Where do I go from here?

The theological path to somewhere, at my estate.

1. My previous post on this blog in the comments section has recent comments concerning the humanity of Christ which were originally posted in GGM's blog, 'Shalom is the Word' in reciprocal links.

The post will much more challenging than this one, if that suits you.

Previous satire and theology post

Also to the right of this post is my other theological blog linked which features some of my work on the problem of evil, if that so interests.

Anglicans and Baptists: The Problem of evil

Comments for both posts appreciated...

2. I am in hope awaiting my final PhD hard copy documentation from the University of Wales.

In the meantime I am working on my e-book, assisting my Mother in several areas and making preparations for me to eventually leave Greater Vancouver for work elsewhere.

Feel free to mention institutions, but I have decided I am not going to do that, but I will certainly comment on any kind comments and suggestions.

When I was younger I really liked rain, and mildly colder weather and I still like rain, not the esthetics of it, but the refreshing nature of it. In that sense, I have been fortunate enough to live in two places that rain a lot, Greater Vancouver and Greater Manchester. When I was younger I had some brief experience with the Alberta winter with family and thought it was cool, literally and figuratively. However, the last few years I have visited Florida, for a second time and Southern California for a second time, having also been on another time to Northern California. These trips combined with my two vacations to see family in Greater Phoenix have me thinking that it is in many ways easier and more comfortable to live in an area of the world where it is warmer and sunnier.

I also have visited Reno and surrounding area and did not care for it, overall. Being chased out of a steakhouse restaurant washroom by the 'crazed owner' with 'Pope Chucklins I' was one reason, but many people in that area seemed to dislike outsiders. That is rather counterproductive for an area which specializes in tourism.

Perhaps they hate being second to Las Vegas. Perhaps Reno should be renamed Lost to Vegas.

I spent the first part of my life in rainy overcast areas where there were minimal sunny days. With my British passport if I move back to the UK for work that will be the kind of weather I will face. Mind you, with Greater Vancouver and the UK the rare sunny days, especially in summer, can be very nice, but those kinds of days are common in places like California, Florida, Texas, Spain and Portugal year round. Now, I could use my UK citizenship which is also EU citizenship to move to a warmer EU locale, but I only speak English and so that would quite complicate any move.

As a Canadian I could stay in Canada, but other than Greater Vancouver, the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island, and perhaps a few other areas, most of Canada receives cold winter and winter like conditions many months a year. To be honest, I like playing in the snow like I did as a child in BC and Alberta, and the snowmobiling was fun in Alberta. But it is just more difficult to travel and go to work in colder conditions.

My last two degrees are from Wales, and so are British and European, so certainly some employers should at least consider me for a position in that system as a Theologian and Philosopher of Religion. But I am a moderate conservative and most of the departments are liberal of sorts. This could be a difficult fit, and this as already been demonstrated with my hassles with Manchester and my first PhD appointment.

Being blocked by the Research Committee from transferring to an affiliated Christian institution after I quit the main (Police) academy was not a good sign for future fellowship with these types of departments although Wales has worked out fine.

Canada is apparently slightly smaller in population than California and is a lot less Christianized than the United States, Canada being more like Western Europe in that regard. This is a major reason I likely will not be able to accomplish my career goals locally with few places to apply to. With my career being in Theology, Philosophy of Religion and Biblical Studies it looks like the United States is the best place to look. I want to work in a warmer climate and my family in Arizona, which will include my Mom when I move on, would like me to live closer to them. Therefore, I will need to look for work in areas that are fairly close to them by car, or plane. This would be the Western United States and if this would not work out I would look Eastward.

I have been to New York City once. It would be fascinating to work there for a season, but I was there during spring and just found it very humid and uncomfortable with all the concrete buildings and few trees. As a teen I visited Washington DC and Virginia and liked it, although I saw the impressive Europe like historical parts of DC only.

Of course, much of it depends on who would hire me. If the best job offer was in Australia I would of course have to strongly consider it, as I would Hawaii or Southern France.

Another issue for consideration for me is if I had any local friends in an area, or anyone willing to act like a friend.

I saw this on Looney's blog.

Countries in the World visited followed by Provinces,

States, and European Countries visited

Thanks, Philip. This is short and devastating.


T vs. Chuck

Examples:

'There is nothing to fear but fear itself, and fear itself fears Chuck Norris.

King Kong once challenged Godzilla to an arm-wrestling match. Mr. T won.

The reason newborn babies cry is because they know they have just entered a world with Chuck Norris.

The last man to make eye contact with Mr. T was Stevie Wonder.

Chuck Norris is a man’s man’s man.

Mr. T once beat a man to death with his own corpse.'

How to blow-up your blog: Writing that online diary

Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming (trekearth.com)

This reminds me of Western films from when I was a little boy.

In November, 2008, I wrote an article entitled: How to blow-up your blog without thinking too much. Please consider this post a follow-up. If one is already very, very, well-known in the field he or she blog about perhaps he or she can get away with more and play by some different rules, I suppose. However, most bloggers are not.

1. I do not want to come across here at all as a blogging know-it-all, or a know-it-all in any way. But, I wish to share some of my blogging philosophy...once again.

2. I have been blogging with this blog, satire and theology since 2006, and according to Blogger statistics I am averaging 10, 000 page views per month. I have been blogging with thekingpin68 since 2004, seriously since 2006, and receive about 5, 000-6, 000 page views per month. So, I am a moderately successful blogger with about 15, 000 page views per month, which is still much better than most bloggers do, and so I think I do have some at least fairly important things to state.

3. A right thing I have done is to concentrate on reciprocal blog linking which has helped promote my blogs online. Also very importantly some of my articles, especially with my more academic blog, thekingpin68, are being linked online.

