One of my favorite Scripture passages is the parable of the sower. It’s botany! It’s metaphor! And it’s a rare parable to include an explanation… sort of. Sure, Jesus decodes the allegory for his disciples, but what is the application? Is it a call to sow our seeds lavishly because we are not responsible for the condition of the soil, or is it a lesson on how to use our time and energy efficiently? Are we being encouraged to prepare the soil before we go about sowing? Are we being asked to reflect on the condition of the soil in our own mind?
Consider this month’s link, a conversation on Slashdot about science and religion. My initial reaction is to consider it an example of what I think the Internet does best: connect people who would never meet in physical space. Maybe that’s just me. I’ve always had my share of esoteric interests. I read comic books; I listen to modern symphonic music; I watch martial arts films. For some perspective — my favorite comic book sells roughly 25,000 copies. There are 300,000,000 people in the United States. That’s a 1 in 12,000 chance of meeting someone else who’s read the latest issue. I’m an introvert — the thought of having to meet 12,000 people is unsettling. (Knowing that I actually only have to meet 8,318 people to have a better than even chance of finding a fellow fan doesn’t make it better.)