The Pageless Book

Photo above by Diego Avila. Artwork below by Roy Blumenthal.

The last post I wrote was three days ago, on Thursday. I wanted to write a “Friday Vibes” article, but due to technical difficulties, I would have had to post it on Saturday. I decided there wasn’t much sense in doing that. So here I am today, Monday, still contemplating the events of last week, wanting to talk about it, even though it has already been discussed to death. Woe is me…

I really shouldn’t be too disappointed, seeing as last week I nominated for the UU Blog Awards. However, sporadic posting and constant whining about your blog on your blog isn’t necessarily a good way to win a blog award. Cutting back on articles posted per week and dropping one of your most popular series isn’t a good way to muscle in those votes, either. And admitting that you’ve made several mistakes in the past week to turn off your readers? Well, at least I can still say I’m honest. But the most sure fire way to ensure that I *not* win the Blog Awards that I’ve been nominated for, would be to promote my competition instead of myself. It would be rather foolish for me to do that…

Have I mentioned that Shelby from Looking For Faith has been nominated for “Best Religious Writing or Theological Commentary - Best of Class?” Yes, the same Shelby that I keep mentioning over and over again. She is one of the first people to actually welcome me to the UU blogging community, and I’ve been showering her with link-love ever since. She also recently picked up the torch for promoting social media in the UU blogging community. I will, of course, be voting for her.

Jules from UU Deist in Texas got a nod for “Best New Blog”. I really enjoy his writing style, his choice of subject matters, and the new look of his blog is impressive. I know this is wrong of me, but every time I read something written by Julian, I have a habit of imagining his speaking it in a Texas twang. Although to be fair, he may very well be reading this post to himself thinking I sound like Link Larken from Hairspray, me being from Baltimore and all.

PeaceBang’s Beauty Tips for Ministers has been nominated for “Best Design or Use of Visuals.” I have to admit, I don’t read this particular blog; I’m naturally gorgeous and have no need for beauty tips. Although the visuals *are* rather nice, and PeaceBang is spiffy-cool enough to vote for, so I suppose I could make an exception and vote for Beauty Tips.

Finally, there is the “Best Seminarian Blog” award. There is The Pageless Book, which is okay I guess, but I really prefer Elizabeth’s Little Blog. I haven’t been following it for long, but her blog covers some interesting topics and is worth reading. One article, on why “The Secret is Total Bunk,” has even been nominated for one of the single-article awards. I’ll be keeping my eye on this blog for the future.

In all seriousness, I wish everyone best of luck in snagging a few Blog Awards. Despite recent set-backs, The Pageless Book will continue to grow and be will be even more worthy of a Blog Award next year. I’m just honored to have been nominated along side such talent.

Recently, it has become abundantly clear to me that there just isn’t enough hours in the day to do everything that I want to do. I want to post new articles on a regular basis, I want to continue to promote my fellow bloggers, and I want get to know my readers better. On the other hand, circumstances in my off-line life must come first. It would be irresponsible for me to let issues of family, work, finances, and life in general to be dominated by my love of blogging.

Unfortunately, I have bitten off more than I can chew in regards to this blog. I need to cut back down to posting five times a week. I may even go so far as to posting new articles only four times a week, if circumstances dictates. One of my three article series had to be let go. After much consideration, I felt that the UUU Project Updates were the best choice.

The past month or so has been really awesome in regards to the growth of this blog, and much of it has to with the community of which I am apart. One of the things that has really made me appreciate this community is the response to my Unknown Unitarian Universalist article and the subsequent UUU Project Updates I post on Sunday. I enjoy helping this community grow through the use of social media and will continue to work towards this end. However, I can no longer be the man with the plan in this regard.

If anyone else would like to pick up where I left off, I welcome you to do so. Nothing would make me happier to see someone else take the ball from me and run with it. Unitarian Universalism has a voice that needs to be heard the world over, and I can think of no better way of being heard than here, online. Let’s continue to work in making ourselves known.

Namaste.

Above photo by Bruno Girin. Photo below of Tara Hunt.

