Comment Word Cloud: What on earth are we talking about?
Oh this is classic and troubling.
Gordon hailing from the Ecalpemos blog, has put together a word cloud derived from the RSS comment feed from this blog.
Here it is:
I must emphasize this is taken from the comment feed and not the blog post feed and so represents a snapshot of conversation here on this blog from a couple of weeks ago.
Gordon comments:
Do you not think perhaps that everyone’s priorities are a bit wonky compared to whats really going on in the world?
Indeed!
And here is a nice piccy of Gordon:
Tags: Internet & Technology
September 28th, 2010 at 9:48 am
You could have at least used this one:
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/lh/photo/5NOj2eny-5_T1sVDpiow5A?feat=directlink
September 28th, 2010 at 9:50 am
I’m so sorry Gordon, I simply couldn’t help myself and am relieved you took it in good spirit.
September 28th, 2010 at 11:02 am
Thank you so much for drawing this word cloud generator to our attention Gordon. I’ve had great fun already, feeding in some of my essays. Very revealing!
Worth noting though that all these pictures are very subjective: The program is tweakabke to take out common words or even specific words, and at best it can only take a snapshot of a minute sample of a blog such as this. Excellent idea nonetheless.
September 28th, 2010 at 1:38 pm
Yes, we used it at work to produce one based on our values statmenet and it was quite revealing.
September 28th, 2010 at 1:41 pm
Here is one based on the text of the Gospel of John (authorised version)
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/lh/photo/10mr3Galcdbj5hPjxK_kHQ?feat=directlink
Thats based on the whole text of the book. I left “unto” even though its a common word because I think its important, but as you say thats a subjective judgement. Certainly in John’s gospel there is a clear idea of God making himself known to man by the sending of Jesus and that does come out through the word cloud.
October 1st, 2010 at 9:53 am
One I generated from today’s comment feed:
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/lh/photo/_gAsOrkv7HkZPsO9gjFyeQ?feat=directlink
October 1st, 2010 at 9:18 pm
Surely homosexuality is the touchstone at which the unbelievers are attempting to force their views on the church? There’s always something, and it matters little what it is. But we didn’t choose it; they did.
October 2nd, 2010 at 3:20 pm
Roger.
Actually I think you’ll find there are way more people INSIDE the Church trying to force their differing views on each other regarding this. One could cynically assume that some atheists are just getting a free ride on all the internal strife!
Those initial atheists who chose to make homosexuality an issue were those who felt that they were being treated unfairly or as non-persons by what was touted as a benign and benificent institution. Can you blame them for being upset and angry, to the point where they speak out about it. Wouldn’t you speak out if you thought that you were being treated in such a manner?
The rest if us joined in because we share their resentment and anger at the shabby way in which many within the Church treated and still treat homosexuals. I hasten to add that this does not apply to all religious people, but there are enough who make their unpalatable views all to clear, to make this an issue.
October 2nd, 2010 at 4:00 pm
If you look at the latest one its a list of very negative things:
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/lh/photo/_gAsOrkv7HkZPsO9gjFyeQ?feat=directlink
All I am saying is that this is at odds with the important issues in the real world.
October 2nd, 2010 at 4:01 pm
@ Roger: I am entirely confident that within a few decades attitudes like yours will be seen by most, if not all, Christians, as indefensible as those 18th Century church-goers who felt justified in owning or trading in slaves.
The battles against slavery, against racism, for the equal treatment of women and gay people: sadly the churches have generally adopted these movements once they have become widely accepted rather than pioneered them. It’s a disappointing record from a Christian perspective, but the eventual outcome in terms of the churches is entirely predictable.
The ABC has no problem with celibate gay bishops. What’s interesting is that his statement on the matter made it clear that the requirement of celibacy applies only at the present time. He – as do I – envisages a time in which married gay bishops raise not a single eyebrow.
@ Jim: You’re quite right. Roger’s opinion is far from the only one – there’s a wide range of perspective on this issue across Christians and denominations. My perspective is that prejudice against gay people in the church is as unacceptable as racism or prejudice against women, and this is a fairly popular C of E position.
However recently we seem to have imported from the US religious right the bizarre idea that if you support gay rights you can’t be a Christian, an idea which is – of course – in itself extremely unChristian…