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Tempests



> I would much,much, much rather read twenty off-topic postings about things
that people
> *care* about than twenty postings about which boots Karin was wearing at the
> concert last night.
Don, I couldn't screamingly agree more.

It's not ONE Christian topic, it's a string of different topics from a Christian
perspective.  Only your distance from the conversational world makes it all look
the same, the way an entire planet looks like a monochrome dot to the unaided
eye.

I went to a small college near Chicago which had a scholarship for Baptists from
Ohio.  Therefore 20 percent of the students were from Ohio, and were on some
level homesick.  Discussion of Ohio was frequent and annoying in its frequency,
no matter where you went.  Discussion of anything that frequently would be.  The
OTR list reminds me of that, right down to the fact that it's Ohio.  I know more
about Ohio geography and culture than any Illinoisian should.  In the end you
appreciate a greater knowledge of a region you don't live in than you could
otherwise be expected to have.  It becomes an asset over time to know other
cultures from the inside.  Thanks to OTR lostees and their frequent posts on the
subject, I could probably find a specific restaurant in Cincy faster than I
could in Chicago.

I guess I think of OTR lostees, ideally, as a bit like the guests at my wedding
and reception.  We had pagans there who knew what to expect (most were
ex-catholic), and in turn, we knew what they meant by "blessed be" when they
said it.  All the same, they didn't make a fuss in Church or otherwise criticize
us or our families for being who we are.  We didn't criticize them either - we
adore them deeply and they adore us.  Nor did the Catholics on my wife's side or
the Protestants on mine get in any fights, or the Jewish bridesmaid or aunt and
uncle of mine.  We were there to celebrate something else, and yet intrinsically
Christian in how we went about it.  And for a moment everyone was content with
everyone.  - maybe we are like that at concerts, quiet in our little universes
being swept by the same musical wind, loving OTR and everyone there because they
are everyone and they are there, and that's all that matters.

OTR lostees tend to be common in intelligence, creativity, and well spoken
melancholy.    I've adored this list, even people with whom I share no common
worldview, because even though I hate what you say on occasion, you say it well
and I respect that.  And sometimes, I actually agree with you.  Yeah, there will
be pain on everyone's part on occasion.  That's family for you.

BTW, I had a response to people's queries about my post last week on Legend and
such.  It seemed inappropriate in the current atmosphere to post it, so I left
it in the Drafts folder.  If you want, ask me for it off list.  If enough people
ask, I'll post it on list.


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