The question was: Is it true that a house divided against itself cannot stand?
This week was a very close call. The almost-First Prize goes to Leslie Watkins. She wrote:
The phrase originates in the gospels. Matthew 12:25: And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand. These "thoughts" are those of the Pharisees, who claimed Jesus healed the demoniac because he was from Satan, not the Messiah. Confounding them, Jesus tells them, either way, when the end times come, those who are not with the kingdom will be scattered to the wind.
Lincoln, anticipating his listeners' knowledge of the apocalyptic context of the verse, boldly uses the phrase in June 1858 to link the continuation of slavery with disunion: I believe this government cannot endure, permanently half slave and half free. ... I do not expect the Union to bedissolved -- I do not expect the house to fall -- but I do expect it will cease to be divided. It will become all one thing or all the other.
History tells us that political entities cannot endure when basic loyalties are divided. Divide and conquer becomes the norm; things fall apart. Its warning should give us pause, urge us to consider what it is that we actually believe.
I thought this was one of the best answers in light of the judging criteria, in that any winning answer would require reference both to the Gospels and to Lincoln's speech. I noted in the comments that I was waiting for an even stronger argument, and hence extended the contest by another day.
Leslie remarked that a stronger argument was hard to offer in 200 words. That's true, but that's part of the contest. I would have found it sufficient to allude to the two critical historical references, without quoting them in their entirety, leaving room to make the case using examples. I also looked for recognition of counter-arguments (some of which were mentioned in the comments, for example by Guruforhire and david foster), but didn't see an answer that combined everything I was looking for.
Mike Poliquin and DocJay took the discussion into contemporary politics, which was a nice touch. Good for them.
The winner this week is Grendel--by a hair--for his first answer only, not his subsequent comments, which were inadmissible under the 200-word rule, but which were nonetheless interesting:
The qualification “the devil is in the details” is particularly à propos. The Pharisees have accused Jesus of using Beelzebul's power to cast out demons. He turns their objection into an a fortiori argument: Even better! Every city or house divided against itself shall not stand. And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself (Mt. 12:25-26).
The fatal division is over essentials, not the agreeing to disagree of democratic elections. Thus, in war time, when a nation must win lest it lose something essential to itself, treason creates such a division. Lincoln, interestingly, affirmed the converse inference. In his "house divided" speech, he warned that if the Union was divided on the fundamental principle that all men are created equal, it was the division, not the nation, that could not endure. Rather than remain half-slave-half-free, the nation would become wholly one or the other.
Contrast the divided house with Paul’s concept of marriage, wherein the spouses become one flesh (Eph 5:31), and The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife (1 Cor 7:4). As we see daily, a couple who cannot achieve something like this sort of self-giving is divided against itself and their house does not stand.
I was torn between this answer and Leslie's, but eventually favored Grendel on the basis of his slightly more economical use of the space allowed.
Congratulations, Leslie and Grendel: Ricochet Glory to you both!
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Comments :
Dec '10
Re: Weekend Contest Winner: The Award of the Ricochet Glory Badge
I would like to try again at 400 hundred words. I was amazed I could fit the whole Historical Context into the 200 words. I had no room really for anything else.
(prima donna, prima donna, prima donna)
Aw, come'on Aunt Claire.
Oct '10
Re: Weekend Contest Winner: The Award of the Ricochet Glory Badge
Alert!!! Claire - a closet Democrat!!
“I was waiting for an even stronger argument, and hence extended the contest by another day.”
Translation: I didn’t like the outcome so I changed the rules.
Next she’ll be making recess appointments while Ricochet is in session!
It’s good to be the Queen!
[:-)
Apr '11
Re: Weekend Contest Winner: The Award of the Ricochet Glory Badge
Claire Berlinski, Ed.
Congratulations, Leslie and Grendel: Ricochet Glory to you both! ·
Well, it was worth setting the alarm for Zero-Dark-Early hours to get the results. Good company to be in.
Now to save my badge through the power of Save Image As... on the context menu. Will wearing it, properly printed and trimmed, to breakfast elicit unifying admiration or rend the house with jealously?
Edited on Jan 10 at 2:12amSep '10
Re: Weekend Contest Winner: The Award of the Ricochet Glory Badge
Right back at ya.
Grendel
Well, it was worth setting the alarm for Zero-Dark-Early hours to get the results. Good company to be in.· Jan 10 at 2:10am
Edited on Jan 10 at 02:12 am
Dec '10
Re: Weekend Contest Winner: The Award of the Ricochet Glory Badge
Grendel
Claire Berlinski, Ed.
Congratulations, Leslie and Grendel: Ricochet Glory to you both! ·
Well, it was worth setting the alarm for Zero-Dark-Early hours to get the results. Good company to be in.
Now to save my badge through the power of Save Image As... on the context menu. Will wearing it, properly printed and trimmed, to breakfast elicit unifying admiration or rend the house with jealously? · Jan 10 at 2:10am
Edited on Jan 10 at 02:12 am
Aunt Claire, I want a badge too! Aw, please Aunt Claire it's a really cool badge. And can I have a large chocalate bar for dinner Aunt Claire and maybe second one for dessert. And can I play with my trains all night. What do you mean, I woke up Dr. Berlinski in the middle of the night. Boy he's a light sleeper and........(prima donna, prima donna)
Really Claire, I liked the question you asked originally a great deal. Maybe I'll just write something on Member Feed longer then 200 words.
Congratulations Leslie and Grendel.