Us for Them: Chapter Two: Cats Must Also Fail

Us for Them: Chapter Two: Cats Must Also Fail

Disagree if you wish, but I enjoy Austin Fischer’s way with words. I’ll never forget his turn of phrase in Young, Restless, No Longer Reformed about God’s love not being a “glory machine.” (That was a slam at Calvinism.)

I found a similar phrase, actually a sentence, in this chapter of Us for Them: “If your faith needs enemies, you need a better faith.” (31)

This whole chapter sparkles with delightful, if challenging, stories and sentences. Here’s another sentence: “Most of us don’t know how to be us without them.” “Them” refers to the objectified and hated other, the ideologically other that we feel allowed to hate.

I can’t think of anything with which to disagree in this chapter. But I will say something Austin doesn’t say. Over the past twenty years or so I have heard many Republicans say that you can’t be a Christian and a Democrat. But I have never heard a Democrat say you can’t be a Christian and a Republican. I’m sure some Democrats think that, but not as many as Republicans who think the other (about Democrats).

Yes, I know, there are some left-leaning Christians who are intolerant of right-leaning Christians, but most of their ire seems to be aimed at the far-right, whereas I have known many right-leaning Christians who demonize all left-leaning Christians as unAmerican and therefore unChristian.

*If you did not read this chapter, please do not comment on it. You may, however, ask questions. If you read the chapter and choose to comment, make sure your comment is relatively brief (no more than 100 words), on topic, addressed to me, and civil and respectful (not hostile or argumentative).*