C.S. Lewis – Narnia, Chronicles of Deception
C.S. Lewis’ Narnia – The Voyage of the Dawn Treader : Chronicles of Deception
Author: Olabode Ososami | June 21st, 2010
It seems comical for lack of aptitude to apprehend the literary “Christian” master C.S. Lewis – even as we stampede theatres to watch the next Christmas holiday “Money Spinner” milking (in the same genre as Harry Potter and Christmas Carol) the occult fantasy cow – supposedly packaged as Christian allegory to transfixed congregations. My prediction that this will be another chart-buster does not qualify me as a prophet.
Clive Staples Lewis was born in Ireland, the younger of two sons who claimed to have been converted to Christianity in 1931 and was, as he put it: “A very ordinary layman of The Church of England.” Undoubtedly a literary genius who authored 40-plus exceptional books which included poems, novels, children’s books, science fiction, theology, literary criticisms, educational philosophy, and an autobiography.
I did see the trailer of “Narnia – The Voyage of the Dawn Treader” and with admittedly limited research/listening to related interviews and previews … the broad nice message of goodness over evil seemed inadequate to dispel my reservations. The strong inclination to spread the gospel of salvation by avoiding consecration and marketing the appeal of its other noble themes while also denying the Spirit is not new. What is novel (to me) is the deliberate heavy infusion of undisguised anti-Christian elements and bold sorcery…even as many leverage this unwholesome package for acclaim and perhaps many “converts”. Others, bored with simple exercises of devotion, engage in the dangerous pastime of uncovering hidden treasures in the vault of Holy Scriptures with spades of magic and shovels of mythology and spiritism…and foolishly expect no adverse consequence. A quote from C.S. Lewis … “I have the deepest respect for Pagan myths, still more for myths in the Holy Scriptures” (Problem of Pain, p.71)
What does the Bible say about fascination with the occult, fantasy, magic, paganism and other relatives in this family?
Acts 16 [16] And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying: [17] The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which show unto us the way of salvation. [18] And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.
Many “Christian” leaders will say anything that sells Christ however indirectly is good – Paul disagrees. A good message/theme, the pointing out of Paul’s mission of salvation by this self-deceived damsel did not obscure the greater truth that only Paul could discern (despite the veil of fair words) that she spoke out of a polluted cistern.
Exodus 22 [18] Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. Deuteronomy [10] There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, [11] Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. [12] For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee.
Isaiah 5 [20] Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
Acts 8 [9] But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one: [10] To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God. [11] And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries. [12] But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. [13] Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done. [14] Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: [15] Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: [16] (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) [17] Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost. [18] And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, [19] Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost. [20] But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. [21] Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. [22] Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. [23] For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.
Galatians 5 [19] Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these ; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, [20] Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, [21] Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
Truly many say The Chronicles, which have been in continuous publication since 1954 and have sold over 100 million copies in 41 languages, is innocent marvellous entertainment …expecting more lucid arguments and references to prove otherwise that this film, rife with demonic imagery and occult paganism, is wicked and unhelpful to build true faith. If it is a marvel at all it is a commercial one. More accurately it is a piece in the agenda to captivate the next generation away from genuine biblical traditions by confusing magic with miracles and the Christian supernatural with occult fantasy/dark spiritism.
John 9 [40] And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also? [41] Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.
Discerning elders who see folly and blindness and act boldly on it by shunning this film and not encouraging their children to see it or be sucked into the flurry of related artefacts soon to be pushed in the market to indoctrinate innocent souls into witchcraft … will turn many back to a different path of deliverance. We need the elders to speak. Others will however say …we already see…leave us alone…also on a different voyage … only to reap through their children the coming harvest of a dreadful seed. We can of course ignore these intolerant “narrow-minded” warnings preferring to deal with the fruit of future deviant teen behaviour and strange desires and fancies.
2 Corinthians 6 [17] Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing ; and I will receive you, [18] And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
A Prayer of David in Psalm 17 [11] They have now compassed us in our steps: they have set their eyes bowing down to the earth; [12] Like as a lion that is greedy of his prey, and as it were a young lion lurking in secret places. [13] Arise, O LORD, disappoint him, cast him down: deliver my soul from the wicked, which is thy sword: [14] From men which are thy hand, O LORD, from men of the world, which have their portion in this life, and whose belly thou fillest with thy hid treasure : they are full of children, and leave the rest of their substance to their babes. [15] As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.
