Faith Popcorn's BrainReserve [that HAS to be the weirdest/fakest-sounding legitimate company name] wrote the following:
"Enforcer Brands vs Enlightened Brands" (Feb 11, 2007 - 9:42:00 PM)
which basically states that we are seeing this interesting "battle" between Enforcer & Enlightened brands.
Perfect example:
Viacom going after all the peer-to-peer folks (e.g. Napster), suing like crazy
-- VS. --
Apple (e.g. iTunes store), selling songs using a peer-to-peer feel
Viacom = The Enforcer (boo!) Apple comes along like the Enlightened Savior (yeah!) by simply giving people what they wanted all along at a (seemingly) reasonable price. How . . . enlightened. [Funny side-note, now Amazon is taking on Apple's Enforcer tactics! It's like watching ages happen in the matter of years!]
So I'm thinking this has a great 'lesson' in it for Sunday School teachers, maybe even all pastors. But I don't know if I like the obvious parallel (hands-off, just appeal by being less-direct).
So, sincerely, what is it that this thought from Faith Popcorn.com (I can't even type that without giggling!) helps uncover about the Faith Community (puns are funs)?
Posts
2 comments:
I think of formal and informal authority. Formal authority comes with the position. It comes with the implicit "might" one has. Informal authority comes because other people look to one as an authority. There is an appeal that one has. Herod may have been the "king of the Jews", but some people looked to Jesus to be the "king of the Jews." Formal authority will motivate through force and might. Informal authority is persuasive. Of course, for the Christian, it can't merely be about giving them what they want. But it is perhaps an appeal versus imposition.
So my rub comes hence: there are times when imposition is done inside the Family of God (most imperatives, for example). Is there something about Popcorn's observation that comes into play then?
Is it possible that what I'm "sensing" about this observation is that sometimes the Church DOES stand in a place of imposition, of Enforcer. Is it wise to be aware of those who will appeal using an Enlightened Brand approach - to deal with this directly? indirectly? to "shore up" one's view before the Enlightened Brand shows up?
Or is this too much of a game? Or is this EXACTLY what I have hated about "Sunday School" - it never stands up to the Enlightened Brands?!?
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