Hello internet!

My monliniker (= online + moniker) is Convert Man. No, I'm not into extra points in football. I am a Transformers fan, but that's not it either.

I am a convert to Roman Catholicism. I was raised a Free Methodist and went to a private Christian high school run by a non-denom charismatic church, then went to Bible college (at the now defunct Aldersgate College based in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada).

I'm sure through my future bloggage I'll have a chance to delve into my reasons, but for now let me just state that I converted due to a discontent with the relativism within mainstream and fringe Protestantism, and a desire for absolute truth. It was only natural to go to the only place that claimed to have the fullness of that truth.

My newfound Catholic heritage, and its focal point in Christ, is the singular driving point in my life, and thus my monliniker.

If you've already read my opening sonnet, you may pick up on the concept of me returning to blogging. Years ago I had an MSN Communities site which I left adrift when I gave up the internet. That was on Jan 1, 2002, and I still don't have access at home - I'm posting this from work during some down time.

Why would anybody possible give up the internet? Shortly before I cut the access, I Googled the phrase "giving up the internet" and found only references to people saying that they never could! So I think I'm rather unique; possibly even a trailblazer. Especially because I work in tech support in a call center.

To be blunt, I gave it up because I found that I could not control my urges for the bad sites out there (I'm avoiding specific keywords to deter certain links to this blog) and it was hurting my marriage. I decided that I had to live out Matt. 5:29-30. Yes, I'm going to make you look it up.

Since I gave it up, I've discovered that a lot of Christian men struggle with the same stuff I do, and it breaks up a lot of marriages. So I issue the challenge to anybody out there who finds themselves ensnared in the lusts of the flesh: cut off the internet. This singularly anonymous, free, indifferent access to evil content only makes self-control more difficult. It's not worth it.

Incidentally, I've never had a problem exerting self-control with the access at work, because I have a work ethic that prevents me from wasting company time & money, and we have an open cubicle concept - no high walls. Accountability = good.

More later.