‘A House Divided Against Itself Makes The Devil Smile His Great Grinchy Grin’

Singer-songwriter and frequent “Christopher Closeup” guest Sarah Hart got a bit perturbed at the incessant negativity she’s been reading online lately – and she teed off on the negativity on her Facebook page in a post titled: All That’s Wrong With “All That’s Wrong With” Blogs.

Her comments get to the heart of our complaining culture that often prefers to tear down instead of build up. Since we at The Christophers are all about lighting a candle instead of cursing the darkness, I want to share some excerpts from Sarah’s comments in the hopes they’ll make a difference in how people read and write online.

It’s easy to get sucked in. This week I have read no less than 5 “What’s Wrong With” blogs. What’s wrong with the liturgy. What’s wrong with contemporary worship. What’s wrong with contemporary music in liturgy and worship. What’s wrong with Gregorian chant. What’s wrong with the people who love the pope. What’s wrong with the people who don’t love the pope. What’s wrong with dog lovers, cat lovers, democrats and republicans and everyone else. WHAT’S WRONG WITH YOU. Blah blah blah blah….

When did it become so trendy to divide?

I believe that, in matters of faith, there is one way in which evil can always snake it’s way in, and that is through division. There’s nothing better than a house divided against itself to make the devil smile his great grinchy grin…

…I believe many of the folks who write these blogs mean well. They are trying to make things better, perhaps, by pointing out what they see as wrong (kind-of like this blog, I guess). At the core of it all is fear. Our human nature is to fear that which we do not like, or do not understand, or even do not want to understand. We fear change. Dare I say we fear – in this day and age of computers and cell phones and ten thousand self-involved distractions – one another.

And then, of course, there is just that other base human desire…to be right about everything. But no one ever is, of course.

I am an idealist, I suppose. I want everyone to live and let live. No, more…love and let love. I want it to be a world where the greatest argument between people is whether they prefer Hostess or Little Debbie. I understand that it probably won’t happen (but I will not back down from my stance on the winning deliciousness of Twinkies).

So in fairness, in kindness, before you sit down to read that “what’s wrong with” blog and then repost it; or perhaps even sit down to write such a blog yourself, remember that you are not just sending a note out into space. You are addressing people. Humans. Your brothers and sisters, with very real feelings and very real lives who may feel divided from you when you describe the evils of worship music or latin masses or organ music or electric guitars or the GOP or the DNC or smoked Gouda cheese or whatever it may be. We are meant not to tear down, but to build.

Read the whole thing here.

– Christ is Born and All is Well

‘A House Divided Against Itself Makes the Devil Smile His Great Grinchy Grin’