Undeniable

Back in the mid-1940's, I remember seeing the old-time crank-handle telephone hanging on the kitchen wall. I never did use one. By the time I had reason to telephone somebody the telephone we had was a rather bulky black heavy tabletop phone. It did not have a dial-number face. You simply lifted the receiver off the cradle and if you did not hear people talking (our telephone was part of a multiple household party-line), the live operator's voice would ask, "Number Please" and you told her the number you wished to call and she'd 'hook you up.'

I recall that my mother's family people truly enjoyed using the telephone. What was particularly interesting about that propensity was the reality that our house, my grandparents house and the houses of Aunt Libby, Aunt Irene and cousin Dorothy were literally a few blocks from one another and yet those gals telephoned each other at least once every day. Of course the telephone was quick communication without need to dress for public appearance. The telephone also allowed for meandering chit-chat, which oft times could be characterized as 'gossip.' Grandpa E. V. Bennett said to his wife Mammy Bennett many times, "Mary, that phone is the Devil's tool that just might keep you out of Heaven." His warning didn't seem to discourage the devout Christian woman from phone use.

Thinking back to those days and objectively examining today's Internet (Facebook) 'chit chat,' it would appear the Devil has a much bigger tool today. Not only does the Facebook hook-ups permit gossip lies, but we can argue, curse and disrespect total strangers as well as fracture relationships with family and friends...yep believe me, indeed the Devil has a bigger hammer these days.