Have I been Digging you? Oh yeah, baby, I’ve been Digging you. All of you, in fact. I’ve found that submitting posts to Digg can be somewhat of a chore, though, as there are so many steps in submitting content. The good thing, however, is that I’ve found out Digg allows you to submit your own content if you want. Hrm. Looks like I have a new project on my hands.

In terms of support in promoting Liberal Religion Blogs, I’ve got two more allies. Shelby, whom I’ve mentioned several times before, took the initiative and wrote an entry about the four reasons why Unitarian Universalists should use social media. I highly suggest reading this inspirational piece of literature! Er, well, uhm, perhaps calling it ‘inspirational’ and ‘literature’ is a bit much - after all it is still just a blog post… Read it anyway! After all, we know the fifth reason to use social media is because John Pageless said so!

Actually, the fifth reason to use social media is to make friends. Nneka from Balanced Life Center, stumbled one of my articles in response to me stumbling one of her articles. I received a traffic spike of about two hundred and some-odd visitors as a result of her stumble. Am I thankful? Oh, heck yes. I only knew of Nneka peripherally before she had stumbled me, and now I’m even more interested in getting to know her and continue to read her blog. That’s how social media is supposed to work - it’s social.

I’m going to continue to Stumble and Digg for another week before introducing any new social media services to my networking regiment. If you have been stumbled or dugg this past week and had good results due to social media, I’d love to hear from you. Or, if you are a reader who has been trying new social media websites with me and have some suggestions or comments to make, by all means drop me a line.

Photo by Buck Blues

Two weeks I’ve been attempting to use StumbleUpon to help improve traffic to the liberal religion blogging community and I’ve learned a few things. First thing I have come to realize is that StumbleUpon is extremely addictive in the same way TV channel surfing is addictive. If you don’t grab their attention immediately, stumblers will bounce away from your website without a second thought. Another thing I’ve learned is that the more often you use StumbleUpon, the more authority your particular suggestions will have. This is important because now I know that I can’t really expect consistent positive results in two weeks.

Regardless, I want to hear your stories about how StumbleUpon is working for you and what you’ve learned from the experience. If you’ve been Stumbled, what was the traffic that you received from StumbleUpon like, and would you want to be Stumbled again? I plan on continuing using StumbleUpon to promote my fellow bloggers and hope that you are thinking about doing the same.

Digg It!

Much like StumbleUpon, Digg.com provides you with an up or down vote on news articles that have been submitted to their website. The difference is that, unlike StumbleUpon, your readers will not come upon your page at random, but will have to look for you. This means the visitors you gain from Digg are going to be expressly interested in the content you are providing.

For more information about digg, see the following articles:

• Beginner’s Guide to Digg
• How to Use Digg Like a Pro
• How to Digg Content

I’m going to start using Digg.com this week to promote the websites of fellow UUs and religious liberals, and I encourage everyone else to do the same. Give it a shot and tell me what you think. The more of us on the bandwagon, the stronger we are together. If you own a blog, write an entry to encourage your readers to join us and let me know about it so I mention your article in the next update.

Photo by “SordidProphecy”

GodStillLovesUs.org is not your typical website. With it’s cryptic message, foreboding images, and viral-like advertising, most visitors aren’t quite sure what to expect from this website. The motif of a bio-hazard symbol next to the words “God Still Loves Us,” makes for a confusing symbol sparking conversation, controversy, and serious thought as to the nature of humanity.

As it turns out, there is an ulterior motive behind this website. Some of my readers may already know the purpose behind its message. Yet, I know if I divulge this information up front, those who are not “in the know” would be less likely to give deep thought to the meaning of this website and its meme.

The Structure of The Site

The initial page of this site is roughly divided into four areas. At the very top is displayed the original bio-hazard logo with five links - Witness, Testify, Evangelize, Redeem, and Forums. Just below this are four random pictures that has been submitted to the website and a brief YouTube video. You can click on any of the four images to see the complete image; notice that each image has “God Still Loves Us” located somewhere in the image. Beneath the pictures and the video are two columns; the left devoted to tragic news articles found elsewhere on the web, while the right column displays an abbreviated console for the forums.

