hmmm...what is to be done?

It has recently come to my attention that some folks find my blog entries to be a bit on the long side. One person commented that it's just that I have that type of brain, that I like to really hash things out. It is true that I think best in an active way, getting my thoughts out there, and seeing where I logically take them. Sometimes it only seems logical to me, and less so to others. Well, that's language for you. I can say pretty much anything, and whether I believe it or not, you have to interpret it as though I am being perfectly serious, and then decide if you agree with me or not. Luckily I don't really care if you agree. I don't mean that in a cynical way, but rather, I accept you dear friends for the people that you are. It could be that you have differing opinions on certain things, and I feel no compulsion to pigeon-hole you into my way of viewing things. Of course there are times when I find a particular view offensive, or destructive, and my in the interests of comfort and peace of mind suggest an alternate view on an issue, and see where it goes. I get into some great conversations this way, and also some fantastic fights. Remember that I think things through by hashing them out, so sometimes I am in the middle of an idea and someone will point something out to me that alters how I get to the end of the idea. Or they assume I am already at the end, and they don't like the implications. For example:

In class one day we were discussing consumerism, and the idea arose that there is no more room on the fringe of western society. Being a freaky outsider who doesn't buy what other people buy, and won't wear what other people wear, and who don't care about petty material things has all become a marketting bracket. Designers and Corporations have learned that there is money to be made by selling us stuff that looks like we are dirty hippies that don't care what we look like. Ever wonder why American Eagle shirts and pants come pre-wrinkled, and often even pre-torn?
We were taking the line of thought pretty far, and began talking about Church. I love corporate/communal worship times, meaning times when a large number of people gather together and praise God together. One student in the class discussed how she doesn't like this type of thing, because she doesn't feel like it offers her a chance to give anything unique and original to God. We talked about the Western Man's need to be unique, and the angst that comes from learning that there are other people who are very similar to us in our individual values and tastes. I began to think about Vampire movies, and how everyone is turned into Vampires, except the hero and a few of his friends. I was in the middle of thinking about this when I began to speak. "Why is it that in Vampire Movies the last couple of people are so intent on running away? If every one is a freakin' Vampire, why not just let them bite you and become one too?" The obvious implications of this in the context of the previous discussion was that I was instructing my friend to stop being afraid, give up her individuality, and just become a brainless zombie like the rest of us Christians. In actuality I was just thinking my way down the line to inquire as to where we derive our sense of uniqueness, and if maybe that it is in our desire to be unique that we find our selves, but that's sure not the first thing that came out of my mouth. So she misunderstood me at first, but had known me long enough to say "I don't think I like what your saying," to which I was able to respond "oh, gosh no, I don't mean that the hero should let the Vampire bite him, I mean 'why is it that he doesn't? What is it that drives him?' and maybe in the answer we will see some part of what drives us." And all was well, and the class carried on.
So what I am saying through all of this is that I think God knew what he was talking about when He saw fit to pass some instructions down to the rest of us. "Be quick to listen, slow to speak...."
So that having been said, talk to me!