I was really tickled this morning reading this article about whether there should be two spaces or one after a period and before starting the next sentence.
The author rants about the awfulness of the still prevailing practice of putting two spaces after a period and insists that only one belongs there. Those who learned to type on a manual typewriter (and there are so few of us left) learned from the earliest training that two spaces are required in order to make the only type face available (monotype Courier: all the characters take up the same amount of space) more readable. That habit of double spacing has so ingrained itself into my muscle memory that making the switch to single spaces poses quite a retraining challenge for me.
The many comments in response to this article also reminds me how the tiniest things can divide people into irreconcilable camps. Nice to know such divisiveness occurs outside the church as well as inside the church.
So why do we do this? Why can’t the church maintain a stance of holding a wide umbrella that covers as many as possible? What are the absolute non-negotiables of Christianity? The longer that list, the fewer included.
I come from a world with a 17 page doctrinal statement, a long list of things that indicate the right way to think on just about any theological subject. One mis-step, one disagreement, and I’m pushed out, the entry door now firmly barred against me until I change my mind.
Is this the kingdom of heaven that Jesus spoke of so frequently? I’d surely be interested in hearing the thoughts of others on this one. Comments,emails, postings, all welcome.
PS: this document is carefully single-spaced after each period!
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