commendable" we can and should think about and then recognize God as the source! (James 1:17)

For me personally, role-playing games (paper and pencil or video games) and fantasy novels are exciting partially because they allow me to explore a completely different reality without any of the real danger and pain I would face if I were in those worlds for real. (The world of "Fallout 3" is captivating to explore and try to survive in, but I wouldn't want to REALLY live there!) Comic books and superheroes are exciting to me because they help to temporarily satisfy my hunger for justice in the world, and for the wrong things to be set right. Or they let me imagine for a moment what it would be like to never fear pain or harm. All of these elements of satisfaction I feel from enjoying these forms of entertainment are actually a shadow, a foretaste of what God will bring about and what those who place their trust in him will enjoy for eternity! These are all ideas that God has implanted in the human psyche and that point us back to a desire for him!

Secondly, the command in Philippians 4:8 instructs us on what we SHOULD think about. Not what we shouldn't. The meaning of this verse can’t possibly be that we should never think about anything that is evil, or terrifying. Otherwise God wouldn't have spent so much time talking to us about evil in his word and Jesus wouldn't have discussed hell so frequently with such vivid, terrifying imagery. (Matthew 5:29-30, Matthew 10:28, Mark 9:43)

We can’t assume that fiction should always be light and positive and leave us with good feelings, without ever exposing and reflecting on the reality and nature of evil. Jesus sure didn’t. Someone might argue that the imagery conjured by the words of the Bible is never as intense as some of those on a movie screen, and I would agree. My argument here is not an effort to validate every depiction of violence or gore in movies. My argument is an effort to prevent them from being unquestionably considered harmful. I don't know of an internally consistent view of scripture that will allow us to assume that.


Often in fiction, a victory is felt so much more deeply when the obstacle is greatest. Salvation and justice shine much brighter when the horror and injustice before it is severe. And even fiction that ends on a darker note can lead to contemplation of the fallen nature of our world, and stimulate in us a desire for the world to be saved from evil. Not only can we freely enjoy “unsterilized” fiction, but in many cases it can be a means of OBEYING Philippians 4:8.


Still, this isn’t always the case. Fictional entertainment is a mixed bag with both good and bad elements. Some fiction can result in temptation or emotional trauma for one person, while having no negative effect on another. Some fiction dealing with the supernatural or promoting false worldviews can unknowingly guide the thinking of one person, while another enjoying the same entertainment doesn't have their worldview influenced at all. What should we do, then? Avoid all forms of entertainment that affect anyone negatively, anywhere, "just to be safe"?

I think 1 Corinthians chapter 8 and Romans chapter 14 are two very important chapters for us as we navigate these areas of life that scripture does not specifically comment on, such as entertainment fiction. These passages are not specifically about entertainment fiction(if you find any that are, please let me know), but I believe the same principles can be applied.

“Idol meat”, as discussed in 1 Corinthians 8, and entertainment fiction with dark, violent or otherwise severe elements have something in common: They are both centered on ideas that are not real, but can do harm if someone embraces them as truth. The idol meat promotes belief in false gods, and entertainment fiction presents an imagined reality we're asked to "suspend disbelief" to enjoy. Idol meat, is actually the more severe issue in question since for many, it was involved in the worship of actual false gods, possibly real demons! Entertainment fiction only asks us to temporarily suspend disbelief for the experience being presented, and never assumes that we will actually believe that the events on screen or on the page are real. (Unless you're the confused aliens from "Galaxy Quest", you know that "Star Trek" was not a documentary.) So whatever the Bible has to say about eating meat sacrificed to idols, we can certainly gain a safe "buffer zone" from (maybe even more safe than needed) by applying it to entertainment fiction.

At the time Paul wrote 1st Corinthians, Corinth was a city filled with idol worship. Animals were sacrificed to pagan gods and the leftover meat was often sold in the general marketplace. Jews and the young Christians of Corinth fell into two camps on what to do. One side said that eating the meat was of no harm to anyone, since the gods it was sacrificed to are not real. The other side said that eating the meat was in some way participating in pagan worship. Paul agreed with the thinking of the first group, but not their application of it.


THE PERSONAL EFFECTS OF UNSTERILIZED ENTERTAINMENT

In 1 Corinthians 8:4-6, Paul makes it clear that these pagan gods receiving sacrifices are not real. At best they're fallen angels, (1 Cor. 10:20) but they have no power compared to the one and only God. For this reason, those eating "idol meat" weren't taking part in any kind of worship just by eating the meat. It’s what was happening in their hearts, not their stomachs, that was the real issue.

In verse 7, Paul says that those who think of the idols as real gods, defile themselves when they eat the meat. This idea is supported by Romans 14:14, where Paul says "I know and am convinced in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself; but to him who thinks anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean."

In other words, if I think an action I’m about to take is wrong, even though it isn’t, but I do it anyway, I may have not technically sinned by that specific action, but I DID show a willingness to do something against the will of God, which IS sin. That action became something that made me “unclean” by doing it.

In areas of life where the Bible has no specific teaching or principle, our default should be freedom. In fact, Paul identifies freedom in these areas to be an indication of personal strength. Added rules in these areas are an indication of weakness.

Romans 14:2 “One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables.”

