Why All the In-Fighting?

This has been on my heart for a while, and I honestly don't even know where to begin.

Like many of my fellow bloggers, I've been debating closing shop and stepping away from the blogging world indefinitely.  A well-timed award from the lovely Anabelle Hazard (thank you, my love!) gave me pause, but after the dust-up over on Simcha Fisher's Facebook page that turned a large group of Catholics against one another, I really felt the need to take a step back and reflect on what is happening amongst my family.

'Cause that's what you guys are.  You're my family.  And whether you, Simcha Fisher, the folks at LifeSiteNews, or even my Protestant buddy whom I lovingly refer to as a "heathen" (he retorts just as lovingly with "papist") realize it, we are ALL members of the Body of Christ.  We're all Children of God and we're all offered the inheritance of eternal life.  

However, just as we're all offered this awesome and divine gift, we're also called to not be total jerks to one another.  All this in-fighting is caused by arrogance, pure and simple.

And yes, we can all succumb to arrogance.  Lord knows I struggle with that one hardcore. Point is, we need to really reflect on this particular brand of arrogance, because it's arrogance disguised as theological elucidation.  

It is not charitable direction; it is arrogance.  

We must stop using our words to cut down one another.  We are brothers and sisters in Christ, and it's time we start acting like it. 

This in-fighting over Vatican II, over Pope Francis' legitimacy, over Communion in-hand or on the tongue, over every other contrived differences that folks are getting bent out of shape over needs to STOP.  

And it stops with you.  It stops with me.  It stops with anyone who writes blogs, comments on blogs, reads blogs, moderates threads / forums, speaks about the Faith.

STOP attacking your brothers and sisters.  STOP hurling accusations, insinuations, and snide comments at one another, especially in such a public fashion.  Don't allow comments like this to appear on platforms you moderate.  Do not allow comments like this to slide.  

You have the power to delete.  You have the power to privately admonish.  Exercise them!

You also have the power to set the example for others to follow.  I, for one, will do my best to use this blog to further the unity of Christians under the banner of Truth.  Why?  Because one day, we know that every single one of us will be together again under the same banner, and if we're not working towards that end, we're obviously doing something inherently wrong.

Thus, before you press the "Publish," "Respond," "Send," or "Detonate" button, ask yourself if your words seek to unify rather than divide... to comfort rather than condemn... to shine Christ's light or to snuff it out.  

I'm not saying you should accept that which cannot be accepted (women priests, homosexual marriage, abortion, Black Masses), but I am saying that you need to reflect if your response to these things is aimed at guiding a lost soul back to Christ or lording your knowledge of doctrine over someone in an attempt to paint yourself as pure and saintly.  

We are called to evangelize.  This onslaught of in-fighting is not what Mother Church had in mind.

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