Territorial Bloggings

Some random musings, as I try not to feel utterly horrible on a sick-day at home…

I don’t like small talk. In fact, I detest it. This is something that is probably quite in line with my personality type (ISTJ in Myers-Briggs, with extreme introversion). I’m quite certain, however, that it’s caused me many problems over the course of my life & career, due to the fact that much of what passes for “success” and building relationships is dependent on schmoozing. With schmoozing being defined as often mindless pleasantries, the likes of which are sort of a social lubricant that keeps our interpersonal interactions functioning smoothly.

I just don’t like small talk, and have a low tolerance for it. I’d be willing to bet money that this has caused more than a few folks to view me as quite the arrogant so-and-so over the years. In actuality, it’s really more the fact that I’d prefer to be silent than to engage in the banal pleasantries, and not that I think that I’m better/smarter/whatever. (Disclaimer: truth be told, I am certainly more arrogant than I ought to be, but that’s not the primary driver in this particular case…)

When combined with my oft dark & sarcastic sense of humor, my introversion & distaste for small talk makes several things quite ironic, e.g., my serving on the board of elders at church, my fascination with the Seminary, and that I have a job in which I deal with people. I also know that it serves as a point of frustration for my lovely & long-suffering wife, as it’s a (most-likely) large factor in why our social life isn’t as, shall we say, robust as she might like it to be. (I, on the other hand, being my father’s son, am quite happy with the level of social interaction…)

The funny thing is, I don’t mind interacting with people when the interaction is substantive. This serves as a nice segue into my second musing…

There’s a dearth of informed, substantive discourse today. Over the course of a discussion on CAT41’s Table Talk email list, the following statement was made, to which I can add my strong agreement:

Whenever anyone makes a statement about what is edifying or best, you can predict as surely as the sun will rise tomorrow that it will be followed by a post urging “moderation” lest someone misconstrue it as legalism. Let’s have a real discussion about what people are actually saying rather than what we “feel” they may be heading toward.

You see, one of the things I want out of a Lutheran congregation is to have opportunities for real, substantive, theological discussions. Unfortunately, this is something that is darned near impossible to find and/or have on a congregational level, because so many folks are weakly and/or uncatechized on the basic fundamentals of Lutheranism. I’ve often stated that, if folks knew what they were affirming in our Confessions when they signed on to become members, they’d be completely & utterly aghast, as there’s no way that they’d ever want to be so “unloving,” “uncaring,” and “judgmental”! Our culture today is so relativistically tolerant, that it can abide nearly everything but a firm confession of absolute truth. This has resulted in good folks having been led astray. It has also yielded, as a result of contemporary American “evangelical” methobapticostalism, in folks who only want to engage theology on emotional and individual levels, and who will abide no discussion of absolutes that might offend.

The worst part is that these dear sheep have been led astray by ear-tickling undershepherds who have not only willingly abdicated their God-given responsibilities, but who have done so by twisting Scripture. These are people who (as I paraphrase from other recent TT discussion): can’t deal with God’s Word as God gave it. They have to change and “contextualize” God’s Word in order for it to “be meaningful”. Being the weak-of-faith sinner that I am, this drives me to despair when I try and think of how to deal with it in order to carry out the vocations to which I have been given, particularly as the head of my household and on the board of elders. I daily pray for the strength to not turn tail & take the coward’s way out, for that way (I’m ashamed to admit) looks to be far easier & more appealing…

Thanks be to God that He is faithful & just, graceful & loving — for I know that He will grant me the necessary strength, and will always keep me safe in His loving embrace.

-ghp