In these areas on which the Bible is silent, like entertainment fiction, we need to avoid passing judgment on each other. This is the focus for much of Romans chapter 14. If someone is able to enjoy “unsterilized” entertainment that you believe will cause them to sin, consider for a moment that maybe what you need to admit is that it may cause YOU to sin, but not everyone else. There is a huge, silent element of pride we have to face in ourselves when navigating issues like this. It may be unthinkable for us to admit that we are not strong enough to enjoy some forms of entertainment without it negatively affecting us, while others have no trouble at all.

For example, I'm weak when it comes to watching sad, realistic dramas. I have vowed to never watch “The Notebook” again. (And not for the reasons you might think.) The Alzheimer’s plot thread was extremely sad and depressing to me, and I noticed that for a long time after the movie was over, I had a dread inside me over the thought that me or my wife might suffer a similar fate. I began worrying over the future, something that Jesus taught against. I was susceptible to being manipulated in a negative way by this completely fictional story. So I do what I can to either avoid stories like that or trust in God rather than fixate on those kinds of thoughts.

I’m probably missing some good movies because of my weakness. So I hope to overcome it more as time passes. But that’s where it is for now.

Rather than passing judgment on those who like those kinds of movies and saying “we shouldn’t spend time thinking about the terrible things that might happen to us in life”, I want to try and say something more like “Oh, no thanks. In my experience those kind of movies aren’t good for me.”

Someone also brought to my attention that the Bible teaches that we shouldn't be fearful and suggested that watching scary movies might be in violation of that teaching. Again, horror movies don't expect us to believe that they are real. They are sort of like a practical joke between the producers and the audience that we agree to set ourselves up for when we buy our ticket. I don't know how someone can demonstrate that this kind of "fun fear" or "entertainment fear" is what the Bible is talking about. However, if I stay scared of the dark after the movie is done, I need to either stop watching those kinds of movies or learn to not be afraid of the dark no matter what movies I watch.


THE RELATIONAL EFFECTS OF UNSTERILIZED ENTERTAINMENT

Now let’s look at the other side of the issue. Say you’re a person enjoying “unsterilized” fiction that causes problems for others, but it doesn't cause problems for you. Kind of like some of the Christians in Corinth who were just fine with eating “idol meat”, while others thought it was harmful or wrong.

Paul says in 1 Corinthians 8 that if someone who is weak (who thinks idols are real gods) sees a Christian eating idol meat and concludes that idol worship and following Christ are compatible, or “not a big deal”, they'll be in a serious mess. They'll either join in and begin to believe things that will take them away from the truth and into any number of harmful lies, or they will silently fume and judge their fellow Christian. So Paul allows for eating "idol meat", but cautions those who understand the truth to not let the freedom their knowledge gives them become a point of confusion, misdirection, or temptation for someone else. (The temptation being to either disregard God or to judge others.)

So we’d be wise to avoid obligating others (who are susceptible) to participate in our “unsterilized” entertainment and to try to get on the same page and strengthen their knowledge and faith so that they will eventually be able to enjoy it as well.

Paul says that "if food causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat again, that I might not cause my brother to stumble." (1 Cor. 8:13) This is something to weigh carefully, but not apply rashly. Paul is not making a command here. And by comparing his words to Romans chapter 14, we see that Paul commands Christians to communicate with each other about what they believe is evil and what they believe is not.

Romans 14:15-16 "For if because of food your brother is hurt, you are no longer walking according to love. Do not destroy with your food him for whom Christ died. Therefore do not let what is for you a good thing be spoken of as evil."

That’s right folks. We have to actually learn how to talk about what we believe, in a humble, even-tempered manner.

In other words, if a Christian friend sees you enjoying “unsterilized” entertainment and says "isn't that evil?", but you believe it’s not, don't just shrug and keep going. This could lead to your friend misunderstanding the truth! They might think that good and evil aren't really important to the Christian life! Or they might internally fume and pass judgment on you. Either will result in sin in their life, and if we love each other as we should, that should concern us.

In reality, what they need to know is why you believe eating your “idol meat” is not evil. Why, in fact, it is a perfectly good thing! (For example, protein is good for the diet and meat is delicious!)

So, is there a “bottom line” or a “filter” we can pass things through that scripture doesn’t specifically comment on, to help us determine if they're good for us or not? Well, it’s not quite that simple, but it would be good for us to look again at Luke 6:45.

“The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.”

What kind of things are we “treasuring”? As we follow Christ, and aim to lead lives with the purpose he intends, we have to be willing to examine ourselves and even let others tell us when we're off target. If our lives begin to produce habits that are counter to God’s will, we need to stop and consider what influences we are “treasuring” in our lives that may be feeding into those habits.

Creativity is a characteristic of God that he allows us to imitate and enjoy. But some forms of creativity, if we are susceptible and allow them to, can stimulate anger, lust, selfishness, or wrong thinking. What we produce in our day-to-day lives serves as an indicator of whether or not our “treasure” is influencing us negatively.

This is another reason why the Christian life is not meant to be lived in a vacuum or as social hermits. Flawed though it may be, the local church is what God uses to help us grow into the people he wants us to be. And though not a replacement, other communities of Christians can be helpful as well. (Shameless plug in 3…2…1) So consider this an invitation to come and lurk or strike up conversation in our online forums! We’re having a blast geeking out, and being creative. There’s also opportunity there to connect with me and others like you about the really important issues of life and faith.