One of my favorite non-biblioblogs, Marginal Revolution, has an occasional feature called "Opposite Day". On Opposite Day, the primary bloggers Tyler and Alex don their alter egos "Tyrone" and "Axel" and play devil's advocate, arguing opposite what they normally would.

I'm wondering if this could be a productive thing in the realm of biblioblogdom. I've thought for awhile about "opposite blogging" on my PastoralEpistles.com blog, using it to think through some issues from a perspective opposite of my normal views.

Just think of the possibilities:

• A Mark Goodacre alter ego blogging about Q
• A Jim West alter ego blogging about the archaeological reliability of the Hebrew Bible
• [insert your own opposite here]

Anyway, just a thought. Perhaps in the near future biblioblogs.com could attempt to orchestrate a biblioblogdom-wide "Opposite Day" where folks opposite-blog on the issue of their choice?

Update: Loren Rosson (The Busybody) comments here and responds favorably on his own blog. Jim West (Dr. Jim West) offers support and commits to a post. Thanks, gents! With that response, I'll take the lead and declare "Opposite Day" to be Monday, July 10, 2006. That'll give us all a little time to think over the weekend and write something up for Monday's blog readin'.

If you'd like to participate, you certainly may. Just send me a link to your blog and "Opposite Day" entry and I'll list them in a post on Monday. I'd recommend the following for posts:

• Introduce your question/topic. It can be anything, really, as long as you're arguing opposite what you normally would. Arguing against known positions is always enlightening (for reader and writer) but don't feel bound to that.
• Introduce your alter ego. I think this is important, we'll need to make sure that no future google searches stumble upon these entries leading folks to think you yourself are actually supporting something completely opposite of what you normally would. I think Tyler Cowen's example of always introducing "my good friend Tyrone" as the author, then blockquoting as if he's copied the text in from an email, is a good model.
• Make your (alter ego's) point. You can be short or long, doesn't matter. You might be surprised how well your alter ego can argue.

So let me know via email [text geek at g mail dot com is the address] or comments here if you'll participate!