Cat and Dog Theology
by
Pastor Bill White1
Sunday night at the Honeywell Center there is a 13-week course called "Perspectives on the World Christian Movement." I attended the first meeting and was blown away by the speaker, Bob Sjogren. He spoke about God's glory being the ultimate purpose of everything, which for Christians is what we all believe, so not a big deal...yet.
However, he gave me a conceptual tool to evaluate my actions to determine if I was acting on behalf of my own interest primarily or God's glory, God's greatest glory he called it. This conceptual tool is called "Cat and Dog Theology." He is quick to tell us that he has both a dog and a cat and loves them both.
He tells a joke that I first heard from Ken Davis several years ago. It goes like this: Dogs look at us and think, "You pet me, you feed me, you shelter me, you must be God." Cats look at us and think, "You pet me, you feed me, you shelter me, I must be God."
Applying this view of cats and dogs (even if a little extreme; not all cats and dogs are this way) to Christians, he calls Christians, cats and dogs. He even points out that no one is either a dog or a cat all the time and admits that he is often "cat-like" himself.
Dogs want to obey their masters; cats want their masters to obey them. Sjogren says that Cats (people with "cat theology") want Jesus to escape hell and "dogs," on the other hand, say, "I've found someone who is not only beautiful, He's a beauty. I've found someone who is not only might, He's the Almighty. I've found someone who not only loves, but He is love. I've got to give my life to Him."
I confess that I (Bill) received Christ because I was afraid of what would happen to me when I died. I was, and still am in many ways, a cat (ouch).
How do we know we are a Christian: A cat says, "I prayed a prayer;" a dog says, I'm passionate for Christ, and I want nothing more than to see His glory shine. I want to see it shine in my work-place. I want to see it radiate at home, through my family, in every area of my life, and I want to see it go to all the nations of the earth."
Sjogren believes that Cat theology is not incorrect, just incomplete (dogs also pray a prayer to receive Christ). However, he has a section on examples of differences that is quite convincing to me. Here they are:
For cats, repentance is out, self-esteem is in. For dogs repentance is a part of life. And holiness is in.
Cats hunger to be entertained by church. Dogs hunger to worship God and reflect His glory.
Cats love head knowledge; Bible trivia is fun. They can quote facts from the Bible, but they are lacking in the area of application. Dogs love that which draws them closer to God. They are more interested in obeying the Lord that simply knowing about Him.
Cats want the full picture before they obey God. Dogs are happy to obey the little the Lord gives.
Cats believe the church is at peace. Dogs believe the church is at war.
Cats believe in arbitrary truth--it changes as the wind changes. Dogs believe in absolute truth--it never changes for them.
Cats have a "feel-good theology. Dogs have an "obedience" theology.
Cats want their children to bring them glory. Dogs want their children to bring God glory.
Cats see a job as a way of attaining wealth. Dogs see a job as a ministry opportunity.
More information on this perspective can be found in the following websites:
1Many thanks to Pastor Bill White, Christian educator pastor at Wabash Friends Church for his kind permission to use his article on our website. Article printed in the Wabash Plain Dealer on
1-11-09. Used with permission of the Wabash Plain Dealer. Thank you!
