Lewis brings the word up in the Preface because he’s answering an unnamed critic who said, “Who are you to lay down who is and is not a Christian?” or “May not many a man who cannot believe these doctrines be far more truly a Christian, far closer to the spirit of Christ, than some who do?”

He explains that he uses the word “Christian” in this book to mean “one who accepts the common doctrines of Christianity”, and not as some moral judgment or some kind of title. What’s interesting is that he then goes on to defend the word against a change in meaning, because, he says, using the word in any other way is not useful. Like the word “gentleman” – it used to mean something concrete; a status. Then someone came along and said that a gentleman should have certain qualities, and the word eventually came to mean a person who has good qualities. Lewis believes that if the word “Christian” should ever move that way, the word will become useless.

Now if once we allow people to start spiritualising and refining, or as they might say “deepening”, the sense of the word Christian, it too will speedily become a useless word. … It is not for us to say who, in the deepest sense, is or is not close to the spirit of Christ.

This popped out at me because, living in an LDS community like I do, the word “Christian” is extremely important and has come up often in conversation. Even before Mitt Romney ran for President, Mormons that I know were bothered by those who said that they were not Christians. According to Lewis’ definition of the word, Mormons are not Christians. But the word, at least around here, has taken on a different meaning, but not the meaning that Lewis was concerned about. “Christian” around here means “one whose religion is Christ-centered”, for the Mormons are not using it to exclusively claim it for themselves, but to be considered part of the community of Christian religions.

An additional note for those interested – one of the keys to understanding Mormonism is knowing that nearly every religious word you know has a different meaning for them than the common Christian meaning, including the word “God”.

Another thought I had was of gay marriage. The word “marriage” in the dictionary says: “the social institution under which a man and woman establish their decision to live as husband and wife by legal commitments, religious ceremonies, etc.” That’s the first definition. The second says: “a similar institution involving partners of the same gender: gay marriage.” It doesn’t change the definition of the word “marriage”, but adds a qualifier to the word. I first wonder how long ago that was added to the dictionary, and then I wonder if the struggle to approve gay marriage would have been a whole lot less traumatic if the word “marriage” was left out of the argument.

Interesting how language changes.

Behaviour that’s admired is the path to power among people everywhere.

I want that to be true, but it’s not. Admirable behavior is a thing given up on right now, but maybe I am assuming that behavior I admire is what all people admire. I can’t think of a single person in politics/government in the United States that I admire, and they’ve all got power.

The first NFL game I remember watching was a Super Bowl over at the Waters’ place. My whole family joined their whole family and while we kids messed around all over the house, the adults watched the game. I recall two things about that day: the Steelers won the game, but I left there a Cowboys fan. Since that day, the NFL became the Cowboys and a bunch of teams the Cowboys play. I still can’t imagine being a fan of any other NFL team. It’s Cowboys or nothing.

How does that kind of attachment occur? How does one get so tied up with a team that the fortunes of that team actually affect the quality of one’s day? Hornby has a lot to say about that as he tells the story of his life through his infatuation with Arsenal, a football (soccer) team from London with one of the greatest names ever given a team. We experience the highs and lows of his life along with the highs and lows Arsenal, and he shows us how the two are connected. He’s achingly honest. There were several moments where I sat open-mouthed at something he did as an Arsenal fan, to only realize after a few moments that yeah – I could see myself doing something similar. If I had lived anywhere near the Cowboys, I’m sure Hornby and I would have even more in common.

But still – I’m a lightweight, even though how the Cowboys were faring at various times in my life is perfectly clear in my memory, and as much a part of my life as the people I actually interacted with. Like that time in 1985 that I bet Bob Southon that my struggling Cowboys would beat his mighty Bears, and how he laughed and gave me 14 points (which made me laugh, but I took them), and how I came in to school Monday morning knowing that I was going to get humiliated because the Cowboys got thumped 44-0. Yeah, rough. But that’s what happens. Fans of a team often act irrationally. When you think about it, every fan but those of a single team end every season in disappointment. Yet every year, we set ourselves up again.

Over the last three years my sport interest has shifted entirely from American football to the-rest-of-the-world football. Lots of reasons why. I watched random Premier League games until one day I watched Liverpool FC. Gerrard and Torres – it was love at first sight. Can’t be explained, but that day, things changed. I went from a casual viewer to a fan, and that meant that I would allow Liverpool to affect my mood. This last season, my third (or my second full) season of following them, the wheels came off. Hornby makes it clear several times in the book that I have no right to complain along with Liverpool’s lifelong fans. I simply haven’t suffered enough yet. I have no context, I don’t know where they’ve been. I didn’t live through their history, and therefore won’t be happy enough when they win, nor sad enough when they lose.

I understand his logic, believe it or not. Doesn’t make me feel any better, but I know that I haven’t reached his level of fanaticism. I think I’m better off if I don’t get there.

Whenever I’m about to do something, I think, “Would an idiot do this thing?” And if they would, I do not do that thing.
– Dwight Shrute

I plan to start following that policy.

Tomorrow.

Lots of stuff coming down the line… just let me sweep the floors and restock the fridge. Whoa… how long has THAT been there?

If history holds, in three months or so I’ll turn it all back on, thinking this time will be different! They call that insanity, I think.

Thanks for reading! See ya out there somewhere.

My actual thought process this morning: If I wear my red Liverpool shirt again, they might not win. Last year, they won a great game against ManU while wearing their grey kits. Therefore, I must wear my grey Liverpool shirt.

Yes, these were my actual thoughts.

It worked, of course. Did you think it wouldn’t?
Liverpool 2 – 0 Manchester United