I've written a long-overdue answer to a question I occasionally get asked, either by email or in blog comments - why is this blog called "Hacking for Christ"? It might be useful reading for anyone who is bemused, intrigued or confused by any part of the title (even the word "for").
Posted by gerv at January 3, 2006 11:43 PMGood post. I like the part where you note the dual meanings of words. And your last paragraph is inspiring.
Posted by: Ulysses at January 4, 2006 2:24 AMYou have issues... do not use the name in this context.
Posted by: lori at January 4, 2006 2:26 AMIn your article you link to "Hacker naming controversy" at Wikipedia, but that's a broken link. I think you want to link to "Hacker definition controversy" instead.
(p.s. well-written!)
Posted by: Screwtape at January 4, 2006 3:11 AMnice... i like it. thanks for the explanation
Posted by: foo at January 4, 2006 3:11 AMOh, please! That was pathetic. Stick to hacking, not proselytizing.... Look forward to 1.5.0.1/1.8.0.1. Good work on the project.
Posted by: Joshua H. at January 4, 2006 4:48 AMProselytizing? Proselytes? Then don't tell glazou ;)
Posted by: bar at January 4, 2006 9:02 AMWell that's exactly what I thought the explanation would be, and rather well-written too. You don't cover why you believe forgiveness from sin is necessary, but I suspect that a full explanation of that would take up a great deal more space than a 'why the title' page would usually be expected to consume. That sort of explanation usually seems to.
Posted by: Matt at January 4, 2006 9:14 AMIori: I'm not quite sure what you mean. Could you elaborate?
Screwtape: thanks for the tip. I'll fix the link when I get home tonight.
Posted by: Gerv at January 4, 2006 9:50 AMI provided a temporary fix to the link on the wikipedia by putting a redirect on the page.
Posted by: Alan Trick at January 4, 2006 12:18 PMWell, I happen to agree more with Bertrand Russell than with you, but I respect your right to hold those beliefs. Those who said things like "Oh, please! That was pathetic. Stick to hacking, not proselytizing...." and "You have issues..." probably need to take a chill-pill (and perhaps they could read the Russell article you linked to if they want to know how to make a rational argument against Christianity).
Posted by: Tyler Durden at January 4, 2006 1:03 PMyour code reuse comment was abolutely brilliant!
Posted by: kdz13 at January 4, 2006 1:42 PMGervase,
about your comment on code reuse: it is good to see that others get the same impression. I once got that impression after I had read Douglas Hofstadter's Metamagicum book. I'm also astonished when looking at something natural where the code is in fact at the same time in part its own decompressor.
Posted by: Harold at January 5, 2006 5:59 PMYes, and, presumably we could say that God has written "free" code? You probably have some more fitting techy phrases for the exact deal: like Sharware, or something?
Maybe there are issues about "hacking God's code" too? e.g. genetic engineering. Are "all rights reserved"?
Posted by: Marc Lloyd at January 14, 2006 7:29 AMBrilliant!
Don't let the naysayers get you down. I think the comment about code reuse is amusing and thought-provoking. Just bear in mind that all creation *except* Man was spoken into existence (Gen. 1:24-25 vs. Gen. 1:26-27). Perhaps the Lord needed to "get His hands dirty" and hack the DNA to make us!
As a fellow believer in Christ I am always encouraged by bold expressions of Faith. Keep it up!
Posted by: Joshua Biagio at January 15, 2006 2:24 AMReason some people may have a problem is that. A hacker is someone whom delves into new things. To have some sort of conservatism, resistance of new ideals or anything else is a degradation in the meaning of hacker. If you want some more info I suggest these sites www.nobeliefs.com, www.peacefire.org, or www.holysmoke.org. A hacker is more of the scientific sort not someone paranoid of superstition. Don't you know every scientist in history has had some persecution for progressing human technology??? Galileo, Darwin, Christopher Columbus, early doctors. Look up their names www.wikipedia.org
Posted by: Gerro at March 22, 2006 2:11 AM