This is not an icon. It is a curiosity.
Why is it a curiosity? It is a curiosity because it purports to be an icon, yet its subjects are dogs. Oh, and a cat.
Now, the cat will tell you that icons depict holy personages, and dogs are not holy personages.
The dogs will ask you what’s for dinner. Dogs are not ascetics.
The cat would like for you to think it incorruptible, but the very fact of its wanting you to think that, coupled with its determination to supply you with freshly-killed voles morning, noon, and night, points to its continuation in a non-transcendent state.
The dogs think that perhaps the cat would like to be a martyr.
The cat says, “Come up here and get me, Death-Breath.”
The dogs envy the levitating saints.
The black lab would like to point out that corgis belong in portraits of Queen Elizabeth II, also not a holy personage, though she is kind to animals.
The corgi is trying to find something insulting to say about retrievers, and webbed feet, and ducks — ducks aren’t that holy, are they? Are they? Huh? Duck-foot? Whaddya say to that? And that ball’s not very anagogic, either.
If you still want to insist on the canonization of pets, maybe this is your kind of thing. [Rating: 2/100]
You have a decision to make: double or nothing.
For this week only, a generous supporter has offered to fully match all new and increased donations to First Things up to $60,000.
In other words, your gift of $50 unlocks $100 for First Things, your gift of $100 unlocks $200, and so on, up to a total of $120,000. But if you don’t give, nothing.
So what will it be, dear reader: double, or nothing?
Make your year-end gift go twice as far for First Things by giving now.