Open our eyes, O Lord, give us discernment and save your children. Amen
source: www.christianpost.com/blogs/christianlife/2010/06/narnia-the-voyage-of-the-dawn-treader-chronicles-of-deception-21/
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C.S. Lewis – Taught Theistic Evolution
Lewis believed that God created the universe; but then men evolved from animals…
“… for we have good reason to believe that animals existed long before men… For long centuries God perfected the animal form which was to become the vehicle of humanity and the image of Himself … [Eventually,] God caused a new kind of consciousness to descend upon this organism” (The Problem of Pain, pp.133,77).
“…Man, the highest of the animals” (Mere Christianity, p.139)
“…but he (man) remains still a primate and an animal” (Reflections On The Psalms, pp.115,129)
“If … you mean simply that man is physically descended from animals, I have no objection” (The Problem of Pain, p.72)
“He made an earth at first ‘without form and void’ and brought it by degrees to its perfection” (Miracles, p.125)
Nature’s “pregnancy has been long and painful and anxious, but it has reached its climax” (Mere Christianity, p.172)
C.S. Lewis – Taught that Mankind is Inherently Good
As with most Modernists, Lewis saw mankind as inherently good…
“…when the consequence is drawn that, since we are totally depraved, our idea of good is worth simply nothing – may thus turn Christianity into a form of devil worship” (The Problem of Pain, pp.37-38).
The divine goodness differs…
“from ours not as white and black but as a perfect circle from a child’s first attempt to draw a wheel” (The Problem of Pain, p.39).
In other words, if we keep trying hard enough through human experience, we will attain divine perfection. Lewis likens God’s goodness as a perfect circle, and man’s imperfection as a distorted circle drawn by a child who is not very coordinated yet. Thus, as that child grows and develops, the circle eventually matches that of the divine circle. Folks, this is works salvation and New Age doctrine at its core. New Age teaches that man, through better education and rehabilitation, can “evolve” into a higher form of human culture. New Age boldly rejects the Biblical teaching that man’s heart is desperately wicked and deceitful above all else (Jeremiah 17:9).
C.S. Lewis held that the Biblical Genesis account came from pagan and mythical sources…
“I have therefore no difficulty accepting, say, the view of those scholars who tell us that the account of Creation in Genesis is derived from earlier Semitic stories which were Pagan and mythical.” (Reflections On The Psalms, p.110).
How much more evidence do you need, to see that C.S. Lewis was an unsaved heretic. Lewis exploited the name of Jesus Christ, as do many Modernists today, to secure a profitable writing career. You had better get your doctrine from the Word of God; and not from the latest New York Times Bestseller! In John 5:39 Jesus said… SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES!
C.S. Lewis – Taught Baptismal Regeneration and Sacramental Salvation
Lewis believed that some people, devout members of false religions, were saved and didn’t even know it…
“There are people in other religions who are being led by God’s secret influence to concentrate on those parts of their religion which are in agreement with Christianity, and who thus belong to Christ without knowing it … For example a Buddhist of good will may be led to concentrate more and more on the Buddhist teaching about mercy and to leave in the background (though he might still say he believed) the Buddhist teaching on certain points. Many of the good Pagans long before Christ’s birth may have been in this position” (Mere Christianity, pp. 176-177).
Lewis also taught that water baptism and the sacraments were a means to obtaining salvation…
“There are three things that spread the Christ-life to us: baptism, belief, and that mysterious action which different Christians call by different names – Holy Communion, the Mass, the Lord’s Supper” (Mere Christianity, pp.62,63).
“…this new life is spread not only by purely mental acts like belief, but by bodily acts like baptism and Holy Communion.” (Mere Christianity, pp.62,63).
In the other world “there will be every occasion for being the sort of people that we can become only as the result of doing such acts here” (Mere Christianity, p.63).
C.S. Lewis – Became a Catholic Before his Death
Lewis indicates that shortly before his death he was turning toward the Catholic Church. Lewis termed himself “very Catholic” – his prayers for the dead, belief in purgatory, and rejection of the literal resurrection of the body are serious deviations from Biblical Christianity (C.S. Lewis: A Biography, p. 234). Lewis even went to a priest for regular confession (p. 198), and received the sacrament of extreme unction on 7/16/63 (p. 301). His contention that some pagans may “belong to Christ without knowing it” is a destructive heresy (Mere Christianity, pp. 176-177), as was his statement that “Christ fulfils both Paganism and Judaism…” (Reflections on the Psalms, p. 129).
C.S. Lewis – Taught Works Salvation
C.S. Lewis plainly stated that he believed a person has to work to keep salvation…
“There are people (a great many of them) who are slowly ceasing to be Christians…” (Mere Christianity, p.162).
“…a Christian can lose the Christ-life which has been put into him, and he has to make efforts to keep it” (Mere Christianity, p.49).
