JohnnyBGamer

The Surf Report – Bible Reading, Social Media, and Alba: A Wildlife Adventure

Welcome to the Surf Report for January 14, 2021

.: God :

My Bible reading plan for 2020 has carried over into 2021. I’ve got to finish up:

Jeremiah
Psalms
James
2 Kings
2 Chronicles
Lamentations
Obadiah
Ezekiel
John
Daniel
Ezra
Haggai
Zechariah
1 John
2 John
3 John
Esther
Revelation
Malachi
Job

.: Life :

I’ve been sitting here scrolling through Facebook. Mindlessly, I scroll past former friends and acquaintances. Some have tried to monetize their lives, perhaps even create some sort of lifestyle brand; Some have tried their hands at homebuilding, while documenting how many kids they have on the side. Through the countless pictures, videos, and inspirational images of scripture, I have to wonder, does anybody care?

We put so much time into social media but what does it really give us?

More importantly, could I start a lifestyle brand? 🙂

.: Gaming :

I spent part of my Christmas break playing Ustwo Games Alba: A Wildlife Adventure on my iPad. I love it! I loved:

Skipping around the island
Taking pictures
Enjoying the wildlife
Being able to explore and chill at my own pace

So, what about you?

How did your Bible reading plan go for 2020? Did it bleed over, like mine, into 2021?

Play anything good lately? Read a fantastic book?

Let me know in the comments below.

From Across the Net – “What We’ve Lost by Over-sexualizing Male Friendship”

“But with this change has also come a loss of male friendship—something which men everywhere will readily admit. Keeping close male friendships just seems hard. It is. Intimacy makes a bond, but we no longer have access to male intimacy because it seems sexual. We avoid it. We do not have strong bonds.”

You can read more here

From Across the Net – “How Do We Discern Good and Bad ‘Magic’?”

Based on these truths, when parents approach a fantasy novel, our critical thinking should always precede our impulse to censor the story. Start by analyzing the story’s magic system to determine the source of power. Ask: Do the magicians seek to elevate themselves? Or do they wield their power in sacrifice and service to others? More importantly, does the story cause you, the reader, to desire to elevate yourself over others or even over God, the source of all real power?

President Trump, Twitter, and Freedom of Speech

In the midst of the storming of the Capitol yesterday, Twitter pulled the plug on President Trump. Initially restricting anyone from replying, liking, or sharing his tweet (and later pulling it all together), Twitter had enough. Apparently there is a magical end to the freedom of the Internet, and President Trump reached it.

President Trump, who is no school boy, knew what he was doing. I would call his response to the attacks calculated.

“We had an election that was stolen from us,” Trump said. “It was a landslide election and everyone knows it, especially the other side. But you have to go home now.”

One does not pour gasoline on a fire unless you want to see things explode.

But I digress, what will be talked about in the months to come, will be freedom of speech.

Freedom of speech^[2] is a principle that supports the freedom of an individual or a community to articulate their opinions and ideas without fear of retaliation, censorship, or legal sanction.

The moment Twitter did not like what President Trump had to say, they pulled the plug. Up until this point, they had let him exist. Call the election stolen, sure, stay on our platform. The moment though you do not do as we say (in this case, denounce the protestors), you can show yourself the door.

Now, Twitter is a private company, they can do as they please on their platform. But what do Twitter’s actions say about freedom of speech?

Should politicians be held to a different standard on social media?
Have social media companies become too big? Big enough to silence the President of the United States?
When does freedom of speech become a “risk of violence” OR WORSE a result for permanent suspension?

Sound off in the comments below.