The Catch-22 of Christ

What Jordan Peterson Gets Wrong and Kierkegaard Gets Right about Christian Life

Capturing the True Catch-22

There was only one catch and that was Catch-22, which specified that a concern for one’s own safety in the face of dangers that were real and immediate was the process of a rational mind. Orr was crazy and could be grounded. All he had to do was ask; and as soon as he did, he would no longer be crazy and would have to fly more missions. Orr would be crazy to fly more missions and sane if he didn’t, but if he was sane he had to fly them. If he flew them he was crazy and didn’t have to; but if he didn’t want to he was sane and had to.¹

The term Catch-22 has permeated American and Western language and culture considerably since Joseph Heller first published his novel in 1961. However, the phrase is often applied to situations distinct from the original.

Now, many describe any two situations which are equally undesirable, or result in the same undesired outcome. While this may seem like a Catch-22, a true Catch-22 is more nuanced. Many of us are faced with difficult decisions with undesirable outcomes every day. What makes Yossarian “let out a respectful whistle” after learning of the Catch-22 clause (quoted above) is the circularity within the decision-making process.

Anyone who wants to stop flying is considered rational because it’s rational to not want to fly.