Soul Invictus

You gotta admit the Lion the witch and the wardrobe was great!!!
One of my favorite childhood classics!!!

los

I would like to hear what your thoughts are.

My main question(s) and curiosities are this:

Should the concepts which are introduced as Christianity hold any value to non-religious folk? (virtues-faith, hope, charity.. ect.)

Supposing what Lewis has proposed as Christianity is indeed accurate, why wouldn't everyone attempt to be this sort of person, with or without the belief and faith in a 'God'? In other words, do you think one must believe in the Christian God to hold to the attributes presented? Why or why not.

And last but not least. Atheist or theist, would this reality (Lewis' proposed way of Christian life) be considered attainable or unattainable? Why or why not.

seebs

Well, I would, and did before I converted, because I was basically reinventing morality, and ended up pretty close to there. I don't think faith is necessary to try; I think faith may *help*, if you're actually trying, but a lot of people have faith *instead* of trying, which is useless.

I don't think you can do it perfectly, but the closer you get, the better, IMHO.

Scottyman

I think the idea of morality has been around much longer than Christianity. I don't believe anyone has to be religious to be moral and there are plenty of immoral religious people. I think anyone can have reverence for human life without worshiping some form of deity.

Osiris

I read "The Screwtape Letters". Actually listened to it on audio tape, read by John Clease.

So, I think I know where C.S. is coming from. C.S. was an atheist who converted to Christianity. 'Screwtape' tells why, in a unique way, from the perspective of 'the devil'. Is a Christian reality attainable? Yes, C.S. did it. But for everyone? No, I learned much from Screwtape, mainly how the pure desires of us humans can lead us into trouble. I know what he means, now at age 41 I understand, but at 18(?) it seems no one can know what it is like to be me.

BTW: C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien were part of a literary/philosophy group called "The Inklings". I feel like Tolkien wrote another "Bible" in these meetings while C.S. sat back and decided the existing Bible was 'The Truth'.

The meaning of the ring, in the "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy, leaves me at a randowm choice between "The New Testament" and "The Lord of the Rings". Really they are quite similar.

The Admiral

The only thing that I have read of Lewises other than Mere is Screwtape. I would like to read it again before I comment. I know I have it but I can't find it. It's here somewhere.

As a preliminary, so don't jump all over me yet, comment on Mere Christianity I would say, predictable, standard apologetics, tendentious, arrogant and contradictory. But had I had the good fortune to ever meet him personally I'm sure I would have been charmed.

The Admiral