Monologue (not dialogue)

I can hardly remember any detail from Johnny Carson's five-nights-a-week monolgue, but I can remember that monologue-time as a great way to end my day, just before going to sleep.

I clearly remember some of the very funny characters Johnny created on a regular basis: Floyd R. Turbo (the R stood for Arthur), Aunt Blabby, Art Fern, Carnac the Magnificent...and there were probably others.

But back to that monologue Johnny engaged in every nite.  Just him.  Just his words.  Just the jokes he wanted to tell.  Just the comments he wanted to make. 

Jay Lenno and Dave Letterman and Jimmy Kimmel (and most likely others I am not familiar with) have continued the monologue as the opening of their late-night programs.

Just one person, or just one group representing one point of view, running off at the mouth is a monologue.  I do a monologue on the Sunday mornings when I preach a sermon.  Just me.  Just my understanding of the Good Book and the faith.  Just my challenge or suggestion about what it all means for us here and now.  15 to 20 minutes of just me.  (And since I craft the outline of the worship service and develop the congregational prayers and responses, it more than 20 minutes of just me.)

{Blogger picture-upload is not working today.  But if it were I would upload a picture of this really serious looking guy staring out of a black background and saying, "I find it suspicious, that everyone's personal God has the same beliefs as they do."  Its a great picture...but you will have to close your eyes and imagine seeing it, instead of actually seeing it.}

In a monologue the presenter has the opportunity to create, out of thin air, a personal world in which their views are the views of everyone.  Where opposing views are without merit.  Where its their way or the highway.

There is a whole lotta monolgue going on these days around some very, very critical and big problems.

But these big problems do not take place in anyone's personal world, they take place in the world we all share.  And I suspect that dialogue would be so much more productive than monologue.