How Free People Move Mountains: A Male Christian Conservative and a Female Jewish Liberal on a Quest for Common Purpose and Meaning

I find myself intrigued by How Free People Move Mountains: A Male Christian Conservative and a Female Jewish Liberal on a Quest for Common Purpose and Meaning by Kathy Roth-Douquet and Frank Schaeffer. Kathy and Frank look at what we have made of ourselves in the United States - a consumer society where our individual rights to consume and own are paramount and where we isolate ourselves into cliques of like-minded people who shun contact with opposing views. As a result, we have a society for which we fail to take responsibility, one where we fail to take charge but simply let things happen. What is happening is that we are destroying our environment so as to get things to consume, and we find ourselves unable or unwilling to establish common ground from which to address this problem together. How Free People Move Mountains takes the form of a conversation between Kathy and Frank, two individuals of very different background, religious faith, political persuasion, and world view. The genius of the book is that the conversation between Kathy and Frank constitutes a lived demonstration of how two very different people reach common ground, principles on which they can agree and from which they can plan and take action. We watch and listen as Kathy and Frank themselves go through the process of getting to common ground. This process involves expressing their thoughts, listening carefully to the other, meeting the other half-way, recognizing areas of difference and searching for areas of agreement. Readers will need to exercise patience in reading How Free People Move Mountains, the very patience that we as a society need to find the common ground of which the authors speak. For example, I read a review of How Free People Move Mountains on Goodreads by Elissa, who says, "Also, it was taking WAY too long to come to the point, which is that we all need to work together, regardless of our opinions, to get this country where it needs to be. While I agree with the point, I dislike the authors' way of getting there." Elissa, however, has completely missed the point of the book. The point is not "that we all need to work together, regardless of our opinions, to get this country where it needs to be." The point is to DEMONSTRATE how this is done. Yes, Kathy and Frank could have told us what we need to do in two or three chapters. But instead of telling, they show us HOW to do it by letting us watch them go through the process themselves. In watching them, we see that reaching common ground is not short or quick or linear. It takes patience, it takes time, it takes listening, it takes thought. And the process at times spirals back on itself; in other words, Kathy and Frank find themselves covering the same territory again but at a deeper level. Thank you, Kathy and Frank, for being willing to put yourselves in a fishbowl and let us hear you disagree, share your thoughts and feelings, sometimes work through hurt feelings, but always hang in there with each

These are ugly times in America. Wall Street is imploding, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan continue to be ignored by the American public, the national debt is almost unserviceable - and the presidential campaign focuses instead on moose-skinning and American flag pins. The Marines killed at Tarawa and the Soldiers killed at Normandy must be spinning in their graves. "How Free People Move Mountains" is an unusual book for these ugly times, and in it, co-authors Kathy Roth-Douqet and Frank Schaeffer address the divide that has split the United States and threatens our being as a solvent and respected nation - and propose a solution that is elegant in its simplicity. Frank Schaeffer and Kathy Roth-Douquet are unlikely co-authors, yet perhaps their differences are why their premise is ultimately successful. Schaeffer comes from a deeply evangelical Christian and unforgiving New England background while Roth-Douquet is liberal, Jewish, and a former Clinton aide. It is interesting to note that Schaeffer's son enlisted in the Marine Corps and served in Afghanistgan while Roth-Douqet is married to a career Marine officer.Both authors are united in their belief in the intrinsic goodness of the United States - and that this is a crucial time in America to regain it. "How Free People Move Mountains" is written in an engaging style. Set up as a discussion between 'Liberal Kathy' and 'Conservative Frank', the two authors talk about how Americans today have substituted the pursuit of consumer goods and wealth for religious faith and the laws of God (Frank), or a belief in the natural goodness of man (Kathy). While it is up to the reader to decide which road is correct, Schaeffer and Roth-Douqet's debate finishes in the same place; that of ignoring the politicians and talking heads who push the conservative-liberal, red state-blue state divisions for their own selfish reasons and instead take a direct interest in the future of their country. Their well-reasoned solution is quite simple, and in truth reflects the thoughts of our Founding Fathers: live a moral life, respect others, and work for the common good. As 'Liberal Kathy' and 'Conservative Frank' were able to engage in spirited yet, civil debate, "How Free People Move Mountains" shows us the way to rebuild our country.