Monday, April 03, 2006

Monday, Monday: or, Sarah Louise is Hopping Mad!

This post has two threads: Copyright (the frame) and Christian critics who don't do their homework (the center).

Just visited a coupla blogs.

Okay, this is like white heat rage...

And I actually have better things to do this morning than work out my anger in this arena. (Currently working on Station 8 for the OD's Stations of the Cross, Jesus and the women of Jerusalem), see Luke 23:27-31.

As a librarian and a blogger, I'm beginning to think that I need to be careful about copyright. (It's been in the back of my brain for years, but hey, it's Lent, and you start thinking more seriously when you consider that guy on the cross...)

So here's some interesting reading on how the BibleGateway answers copyright questions (and why from now on when I quote verses, they'll be in KJV)

I live in a glass house: I have linked many a copyrighted article to this blog and no, I'm not going to go back and unlink them, but from here on out, you may need to do your own google searches...I need to find that Bloggers Legal Guide (from EFF, the Electronic Frontier Foundation)...

But copyright isn't what I'm mad about: it's that some folks have not done their homework. It's SO EASY to be a critic. Hey, I'm not crazy about Joel Osteen either, but be careful when you start slamming Beth Moore and Rick Warren, who on the surface may seem in the same "Franklin Christian" category (God helps those who helps themselves, which is NOT a Bible verse, btw.) Bill McKibben's recent article "The Christian Paradox: How a faithful nation gets Jesus wrong" which can be found on harpers.org, blasts the aforementioned folks and others. Now, Joel O. is not a favorite in the Louise household (he tells a great story, but is it a Christian story?) and I admit that I never finished reading Warren's bestseller, A Purpose Driven Life. I have however, very much enjoyed Beth Moore's Believing God study and have found it invaluable in my faith walk. Also, Beth and Rick are two folks that join Bono in letting their walk speak louder than their talk: they are personally involved in aid to Africa. Rick, for instance, now reverse-tithes (that's tithing 90% and living on 10% of income) and is focusing on work in Rwanda, due to his wife's interest in the African AIDS crisis. You can find two great articles from Christianity Today, "Purpose Driven in Rwanda" and "Hunting the Big Gazelle" on their website.

Well, I feel better. In keeping with April being the cruelest month, stay tuned for more rants from SL.

Update, as I research the copyright issue: an article from Marketing Sherpa, and their link policy (thanks for clarity!!)

And from the Electronic Frontier Foundation: Questions about copyright.. and their Creative Commons info. (which took too long to find, methinks)

8 comments:

Eileen said...

:o) So... I go to the OD, I read your blog (you write as much as I do and as randomly as I do, so I love reading it!), and my husband is doing a poem for the Stations of the Cross thing... so I feel like I should know you... but I'm not sure if I can put a face to the name!!! But my name is Eileen... and my husband is Chris... and I secretly stalk your blog b/c it's great. I wish I was as good of a blogger as you! :o)

We will have to formally meet sometime - Friday at the OD Happy Hour maybe??? I'll ask around and have some I know who knows you find you and introduce us... :o)

in peace and love,
Eileen

Eileen said...

p.s. so yah I just made the connection (my friend Kristin helped me) that I saw you last night at OD when you talked about the National Library Week... :o) I know who you are now! But you probably don't know me... although you may have seen my husband - he's played the madolin for worship once and read a poem two weeks ago at the OD... :o)

Joke said...

I'd be more concerned with the opinion of He who wrote Scripture than the opinions of anyone who might have translated it. ;-)

-J.

Joke said...

P.S. Eileen, PLEASE tell me you meant "mandoline" and not Madolin.

Sarah Louise said...

J--

copyright is one of those things I'm supposed to care about, as a librarian, though I often quote my writing teacher from college who said "God gave thee eyes, plagiarize, plagiarize!" It's a fine line...I mean, look at T.S. Eliot's poetry, for instance...

--SL

Sarah Louise said...

e-

yes! let's make a point to meet at the happy hour!

-sl

Joke said...

SL,

I understand your librarianish duty as re. Copyright. But copyright holders are not going to determine where you spend, say, Eternity.

If I get there first, I'll make sure the concierge reserves a nice cloud for you. ;-)

-J.

P.S. I'll be in the No Harp area.

Sarah Louise said...

I'll look for you in the No Harp section.