The image of David Byrne of The Talking Heads thumping himself in the noggin in the video for “Once in a Lifetime” reminds me of the battle taking place online yet again between Calvinists and Arminians. Once more you’ve got the Calvinist gang saying the Arminians follow a false God, while the Arminian gang says the God of Calvinism is more like one of the chthonic host.

Same as it ever was, same as it ever was, same as it ever was…

I have a few questions for both sides here:

1. Did either side pray for God’s blessings to fall on those on the other side of the argument? Or did they reach out to their foes and ask, “What needs of yours can I pray for today?”

Didn’t think so.

2. Did anyone on either side of that argument—an argument that seems to consume oodles of blogging time—manage to take time out today to visit someone laid up in the hospital?

Didn’t think so.

3. Did anyone on either side of that argument take a few hours out of their free time today to lead a lost sinner to Christ?

Didn’t think so.

4. Did anyone on either side of that argument take time to feed the hungry today?

Didn’t think so.

5. Did anyone on either side of that argument take time to clothe the naked today?

Didn’t think so.

6. Did anyone on either side of that argument sit with a lonely person today and listen to his or her story?

Didn’t think so.

7. Did anyone on either side of that argument welcome a new family to their neighborhood today?

Didn’t think so.

8. Did anyone on either side of that argument visit a widow today and help her around the house?

Didn’t think so.

9. Did anyone on either side of that argument volunteer today to read the Scriptures to the blind or the infirm?

Didn’t think so.

10. Did anyone truly make a difference for Christ in someone else’s life today, actually modeling the workings of the Kingdom of God, or did we all just sit around, hiding behind our computers, lobbing insults at each other?

Same as it ever was, same as it ever was, same as it ever was…