Lewis believed that morality and obeying God’s Law were a means to eventually being born-again…
“… ye must be born again. Till then, we have duty, morality, the Law. A schoolmaster, as St. Paul says… But the schooldays, please God, are numbered” (Letters to Malcolm, p.115).[emphasis added]
“The point is not that God will refuse you admission to His eternal world if you have not certain qualities of character: the point is that if people have not got at least the beginnings of those qualities inside them, then no possible external conditions could make a ‘Heaven’ for them …” (Mere Christianity, p.63).
In context, to be “born again,” for Lewis, is somewhere down the road yet (Mere Christianity, pp.59,60). Lewis taught that a life of self-righteousness was necessary to eventually become born-again. In sharp contrast, Jesus taught that being born-again was a second birth which BEGINS the believer’s life in Christ. Lewis was a very confused and doctrinally flawed man. As a consequence, Lewis is burning in Hell today and no doubt has led many people there too.
C.S. Lewis – Denied a Literal Heaven
“All the scriptural imagery (harps, crowns, gold, etc.) is, of course, a merely symbolical attempt to express the inexpressible. Musical instruments are mentioned because for many people (not all) music is the thing known in the present life which most strongly suggests ecstasy and infinity. Crowns are mentioned to suggest the fact that those who are united with God in eternity share His splendor and power and joy. Gold is mentioned to suggest the timelessness of heaven (gold does not rust) and the preciousness of it” (Mere Christianity, p.106).
C.S. Lewis – Denied a Literal Hell
Lewis never believed in a literal Hell, but instead believed hell is a state of mind one chooses to possess and become – he wrote:
“…every shutting-up of the creature within the dungeon of its own mind is, in the end, Hell” (The Great Divorce, p. 65)
C.S. Lewis – Claimed the Bible Contained Myths
Lewis believed the Book of Job is “unhistorical” (Reflections on the Psalms, pp. 110), and that the Bible contained “error” (pp. 110, 112) and is not divinely inspired (The Inklings, p. 175).
“I have the deepest respect for Pagan myths, still more for myths in the Holy Scriptures” (The Problem of Pain, p.71)
Conclusion
C.S. Lewis was an imposter, who corrupted the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and led multitudes of victims into Hellfire with his doctrines of devils. Lewis used profanities, told lewd stories, and frequently got drunk with his students (5/19/90, World magazine). Christians need to read more critically The Abolition of Man, The Problem of Pain, Miracles, The Great Divorce, and God in the Dock.
By the time of his death, Lewis had moved from Idealism (no idea of a personal God) to Pantheism (an impersonal God in everything) and then to Theism (the existence of God). Unfortunately, in Letters to Malcolm (p. 107), Lewis indicates that shortly before his death he was turning toward the Catholic Church. The Catholic Church is NO church at all; but rather, is a prisonhouse of false religion.
J.D. Douglas, writing in Christianity Today, for December 20, 1963 (p. 27) reports the reservations of Dr. Martin Lloyd Jones of historic Westminster Chapel of London:
Dr. Lloyd Jones told Christianity Today that because C.S. Lewis was essentially a philosopher, his view of salvation was defective… Lewis was an opponent of the substitutionary and penal theory of the Atonement.
Dr. W. Wesley Shrader of the First Baptist Church of Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, wrote a letter to the editor in Christianity Today for February 28, 1964 (pp.34-35) in which he stated:
C.S. Lewis… would never embrace the (literal-infallible) view of the Bible. He would accept no theory of the “total depravity of man.” He rejected the “substitutionary theory” of the Atonement'” (F.B.F. News Bulletin, Fundamental Baptist Fellowship, March 4, 1984).
Every believer needs to shun the writings of C.S. Lewis and warn their friends and family about this wolf in sheep’s clothing (Matthew 7:15). It is sickening to hear so many professed Christians today praise and honor such a heretical man, who denied the literacy of the Scriptures and taught a bunch of wishy-washy nonsense. The writings of C.S. Lewis are nothing but a bunch of ramblings devoid of any meaningful Biblical substance. It’s a sure cure for insomnia.
The writings of C.S. Lewis are of the Devil.
