In Garrison Kiellor's story "Protestant" in his Lake Wobegon Days, a Protestant congregation split in two over a minute point of doctrine. Some time later, someone suggests to the pastor of one congregation that it would be a good thing if the two reunited. The pastor replies, "Any time they want to come to us and admit their mistake, we're perfectly happy to sit and listen to them and then come to a decision about accepting them back."

That seems to be McHale's rather arrogant attitude.