Monday, September 4, 2017

The Importance of Biffo

CNBC: Twitter is ‘toast’ and the stock is not even worth $10: Analyst

Twitter decided to represent only the "progressive" perspective on society, even going so far as to ban some mild contrarian voices.  Plus, it has given a platform to those who find fault and insult in just about everyone and everything, demanding that people be fired from their jobs and harassed in private life if they do not prescribe to the current groupthink.

While that makes those who share that perspective feel affirmed, when Twitter's business plan depends on a broad appeal, it can shrink your audience and your bottom line.

Since the late 1970's, the Episcopal Church has held a similar practice.  While it does not ban in the same manner, dissenting voices can be "excised" from the greater church, dissuaded from continuing to participate, and even hauled into civil court by the church leadership.  The belief that we can only be a church [that is, a denomination of greater Christianity] if we all have the same thoughts and use the same words has diminished our numbers, parishes, and advocacy.

The Episcopal Church into which I was ordained three decades ago used to relish what the Australians call "biffo", which is the high-spirited shoving that takes place in rugby, soccer, and Aussie football [the world's greatest sport] when the competition is tight.  We used to argue points, express honest opinion, and truly wrestle with change.  This biffo process brought us an improved prayer book and hymnal [sorry, traditionalists, but both books hold a more coherent theology], the ordination of women, the open welcoming of gay people, and many other improvements.

Moral superiority feels good to the "in crowd", but is generally off-putting to the remainder of society, including those somewhere between the two.  Since, at any given time, roughly half the country is "liberal" [however that is now defined] and the other half "conservative" [ditto], that means one-half of our society is excluded.  So much for "Everyone is Welcome" signs and the promotion of diversity.

It rather answers the question as to why we're a shrinking form of Christian witness.  When we find half or more of general society unworthy, and even deplorable, we have already eliminated any inroads that can be made.  Match that with a shallow sense of moral superiority and a traditional discomfort with the working class, and it's a wonder we're still in operation.