4. A mistake I have made, and I have recently noted this on Facebook, was to basically ignore Google/Blogger followers for six years. With the rise of Twitter, which I have no interest in, and Facebook/Networked Blogs followers which I have worked on, I should have paid more attention to it. Now, as a result with my blogs I have a good amount of Facebook followers on both blogs but only have a decent amount of Google/Blogger followers due to my recent push. For me, I am online enough and Twitter is extra work I do not want or need.

I missed the opportunity for years to visually display my followers with two applications on my blogs, which others were doing, but I basically ignored the marketing possibilities. Yes, an impressive amount of reciprocal links looks good but images of followers for both Facebook and Google/Blogger adds public credibility.

This public credibility does not make my blogs good or right, but means people care about them. If others see this they are more likely to pay attention and see how and where God has guided my work to be good and right, by God's grace.

5. Some may state that I should not be concerned with these things and just share the gospel and related. I do not agree. I should desire to present the gospel, Biblical Studies, theology, philosophy of religion and related as effectively as possible with my talent and skill God has given me. Blog image is not near as important as blog content, not even close, but presenting my blogs as readable and worthwhile by others through links and followers is an important marketing tool. A person comes on my blog and thinks....people care about this blog.

Marketing is so important.

6. Marketing is a reason I always desire to have comments, because '0' comments does not look good. But, more importantly, I am not interested in writing an online diary and really appreciate the public interaction. It makes blogging far more educational and fun for myself and readers. I have so much to learn and my commenters assist.

7. I still reason some Christian and non-Christian bloggers are hurting their own cause and working toward blowing-up their blogs and basically writing an online diary. They are too strict in their overall blogging approach.

8. Many bloggers are too strict concerning comments. Ever wonder why I allow and even encourage off-topic comments? Because I want readers to feel welcome and at home and I hope therefore they will return and contribute more to my work. If I refuse to publish a comment because it is off-topic, I quite likely will never hear from that person again. More bloggers should be much more appreciative for any respectful comments at all. Fine, if ones does not want to publish SPAM, do not, and of course feel free not to publish disrespectful comments, comments from trolls etc.

But one should not be offended and block or delete comments that the blogger does not like in some personal, narrow sense.

9. Do not expect commenters to be as interested in your material as you, the blogger, are. People are busy and accept a respectful comment on your work. Do not make yourself the overly judgmental spiritual/intellectual judge of comments. I am turned off by bloggers that will not publish my kind comment where I state little and promote my blogs. If you are kind to me, I will quite likely read more of your blog and comment more, but if you disrespect me and deem my respectful comment unacceptable, you have likely lost a contact. And I reason many other contacts will see it in a similar way if his or her comment is blocked or deleted. Also, do not expect others to necessarily read all your rules of engagement for comments before commenting. Many people will not. With strict bloggers this may lead to the comment being blocked or deleted and a lost contact.

Boooom!!!

'But I stubbornly got my righteous way!'

So, many Christian bloggers do this and I think it is destructive for building a blog.

10. In the same way, bloggers should attempt to reply to most comments. When this is reasonable. Remember you must try to network unless you want that online diary. Networking means that you are not going to easily and necessarily find a bunch of clones that think and act just like you, so loosen up a bit, chill out. Do not look at your blog as a power trip but as a chance to network with others, to share with other Christians and non-Christians.

11. I have a PhD in Theology (Philosophical Theology), and Philosophy of Religion. From a marketing perspective, years ago, I decided that with my thekingpin68 blog, if I presented it like an online academic journal I would have difficulty gaining readers. So, I kept it at the same high academic level but added photos and humour. I reasoned the more effective academic approach was not to market it as an academic journal but market it like an academic lecture in a classroom of young people that wanted to learn at the highest level while at the same time being entertained.

This blog, satire and theology is a more readable version if thekingpin68, but the philosophy presented is the same.

12. Being open to others does not mean one must weaken his or her theological stances. My moderately conservative Reformed views have grown not only through six years of public blogging with many that are non-Reformed, but also through MPhil and PhD degrees at Wales which is secular and moderately liberal.

My PhD topics were theodicy, the problem of evil, atheism, liberal Christianity and free will and determinism and my Reformed, Biblical philosophy and faith has grown. These views have been shared on my blogs. My views have been challenged severely especially with the PhD and MPhil degrees. God has guided me.

I truly believe many Christian bloggers have fear of being theologically challenged and therefore often avoid dealing with those of other views. I am meaning in practical and not just philosophical terms, bloggers can feel threatened. Now, I am not stating one should look for trouble, or get in endless debates. These can become tiring and a waste of time. I am simply suggesting one be an open-minded blogger.

Mark 12:28-40 (New American Standard Bible)

28(A)One of the scribes came and heard them arguing, and (B)recognizing that He had answered them well, asked Him, "What commandment is the foremost of all?"

29Jesus answered, "The foremost is, '(C)HEAR, O ISRAEL! THE LORD OUR GOD IS ONE LORD;

30(D)AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.'

31"The second is this, '(E)YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.' There is no other commandment greater than these."

32The scribe said to Him, "Right, Teacher; You have truly stated that (F)HE IS ONE, AND THERE IS NO ONE ELSE BESIDES HIM;

33(G)AND TO LOVE HIM WITH ALL THE HEART AND WITH ALL THE UNDERSTANDING AND WITH ALL THE STRENGTH, AND TO LOVE ONE'S NEIGHBOR AS HIMSELF, (H)is much more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices."

34When Jesus saw that he had answered intelligently, He said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." (I)After that, no one would venture to ask Him any more questions.

See also Luke 10...

Autumn...yes deleted from previous post and added here. I placed new comedy material in previous post.