The first place you should direct yourself to is the “Witness” link. There are eight pages worth of photos, each photo containing the logo shown at the top of the site. If you play the video after viewing all of the images that have been submitted, you’ll notice that the video just a compilation of these image. The “Testify” link allows you to sign up for the forums, while the “Evangelize” link provides a number of the different “God Still Loves Us” logos, as well as access to a Cafepress.com shop.

If you click on the “Redeem” link, you are connected to a page that promises a prize for one person who submits a photo. The official contest rules states that this needs to be a photo of the “God Still Loves Us” logo on a physical object. When I first saw this, I started to question the objectives of this GodStillLovesUs.org. As you delve further into this website, its true intention slowly becomes apparent…

You Will Think

I want to talk about the meaning behind the “God Still Loves Us” logo. To me, the purpose behind this online campaign revolves around this symbol and the discourse it sparks; any other hidden motives are secondary in my opinion. You may disagree, but before I divulge this motive I keep talking about, let me explain why.

This logo is something like a Rorschach Test. The symbol is just ambagious enough that the meaning you ascribe to it is influenced by your personal beliefs, while the subject of the symbol remains intact. Placing the bio-hazard symbol next to the words “God Still Loves Us” can imply several different things - for example:

• Self-destructive nature of humanity.
• The nature of our relationship with the Divine.
• Absence of the Divine.
• Absurdity of existence.
• The nature of suffering.
• Hope despite all odds.

How you respond to this symbol speaks volumes about your outlook on life and religion. I’m inclined to believe that the symbol is speaking about the self-destructive nature of humanity, and the sadness that invokes. It’s a fair indicator of what type of person I am and shows my concern for humanity as a whole. Someone who is more pessimistic might say this symbol is pointing out the absurdity of existence, while an absolute optimist would believe it means hope despite all odds.

This becomes even more interesting when you get a large number of people together to talk about the meaning they find within the logo. While they may ultimately disagree about the meaning behind the symbol, the site itself doesn’t offer anything to contradict or confirm a particular interpretation. The result is lively discussion regarding the state of the world, religion, and human existence. Discussion is what makes this website meaningful and the symbol serves as the subject. Even the photos are apart of the discussion.

I am Alpha and Omega.

GodStillLovesUs.org is a viral marketing site for I Am Legend, a screen adaptation of the book with the same name. When I realized this, my first reaction was disappointment; I was hoping that the truth would be more interesting. If you think about it, though, this site is a stroke of genius when it comes to marketing. The more I think about it, the less disappointed I become.

I Am Legend, starring Will Smith, is a remake of the movies The Last Man On Earth and The Omega Man - both of which were based upon the same book. The theme of the book has a number of different religious and philosophical overtones, which resonates strongly with the “God Still Loves Us” logo. As I am yet to see the movie, I think it would be better not to comment further on it. I will say that I am looking forward to watching it; the viral marketing campaign as done it’s job.

Photo by Lucas B.

During this week, I observed a large number of blog entries being made concerning minimizing the consumerism of the holiday season. While waxing philosophical concerning Christmas is certainly understandable, I don’t think I was quite prepared to see my peers in this community become so critical of this season. And critical my colleagues were - so much so that I was taking notes.

For example, Dan Kimball from Vintage Faith not only took aim at consumerism, but also confronted the supposed “culture wars” over Christmas in his article. Elsewhere, Reverend Tony turned a popular catch phrase on its head asking “What Would Jesus Buy?” Both of these articles will be in the back of my mind while I discuss with my wife what future winter holidays will look like in our household. Perhaps next year, we can agree to start a tradition of giving to the poor, rather than to the corporations bombarding us with advertising.

Photo of Benzir Bhutto by Art es Anna

However, the problems we face over ramped consumerism pales in comparison to the events in Pakistan yesterday. Benazir Bhutto, the Prime Minister of Pakistan, died after suffering gun shots to the neck and to the chest. If you aren’t sure why that should concern you, consider that Pakistan is a Hindu-Islamic country currently in transition from a dictatorship to a democracy. Benazir Bhutto was the voice of moderation in what is a very turbulent time for her country and her people. Should I also mention that they have nuclear capabilities?

