One of the axioms of writing is that it should make people uncomfortable. If it doesn’t then you are not stretching the horizons of those reading your words. Even before I heard this it was in my heart. One of the foundations of RJsCorner is that I try to get people to think outside their boxes to other possibilities. I am constantly looking for ways to stretch my horizons and I think everyone else should do the same. Being stuck in place is one of the primary causes of where we are today.
Why do I think that maybe I can make a difference? In many ways I am considerably different than most who likely read my words. I just see the world differently than the average guy. Part of it is because of my Aspie characteristics, another is because of my deafness. I am in the sub-one percent of the population. That, and my total life experiences gives me a unique view of the world.
People getting out of the established venue is something that is becoming rarer and rarer. With the explosion of the Internet it is just too easy to sink down into a given political mindset and almost be totally ignorant to other views of the world. It’s too easy to just turn on FOX or MSNBC and ignore the rest. I have seen that far too often when I visit some of my high school classmates. It’s hard to believe that I once saw the world as they still do but my experiences since those years long ago have given me a different perspective.
I am not shy about putting forth my spiritual views nor am I hesitant to talk about those who fall in lockstep with a particular religious doctrine that I think drifts away from the foundations of their beliefs. I am not apprehensive to talk about how evangelicals have poisoned the church of Jesus by their radical “survival of the fittest” attitude when Jesus spoke almost totally about being your “brother’s keeper”.
I know I write things that make people uncomfortable. The evidence of that is my somewhat limited viewer counts. I am told that I should stick to one particular niche. Instead I cover such a wide variety of topics.
Writers should make people uncomfortable in order to expand their readers horizons…
RJ's Corner 
I truly don’t remember how I ran into your blog. Almost all I follow, I ran into on someone else’s blog where they commented and I clicked on their name and thought “well this might be a good one.” And yours has become one of my favorites.
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Thanks Mary… I get quite a few referrals from Bob Lowery over at “Satisfying Retirements”. He and I have been corresponding about 8 years now. I appreciate him having my on his “Blogs I Read” list.
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I follow his too….
Time Goes By is another one I like really well
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Good comment about writing to expand thinking of readers. I agree. I also think that if you are a Christian church-goer and leave the service “comfortable” you have missed the point. If being there and listening to the message (assuming it is something positive about how to be a better Christian in the world) doesn’t get you thinking about how to do this you have missed the point. If the message just confirms all your personal biases you have missed the point. If you and God agree with what needs to be done [usually to or by someone else] you probably missed the point. If you mentally [or otherwise argue] that you never heard THAT before you probably missed the point.
This in my opinion is the biggest fault in Christianity today. We keep missing the point…
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Thanks for the thoughts Bob and I certainly didn’t miss the point (ha). I totally agree with you on this topic.
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Don’t you ever change! You do make people evaluate their beliefs. That can only be good. Those very old but valuable axioms…be thy brothers keeper, judgment lest you be judged, etc. …should remind people of what they are doing. When we believe that our voice is the only one worth hearing, we are on the wrong path.
I love your blogs RJ.
b+
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Thanks Barbara, I certainly enjoy your’s too.
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