I think I have the same opinion, but express it as: words (i.e. text) can represent or reference anything. They can reference modules. Trying to do this with lines becomes messy quickly.

OTOH unix-style pipes (also used in jq), shpuld be even more limited, being only a tree. They can get too complex, and then you use files as a way to implement modules (in a sense). So pipes have their place.