I’ve been a bit down of late, wondering what I was doing wrong. It seemed like all the cool kids were getting in trouble. Shadow-banned, put in twitter time-out, all my friends managed to provoke our social media overlords while I couldn’t get arrested in cybertown. Until today. So I’ve got that going for me.
In addition to the Jesus Changes Everything podcast that I post, in addition to all the usual places, on rcsprouljr.com, I also produce, five days a week, a shorter podcast with the clever name, “Ask RC.” My goal for that podcast is pretty broad. On the one hand I love to help the evangelical church with some basic theological or biblical questions. I might record an answer to “What is propitiation?” or “Which Bible translation do you prefer?” I also, however, regularly record segments designed to catch the eye of google for those outside the kingdom, so that I might proclaim the gospel.
For these segments I might post something like, “Why do black lives matter and Black Lives Matter doesn’t?” Or, I might dangle some inside scoop about us, believers. And so it was that I recorded and posted to youtube five minutes seeking to answer this question, “Why are so many Christians anti-mask and anti-vax?” A basic understanding of grammar reveals I’m not addressing the question of the value of wearing masks or the wisdom of receiving the COVID vaccine. Instead I’m addressing what it is about Christians that might make them a disproportionate demographic among the antis.
Such, however, was enough to throw my five minutes into youtube’s memory hole. Beyond having that episode kicked overboard, my only other punishment was a warning. Run afoul of their misinformation czars (keeping in mind I gave no information, mis or otherwise about COVID, masks or vaccines) again and I’ll be frog marched to the cooler.
I’m of the mind that believes private companies have the moral right to have the legal right to decide with whom they wish to do business, to establish their own standards. Youtube doesn’t owe me “airtime” for anything. You won’t find me suing them or lobbying for government controls. You will find me saying they should be embarrassed for their heavy-handedness, their moral confusion, their hypocrisy. You will find me putting out my podcast on other outlets, like, say here for instance. You will find me not apologizing. You will find me laughing at them, even while I laugh at the fools who can’t admit that the emperor has no clothes.
It’s a small thing, I know. Hardly the stuff of the Foxe’s Book of Martyrs. The good news is that it happened not because I poked the bear. That is, I didn’t set out to offend, to provoke. I was just going about my business. I consider it practice for bigger things to come. I’d encourage you to get in shape as well. The marginalization of Christians has just begun, and it will get worse before it gets better. That’s ok, because we are safe in the margins, safe center-stage, safe in the Coliseum. Safe in the valley of the shadow of death. Because we are always safe in His hands.
Great article RC and very timely for me. I just deactivated my Twitter account because I too was put in Twitter jail for 12 hours and told to delete my offensive tweet. Unlike you, I deserved to be banned and I know that media is not good for my spirit. I need to apologize to the news anchor that I offended but will not be able to now. As a Christian, I have brought a reproach on the name of Christ to someone in the secular world. I am guilty of the crime that I hate most, hypocrisy. Leaving social media, for now, will be good for me. Please pray for me that I may be able to use these platforms for good and ultimately for the glory of God once again 🙏
Of course brother. My prayers are with you. If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and the cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (I John 1:9).