Updated Mission Statement, September 2006

I noticed I hadn’t updated my mission statement on the Blogspot front page in ages, so here’s a new revision, which was largely stolen from my introductory Weekend Without Echoes post, which could probably be considered some sort of irony.

Hi!

You might be wondering why I’m here. Some people blog for money, some for popularity, and some to educate. I don’t do any of that. :) I don’t have advertisers, a lot of readers, or much wisdom to impart. So why do I blog?

I’ve been blogging off and on about random personal topics since 1998, but in 2006 I started focusing in on a specific theme. I started The Krehbiel Strikes Back specifically as a response to Greg Krehbiel’s conservative Roman Catholic Crowhill Weblog, mainly to show the world that there are more moderate Krehbiels around who don’t necessarily agree with Crowhill’s outlook on the culture war. I was also inspired to start blogging after the American Family Association pressured NBC to cancel The Book of Daniel. Since those humble beginnings I’ve widened my focus.

Blogging, for me, is a learning experience. Growing up and all through my twenties, I never paid much attention to the world around me — news, politics, and religion generally bounced right off me. But the older I got, the more burdensome my lack of awareness became. Now married and, ahem, “30-something,” I’ve finally decided to start expanding my horizons. I started writing, because that’s the best way for me to assimilate new information. In searching for writing material, I’m forced to learn more about world news and the culture war. That might sound like a chore, but I actually enjoy it.

Nowadays I find myself commenting on news, political rhetoric, cultural issues, and media distortions. I’m not an apologist for any political party or particular way of thinking, except maybe _free_thinking (though I’m not an atheist). If there’s a common thread in my blog, it might be to encourage readers to research issues from multiple viewpoints before forming a conclusion, and not to trust what bloggers, the media, or popular opinion says all the time.

One thing you won’t find here is anything about my job, because that could get a person fired. Which reminds me, if you are a current or potential employer deciding whether to hire or fire me based on information in this blog, shame on you.

Thanks for reading!

Thomas Krehbiel writes The Krehbiel Strikes Back, a moderate commentary on news and politics.