"what is your article going to be about?"
"it's about earth porn. or maybe about this backpacking trip."
earth porn. kind of a click-bait-ey title, but still--i bet it will get people to read it. i wonder if he's going to try to combine those two ideas somehow. or perhaps we're helping to write it, with these philosophical conversations. i hope i say something thought-provoking, or something worth remembering.
"i've never written an article for such a widespread and diverse audience before, but this one is going to be in Christianity Today."
wow. that is a widespread audience. that's so dang impressive.
"i would love it if i could upset a few Christians."
hm . . . yeah that is kind of fun. i'm not one to stir up conflict, but i do think that the Church could stand to be made healthily uncomfortable a bit more often. it would force us to challenge and question what we believe, and to strengthen it, rather than just walking in blind faith.
maybe that's what i've always hated about so-called "Christian culture." the fact that so often we just take what we're given without question. it's almost like Christianity is in this pre-wrapped box that pretends to have all the answers, even when there are many issues it doesn't resolve. but each pre-wrapped box contains something different. we could compare what's in the boxes, but we don't. we just assume that the one we have has everything right.
". . . i mean, it's unprecedented that a religion, especially such a major religion, would be unable to read their own sacred texts."
i wonder how important that is. it does seem ridiculous at first, but on the other hand, Christianity is very widespread. should we expect all Christians to learn ancient Hebrew and Greek? we have translations. how much of a difference does it make being able to read it as it was originally written?
"sorry, my ocd is kicking in again. sometimes if i get on a topic, i'll go on and on. that was a long answer to your question."
"that's alright. i like long answers." i really do. why would anyone want a simple answer when you have the opportunity to learn so much about a person, or an idea? plus, this makes it much easier to keep up a conversation. i love talking to people, but i wish i was better at it.
"elisa, you have a beautiful mind."
i--what? where did that come from? did he really just say that? that's so beautiful--how do i even respond?
"aww, wow! that's the best kind of compliment!"
"i would say you have a musical mind, but you would misunderstand what i meant."
"what would you mean if you said that?"
"well have you ever read the beginning of the Silmarillion?"
"yes!--just the first chapter of it."
"you have! well that's what i mean."
to be honest, i'm still not sure i completely understand. but--that's--wow.
"if i remember correctly, there's some dissonance that's included isn't there?"
"that's right! well personally, i'm kind of a fan of dissonance." in more than one way, sometimes.
"me too. when i was composing music . . ."
you have a beautiful mind too, Dr. Carson.
