Yael a/k/a Jael from Judges 4 is my hero and favorite woman of the Bible. She showed courage in the face of danger, she stood up for what she believed in, and she put actions behind her beliefs.
My character is on a journey to find her sanity (or completely lose it), and she is doing an excellent job at it. Yael tends to be sarcastic and snarky, but she can also be compassionate and serious. I really can use a hammer in real life, but I’ve never pegged a guy in the head before.
1. Why did you start a Twitter account?
A. I started Yael because someone was harassing my real account and I wanted to hide. I originally came to Twitter to laugh. I didn’t come to be serious or connect with people. I wanted to read jokes and find a way to de-stress.
2. What has been your favorite Twitter interaction so far? Who are your favorite Anons?
A. Interacting with people on Twitter is one of my favorite hobbies. I go through spells of whom I interact with, but my absolute favorite anon is @camphimi, and @churchpain is a very close second. I interact with lots of real personalities as well. I’ve also enjoyed getting to know @TheXianSatirist.
3. Who is your favorite theologian, past and present?
A. I was never raised to follow or focus on theologians. I’ve mainly studied the Bible with only the help of pastors and friends. In past years, I’ve come to enjoy Beth Moore and Christine Caine. I’ve read some other works, but I can’t say that I’ve been influenced heavily by any of them. I’ve had a lot of conversations with @SSeminarian and @RealChurchGuy, and they have helped me to cement some of my doctrinal beliefs. It’s likely that my beliefs would not meet the approval of either of them, but from conversations we’ve had, I was able to determine what I believe.
4. Is it easier to be who you really are as an Anon?
A. I wouldn’t say it’s easier to be who I really am, but it’s easier to say things I wouldn’t normally say.
5. What is something that people would be surprised to know about you?
A. I’m not sure if this would be surprising to people who know me, but my dream job is to be a profiler for the FBI. I know that this will never happen, but most of dreams are that way. Yes, I spend a lot of time in my head. I have worlds nobody has ever been to.
6. What’s your favorite movie or TV show?
A. I loved West Wing when it was on and Friends was my favorite comedy for a long time. Right now, I’m eagerly awaiting the next season of Jessica Jones.
7. What is your pet peeve in church or with Christians?
A. Christians who think politics are a matter of salvation and are unable to admit that neither party is completely biblical.
8. After a stressful day, what’s your favorite way of relaxing?
A. I’ve learned if my day has been really stressful, I need to do something active in order to fully relax later. Walking and cleaning house is what that usually looks like. I always like to sit in the dark and tweet and watch Netflix a little bit before bed, though.
9. What’s your favorite Bible verse(s)?
A. Judges 4 is pretty awesome, but I also love Romans 5:8.
10. Do people treat you more kindly as an Anon? If someone hurts you on Twitter, what’s the best way to deal with it?
A. People treat my Anon differently than they treat my real person, but it is like my Anon is a separate person than my real person so I get that. The Avatar of an account can really influence people. We have to remember that regardless of that Avatar, there is a real person behind it. They have emotions and feelings and bad days just like you do. I try to remember that when interacting with people. Sometimes, you just need to unfollow some people, or you may need to talk it out. It’s never simple. It’s just the same as any real life relationship.
11. What’s been your worst experience on Twitter?
A. I honestly can’t say I’ve had any horrible experiences. It took me time to adjust to the atmosphere and world of Twitter. I truly love this community, and have made wonderful connections here.
- Advent: A Five-Part Christmas Devotional from Chaplain Chris Linzey - December 3, 2023
- “Be Still: Rest for the Culturally Weary” by Chris Dunn - October 18, 2023
- The Munich Bible Study on Zoom - January 24, 2023
