Sometimes when writing and publishing a blog post, the reaction is not the one that one would expect. I was once criticised when publishing one post for not talking to people who knew the subject. Since I stated in the seventh paragraph that I had done exactly that, it was clear that my detractor had not actually bothered to read piece and therefore, their opinion was both personal and worthless. The piece had also been peer reviewed.
Oddly that post is still my most popular piece, having now ‘clocked’ a few thousand ‘hits’ and having been reprinted twice. I say oddly because although that piece is my most successful in way of hits, later being described as a ‘popularist’ author by said detractor was insulting. I had never been called such before and nor have I since, I certainly do not regard myself as such.
In the last couple of years I have made forays into that rather strange and murky world that is American Christianity. I entered that arena via a rather peculiar route. I first turned my cynical gaze upon the conspiracy theorist. This led me to the craziest of all conspiracies, the Flat Earth. Jumping from that insanity, I discovered the Young Earth Creationist and from there it got even worse.
My opinions on all of these subjects is now well documented, not that many have bothered to read them. I have expressed my scorn, disgust and general amazement in regards American Christianity and the apparent ingrained bigotry in several posts now. The racism, the sexism and the homophobia has both shocked and angered me. I have been incensed by the blatant science denial, the wilful ignorance and the anti-intellectualism that has left me exasperated.
It is however, clear that it is time to step away. It is advice several friends have now made. I am of course quite unworldly, I know little about politics and usually I care even less. My social commentaries on the political influence of American Christianity, were made in response to the fundamental prejudice of that movement.
It is also clear that my writing on this subject is not what my audience wants. My most recent ‘political’ piece (The Fourth of July has been cancelled) had only six hits in twenty four hours. It is I believe, my least successful blog post of all time. The preceding piece (Statement on ‘Roe versus Wade’ 4th May 2022), has done better but it has not set any records. It is quite disheartening to spend hours working on a post, only to have it read by less than a dozen people but there is little that can be done once published.
This is not to suggest that my audience is large or that I have a record breaking hit count. The majority of my posts reach only a few dozen people, a few are read by hundreds but those being read by the thousands are truly exceptional. I like to think that rather than having a large audience, my blog is read by those that matter. The select who appreciate my style and the nuances of my esoteric scholarship. It is a matter of quality rather than quantity. Which is how it should be.
What have I learnt? I have learnt that I should focus upon the spiritual, the magical, the historical and the esoteric. That I should enter into a discussion of religion, only when it falls within the realm of those subjects listed and that political commentary is not my forte. I spake as a child but it is time I put away childish things.
The original Christianity collection
https://chatteringmagpie.wordpress.com/2021/11/19/the-christianity-collection/ /
Extras
Daniel Bran Griffith - The Chattering Magpie 
8 thoughts on “I spake as a child”