Controversy and Fence Sitting

I am, by nature and by years of long and intense training, a fence-sitter. Middle-man. Diplomat. Peace-keeper. I think that sitting on top of the fence gives you the best view of both sides. Don't picture a prickly-pointed fence that might be uncomfortable on your fanny. I mean more of a padded wall with plenty of width for a sleeping bag, some lawn chairs and a swinging hammock. Build a campfire and roast marshmellows. Perhaps that's why it so bothered me when I stumbled across a heated discussion yesterday.

Yesterday afternoon when I was looking up someone's name for information in the internet, I happened across a grenade war. Two heavily fortified camps launching firearms of vehement intent. Person A made some attacks against the appearance of a website advertisement, a thinly veiled construction revealing that although they didn't know what they were talking about, they really disliked person B. Person C lobbed back with passionate support of person B, full of mean-spirited, 'you're such an idiot' spirit. Not to be outwitted, person A (whose staunch supporters are also skilled grenade launchers and report back to camp with high-fives and 'you've got her this time') volleyed back in full swing. Person C was, of course, highly offended. And so the battle rages.

I'm not talking about Hillary Clinton and Barak Obama and the nation's healthcare. (Boy it's nice to live in China and not be hearing that mess all the time!) This debate was between two committed Christians, (not making a comment about the spirituality of certain presidential candidates here!) over what I call 'intramural' matters. I mean they weren't fighting over the nature of the gospel, the humanity and deity of Christ, or what is saving faith. They were pouring tons of energy and fire power into an issue that just really doesn't matter that much.

Certainly there are some topics over which I would have to disagree. I mean really disagree. But the list is super short. It just makes me sad that we who we love Jesus and proclaim His message spend so much energy fighting each other. What if, instead of pouring passion into defending our intramural positions, we spent our efforts working together to bring people to Jesus? That's a discussion I'd get down from the fence for.