I just Broke Up With Matt Walsh

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This is Matt Walsh. He is a well known and controversial blogger. Love him or hate him, it appears that he is here to stay.  With a new deal to write for the Blaze, and a few hundred thousand followers, he is not going anywhere anytime soon. He was one of my faves for a long time. There was a period that I even wanted to be like him.  I admit that I envied the rate at which his audience grew.  I envied the fact that he could make a living blogging. I would anticipate reading his articles, and I would share them with glee…but I admit that I would find it disheartening to wake up and see that he had already tackled a topic that I had set to publish later that morning.  How could I compete with him? He wrote with such passion and conviction. I wanted to be just like him. I even wanted a sweet Chi Rho Tattoo.  Ok not really, but my right wing, conservative, calvinistic, Christian ego loved being stroked by his anti-everything-liberal attitude.  But then something happened.  I am not sure where, or when it happened.  But… Matt…it’s not you.  It’s me.

I’m sorry…

I don’t think I can read your blog anymore.

It initially started after his post about depression…oh man.  I did not like that post. At all.  Nor did a lot of people. He was partly right, but mostly he knew little about the topic and offended anyone who ever struggled with depression in any form.  I forgave him for this article, because, we are not going to agree with everyone all the time.  I mean really, if you agree with everything I ever wrote, I would question your sincerity. My wife does not even always agree with I write.  I don’t even agree with everything I have ever written.  In fact, I don’t expect many of you to agree with this article.

Anyway…

Then a little while later, after the depression article had been forgiven, Walsh responded to Joel and Victoria Osteen. After her (in)famous statement about how we worship God for us… or something like that…the entire Christian World was in an uproar. The Osteens were ripe for the picking, and did Matt ever pick them…apart. I liked Matt’s article.  Really. I did.  I agreed with it. I stood up and I cheered, as only an introvert can…by sharing it on social media. There was nothing “wrong” with it per se.  But then it dawned on me that the ONLY people who will read it are those who already agree with him. Those who are already in his corner.

People like me.

Joel Osteen will never read it.

The people who follow Joel Osteen will never read it.

And even if they did read it, do we honestly think that an article written with such an attitude, that simply attacks everything wrong about Osteen will change anything? I agree that Joel Osteen needs to quit spewing half truth prosperity garbage, and that he and his followers need to hear the real gospel. I will even agree that he is not really a pastor, but more of a motivational speaker. However, in his desire to be right, Mr. Walsh, seems to have neglected to take into consideration verses like Ephesians 4:15.

Speak the truth Matt, but do it in love. Don’t be mean spirited about it.

Do it with the other’s best interest in mind, not just your ratings. Don’t merely put Osteen down and name call. I asked a friend, “Wouldn’t it be better if Osteen was brought to repentance rather than simply made fun of or told to shut up?” Imagine for a moment: One Sunday morning Osteen steps up to the pulpit in front of 20,000 people.  He opens the Bible and reads.  Then he speaks, not about how we can have victory today, but he preaches Christ’s victory over sin and death, and our redemption through the blood.  The gospel shines. Oh if only. Imagine how mightily Osteen could be used by God.

I digress…

Lately I find myself cringing when reading Walsh’s articles. Now I can enjoy a cringworthy article once in a while, but when it is more often than not, I start to feel a little off. Just yesterday he wrote an article about climate change.  That article stank up the joint.  Seriously though, he could have easily posted the facts that he had, without the negative, sarcastic, ad hominem attack. But then, I guess, no one would have read it. Hey, he might be right, I don’t know,  I am not well versed in the world of climate change. What I do know is that this article was offensive to anyone who is not on his side of the climate debate.  I am not above offending people, but for an issue like this, is this the best way to go about getting ones views across? I mean, climate change is not really something to appear so upset over. Is it?

Anyway, as Mr. Walsh gently (or not) espouses an ideological paradigm, while trumpeting madly against anything and everything that does not go along with it, I find that I have begun to distance myself from him.

Not from his worldview so much, but the way he presents it.

The name calling? The arrogance? The condescending tone?  There is just so much noise surrounding the issues, that I can’t hear him anymore.  I wonder if anyone, except for those in his corner, can hear him.

I should clarify that I am not any better than Matt Walsh. I am guilty of similar sins on my blog.  Of trying shock tactics to bring in readers, and I am sorry for that. We stand on the same side of many topics. I only want the best for him.  I pray that his blog will be used for good.

In conclusion, and in short, I find myself angry after I read his articles. It is not good for my sanctification. That is why I have stopped reading. I am not saying that you should stop reading.  Not at all.  I just can’t do it anymore.  Matt it’s not you, really.  It’s me.

I can’t believe it.

I just broke up with Matt Walsh.

Matt,

If you read this, which I doubt you will, I miss your alpaca grooming tips. Back when you wrote with just as much conviction, but with a little less attitude, and a little more love. Back when there was less noise.  Back when I actually laughed while reading your articles.

 

Keep your eyes focused on Jesus.  Not on your blog stats.  May God bless you,

 

Ryan

AKA One Christian Dad

PS: I still like the tattoo…