Should Biblioblogs Only Post On Biblical Studies?

Apparently, one of the things I have a real penchant for is being two steps and a couple of weeks behind a conversation. Anyways. Some bloggers have been involved in the conversation on whether bibliobloggers should write only posts pertaining to biblical studies. The short answer?

Yes!

That is, of course, if you want very few people to actually read your blog.

I’ve been at this blogging thing for a couple of years now, and one of the reasons that I started was to express ideas and thoughts that I could not in my academic papers. Not high brow academic ideas and thoughts, but, as I’m sure you have noticed, quite often low brow, e.g., hung like an angel; revolutionary exegesis of Geneses 15:6.

My best academic thoughts I’m keeping for papers; not wasting here.

Not only that, but at the end of the day I read a lot of very long technical articles, and very long, technical, dry books. One of the ways you can ensure that I do not read a blog post of yours is to construct it in a fashion that it will take me a minimum of twenty minutes to read it. I just do not have the time or emotional wherewithal to invest on a blog post of that nature. That’s already spent on my actual academic work. The internet and biblioblogging is a break from that.

One of the things I have noticed is that if I post a purely biblical studies post very few people read it or comment, e.g., a cool example of the rhetorical skill of Paul. On the other hand, if I write something funny (my article Shocking New Biblical Discovery has been viewed thousands of times) or pertaining to Todd Bentley my views massively increase.

I don’t write just to get hits, I write on what I find amusing or interesting and let the chips fall where they may, but I would have to go to my 26th most popular post A Reflection on Proverbs and Amenemope before I would get to a “purely” biblical studies post.

Finally, all of us–I hope–are more complicated and interesting than one topic. As human beings we have to be more than one idea or discipline. I enjoy the good natured ribbing that takes place between some bibliobloggers (though true bibliobloggers should write more articles defaming Chris Tilling), and the odd post on current events or other hobbies and interests.

Post on biblical studies, post on theology, post on life: you’ll be surprised how much more interesting you are and how many more people will visit.

Just keep it short…