Rev. Kit Ketcham has posted an excellent article regarding her reaction to the news of Prime Minister Bhutto’s death, rightly seeing it as an attack on female authority in male dominated societies. She not only represented democracy and moderation, but equality for women and the modernizing of Pakistan. Terry Mattingly of GetReligion.org also points out the very dangerous situation which this places the United States in his article about her assassination.

So just as we finish celebrating the birth of one martyr, we mourn the death of another. This world turns in strange ways, sometimes - it’s enough to make me dizzy when I am not paying attention. While I have no control over events that take place in other countries, I do have control over what I do in my own life. Paying attention, however, allows me to glimpse how the two are connected… I just pray that I can keep my eyes open without going blind.

Photo by Todd Huffman

Did you notice the point at which Wicca became a world religion? There is a definite period when this religion started taking on adherents at a rapid rate. In the early 1990’s, this religion, which seemed destined to be little more than foot note in history, was suddenly exposed to a vast number of spiritual seekers. Wiccans kept their religion quiet in fear of persecution for forty years up to this point; the religion seemed to be waiting for the right time to make itself known.

The Dawn of the Internet

Then, the information age dawned, which changed everything for this small religion. The internet seemed tailor made for Wicca. It gave them anonymity so to avoid persecution, allowed them the freedom to reach spiritual seekers in large numbers, and gave new (and often solitary) practitioners access to a community. This is a religion that doesn’t proselytize - they don’t actively seek out new members. In ten short years, it went from virtually unknown to a growing world religion, all as a result of the internet.

Today, there is a similar surge in Atheism. Again, they are using the internet as a vehicle to get their message out. I read a number of Atheist blogs, mostly because I enjoy debating with them, and have noticed that they have a vibrant growing community. Witnessing this, I have to ask why the liberal religious online community isn’t like that?

Marketing Liberal Religion

Recently, the answer was made clear to me through a fellow Universalist’s blog. Shelby, the webmaster of LookingForFaith.org, wrote an article regarding religious identity and marketing. She points out the trend among evangelicals to use product marketing techniques and asks if religious identity can be synonymous with brand identity. She poses the question as to whether or not liberal religions, such as Unitarian Universalism, should be marketing themselves through clothing, music, television shows, movies and other products. While I would argue against blatant consumerism, we should be marketing ourselves. When it comes to online communities, that means social media.

From what I’ve seen of our blogging community, I don’t think we are using social media services to promote ourselves. Perhaps some in our community do not even know what social media is or how it can it can improve traffic to your blog or to other blogs in our community. Social media is nothing less than another opportunity to share you opinion of what makes a good website with others.

Social Media is - ?

Social media sites essentially give you an up or down vote on content that is generated by other users. In many cases, the user generated content that is being judged are individual web pages. While your single vote may not seem like much, that one vote makes it far more likely that someone else will look at and vote for that web page. The effect is cumulative; the more up-votes a page receives, the more voters likely to read that page who will, if they believe the content is good, give another up-vote.

Now, I will be honest and admit that I don’t use social media as much as I should, either. But at the same time, I want to watch this community grow. So from now on, I will have a regular column on Sundays regarding my usage of different social media sites in my attempt to promote liberal religion blogs, other than my own. Each week, I will concentrate my efforts on one social media site and ask other bloggers to weigh in on it’s usefulness

The Grand Experiment

I encourage everyone to join me in this grand experiment; the more of us using social media, the more power we have as a community to bring in new readers. Why should you care? You have several very good reasons to care. Liberal religion needs to grow in order to survive; we need new petitioners. There are untold numbers of people who are fed-up with the politics of more conservative religions, but do not know that liberal religions such as ours exists. We need money in order to accomplish the good deeds on which we, as a denomination, set our sights. And if none of these reasons are enough to persuade you to participate in social media, than please consider this question: What good is your blog if nobody reads it?

I believe this endeavor is worth the time an effort, and I hope to see you here again next Sunday when I report on my use of StumbleUpon. Until then, I’ve included the following links on how to use StumbleUpon for your reading pleasure:

• How to use StumbleUpon like a Pro
• Building Your Blog with StumbleUpon
• A Comprehensive Guide to StumbleUpon

Namaste.