C.S. Lewis: The one thing Jesus is not -

The Spectator - UK ^ | December 17, 2005 | C.S. Lewis

[Mr. Lucky]

Wow.

[elbucko]

The fuse is lit.

Run away or toward the hissing sound.

[WayneM]

My favorite book on Christianity (other than the Bible). I re-read it at least once a year and never fail to gain new insight.

[Moose4]

"Mere Christianity" is one of the greatest apologetics for Christianity there is. When I was first coming to know Jesus several years ago, my wife (girlfriend back then) gave me "Mere Christianity" to read. I was blown away. Lewis has a relentless, steady, plodding, hammering way of making his points, and it leaves them irrefutable.

}:-)4

[Mom MD]

One of my favorite authors, and one of my favorite passages. TKS for posting!

[Ozone34]

Someone should send this passage to Bill O'Reilly. He's always talking about how he regards Jesus as "a great philosopher", and how Christmas, the federal holiday, is meant to commemorate Jesus, "the great philosopher". Sorry Bill....

[dropzone]

Agreed. 'Mere Christianity' is a must-read.

[VOA]

"Mere Christianity" is one of the greatest apologetics for
Christianity there is.

And, having risen out of short talks given on BBC radio during WWII
to a country casting off Christianity for the gospels of modernism and socialism...
...all the more timely for Americans after 9-11.

[Mercat]

I recommend The Great Divorce.

[andyk]

Thanks for sharing this; I get the feeling I'd really enjoy the book.

[frogjerk]

I recommend The Great Divorce.

Another great one!

[madconservative]

Must-read for sure. Many others have built on the "Lord, Liar, or Lunatic" argument, because it is so powerful. I also enjoyed his talk of virtues, and found his discussion on the "impersonal god" argument unparalleled.

My favorite of his will always be The Screwtape Letters, though. I have never read a more insightful and penetrating book in all of my life.

The only book he wrote that I was less than completely knocked over by (and I think I have read almost all), was That Hideous Strength. I loved the first two of the Space Trilogy, but felt the third was a little clunky, and the Merlin stuff rather lame. Nevertheless, one can't read two pages of Lewis without getting something great.

[Eurotwit]

I reccomend it wholeheartedly.

A great Christmas present for yourself and your family.

Merry Christmas!

[PCBMan]

When BOR talks about Jesus that way, he is addressing it to the Christmas haters and secularists as a different way to think about Christmas.

[Dunstan McShane]

The only book he wrote that I was less than completely knocked over by (and I think I have read almost all), was That Hideous Strength.

Whoa--Hideous Strength fan here! I usually always carry a copy in my book bag, just to dip into once in a while. It has become an uncanny prophecy of the kinds of things that eventually began to happen during the 50-60 years after he Lewis wrote the novel.

But I'll agree it's hard to get into. In some ways, it's unlike other stuff that Lewis wrote.

I read somewhere that Out of the Silent Planet has been optioned for movies and the screenplay already being written. Can't wait till Perelandra appears on screen, though the nudity might cause a film-rating war.

[Eurotwit]

I love the book, and it it very dear to me...

However, to me, the "lord, lier, or lunatic" argument was among the weakest.

I have little problem with one person being nuts in one are, yet having great insights into another..

But, the book provided such a barrage of good arguments so that even if one round misses, others are bound to hit the mark.

And, apparently, the above excerpt for many was indeed powerful. And that is a great thing...

Cheers.

[Chaguito]

And to think that Mere Christianity is a compilation of radio addresses. Who in our present world would be able to concentrate for thirty minutes to listen, much less comprehend, what Lewis was saying?

[don-o]

Who in our present world would be able to concentrate for thirty minutes to listen, much less comprehend, what Lewis was saying?

The Lincoln - Douglas debates debates went on for hours. Ever read them? Talk about thick and complex. This is, people understood them.

[ThisLittleLightofMine]

I don't know Screwtape Letters are pretty amusing as well.