-- Between Two Worlds has links to some audio recordings of C. S. Lewis reading some of his own works. The first two are at the BBC, and I've heard them before. Here's a 14-minute recording of one of his early radio readings that were collected into the book Beyond Personality, which later became part 3 of Mere Christianity. And here is a brief 2 minute introduction to The Great Divorce. The rest I haven't heard. Here are three very short clips (about a half minute each) from The Four Loves, as well as the same essay from Beyond Personality mentioned above. For purchase, you can get The C. S. Lewis Recordings, three and a half hours, including the entirety of The Great Divorce and "C. S. Lewis Speaks His Mind," which consists of several subjects. Via DI1.
-- Amy Alkon links to a post by Wendy McElroy on an apparently innocent senior citizen who has been locked up for sexually abusing a child. Alkon's post has some interesting comments and links by readers, including this one. Via Dr. Helen.
-- Arlo Guthrie's a Republican. Wow.
-- This is old news, and you've probably heard it before; I'm sure I have. But re-reading this reminded me that there is real evil in this world. In the 1980s, two daughters accused their father (all Christians) of sexually molesting them, and in fact of forcing them to participate in a Satanic cult. When the father denied it, his pastor and the investigators told him that of course he wouldn't remember it because he would have blocked out the memories. They were able to put him into some kind of trance state, and told him that if he could imagine these acts in that state, they were actual memories coming to the surface. His pastor specifically told him that these imaginings were from God and God would not reveal anything to him that didn't actually happen. The father was very gullible and very susceptible to suggestion, so he believed them and confessed. Of course, it was all completely bogus. He spent 15 years in jail (released in 2003) for committing horrific crimes that never even occurred.
-- Here's an awesome picture of the Space Shuttle docked with the International Space Station.
-- The dullest blog in the world is up and running again!
Saturday, August 1, 2009
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2 comments:
Why in 2009 would anyone want to listen to that highly over-rated dullard?
Was he a Divinely inspired Orphic Poet who could invoke the Divine via the power of his voice?
What did he really know about The Divine?
He was just another self-possessed sinner. And like all sinners, inherently godless
He couldnt even find the practical applied intelligence to even give up his self-destructive drug habit--smoking a pipe.
Would anyone who was ALIVE in and as the Spirit (Pneuma of Breath) even want to breathe into their lungs a cloud of toxic chemicals?
Well, let's go through this line by line.
Why in 2009 would anyone want to listen to that highly over-rated dullard?
There are three points in response: first, what does the year have to do with anything? In fact, this is a logical fallacy commonly attributed to Lewis: "chronological snobbery."
Second, many people do not think he is over-rated. His writings brought many people, myself included, into the Christian faith, and they strengthened the faith of many more. The Holy Spirit used him to accomplish great things for the cause of Christ, whether you like him or not.
Third, I find it fascinating to listen to his voice. He had a great impact on the course of my life, and by listening to him I feel a stronger connection than I have by just reading him.
Was he a Divinely inspired Orphic Poet who could invoke the Divine via the power of his voice?
No. He was just an educated man who was able to expound the Christian faith with such clarity that it brought many people into the arms of Christ.
What did he really know about The Divine?
He knew about the Divine by being very well-read in the classics of Christian spirituality and theology, not to mention the Bible itself.
He was just another self-possessed sinner. And like all sinners, inherently godless
We're all self-possessed sinners. Becoming a Christian does not make you into a sinless human being. Thus, if having sin in your life makes you inherently godless, then everyone is inherently godless. Including you, me, and Lewis. This obviously contradicts Christian theology.
He couldnt even find the practical applied intelligence to even give up his self-destructive drug habit--smoking a pipe.
First, smoking has been a very common activity throughout history. You've just condemned many of the holiest and most intelligent Christians who have ever lived. You are not their equal. You have no business judging them by your standard, one they did not share.
Second, how do you know he wanted to quit smoking a pipe? Many people enjoy smoking. Just because you don't doesn't mean that they shouldn't.
Would anyone who was ALIVE in and as the Spirit (Pneuma of Breath) even want to breathe into their lungs a cloud of toxic chemicals?
Sure. Being alive in the Holy Spirit has nothing to do with smoking. Smoking does not render one a non-Christian.
Plus -- to repeat myself -- becoming a Christian does not make you perfect. The Apostle Paul had a "thorn in his flesh"; something that he did not want in his life but could not remove from it. He prayed for God to take it away and God responded, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." On your view however, Paul's weakness indicates that he was "inherently godless" and that he wasn't really alive in the Spirit. This is obviously false. Moreover, many of the great Christians throughout history that your comments would condemn did not display such arrogance and self-righteousness (which are sins, by the way) as you do.
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