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BF–my responses are preceded & followed by: ***
I do think that the work God would have us do in these last days is at the grassroots level, not in the apostate organizations.*** I agree.*** Our job of is warn others about THEM; we can’t expect THEM to change. ***Again, I agree & I have been & do warn others in speaking up & in writing.*** They are set in their ways and they are not going to change. ***Generally speaking, for sure.*** But we can snatch some from the fire as it says in Jude. That is our mission in this day and time as I see it. Others have written to Charles Stanley, Ravi Zaharrias, and other big name evangelical leaders with no response. These are the “untouchables”. ***I do believe that & if I didn’t I would have or would be now wasting my time in writing to the untouchables. *** However, I believe there needs to always be room in case the Lord would prompt one to speak the truth even if we “know” they will not respond.*** The best that can be expected is a “canned” response.*** For sure.*** Best we do our research, expose the dark bellies of those who proclaim Christ and then in their next action deny Him and warn others. ***I thought I made that clear in my previous post. *** They will either accept or reject the truth – that is what Debs is doing here. Some will receive the truth and abandon those of human flesh they have set up as idols and others will choose to continue in their blind loyalty. ***Yes, that is so true since we all have our free will. *** It is all in God’s hands.
One element we musn’t forget is PRAYER. PRAY for a local pastor who has fallen for the Purpose Driven line for instance – commit him to prayer and see what happens.*** Our relationship w/ Jesus thru PRAYER is the most important element & I believe the most lacking today, esp. w/ fasting.*** We can’t reach Rick Warren – he is a very powerful man with his own agenda and enjoys popularity with the masses. That is my point. We must concentrate our efforts on the level God has placed us.*** I get it, but for some reason that I do not yet see, I felt prompted to send the emails to FOF. Of course, I am open to changes wrought by our Lord in any area of my life–that’s a given. May He continue to reveal all that He wants to reveal to me & do His work in me as well as those who have a heart to love Him & serve Him, esp. in these days & in the dark days ahead! ***
Donna, if God leads you to write to a ministry, than you should do it. My point was that the preferred approach according to the Bible is one-on-one. Some of these people may not even be true believers. We can’t get to them on a level where we know what they need and chances are they won’t listen.
On sites like this, people come for information and dialog that can be fruitful if they are open.
We certainly agree that PRAYER is the ultimate weapen of warfare and that we maintain OUR OWN ARMOR. May the Lord bless and guide you and give you wisdom!!
When I was a child my grandfather, a baptist preacher, gave me and my sisters the set of C.S. Lewis Narnia books. I devoured them and then went on to Mere Christianity.
It was only later, as I matured as a Christian that I began to realize the dangers of the pagan philosophy presented in these books.
I would not want to blame C.S. Lewis for my sins, but I do think his work has had a negative effect on my outlook on life. It has taken many years to undo the damage done by these books.
In the mean time my sisters graduated from Lewis to Tolkien and now are heavily into J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series. Two of these sisters actually spent time overseas as missionaries! We spent so much time learning the things of this world, through books like Lewis’, that we didn’t have much time to learn the things of God!
My sisters are now middle-aged women, still attend “Baptist” churches, and think these occult things are just harmless fantasy!
Dan wrote…My sisters are now middle-aged women, still attend “Baptist” churches, and think these occult things are just harmless fantasy!
Fantasy is never harmless…it is deceiving and leads to a conditioning process in society to accept things that are not authentic and real …fantasy is rather like a drug for small children …an escapism from the real world…which is a form of deceit.
Sin has its initial roots in deceit .
There was a time when I admired and enjoyed CS Lewis…finding his intelligence and interlect stimulating. I was too deeply moved by the movie “Shadowlands”…Anthony Hopkins portrays CS Lewis in this film.
Today I know better…the film shows a tender loving relationship between 2 people…when the an American Jewish woman divorces her spouse and moves to England and falls in love with a likeable English schoolmaster.
This first of all is an adulterous relationship but if this is true puts CS Lewis in doubt…the woman eventually gets cancer and dies.
It is a very sad story …but I have learnt that darkness often disguises itself in beauty.
CS Lewis was indeed a very loved man by his pupils, he was very intelligent but his doctrine and theology are flawed and therefore must be rejected by every true believer.
Ms. Deborah,
I have read several of your entries now, and am finally ready to make a comment. Simply, thank you!
Thank you for sharing the information you have found, and for repeating what so many have forgotten in this age of massive information… Open your Bible and read it! We must compare everything we hear to God’s Word, to know the truth so we may discern deception.
I wasn’t aware of the various transformations of C.S. Lewis– I knew he had been atheist and then converted to “christianity” (I use that term very loosely), but wasn’t aware of the many quotes cited in this article (which, I realize, was not written by you). And I grew up w/ C.S. Lewis (so to speak)!
Now for the more complex part of my comment, which I hope explains my reason for commenting (I rarely comment on what I read online). I was a “PK” (pastor’s kid), but I doubt I was the ‘typical’ pastor’s kid, as my dad wasn’t a typical pastor. He taught “open the Bible and read what it said,” and because of that, we had… um, suffered multiple problems with the missionary organization that was responsible for his pay, and had even been homeless at one point!
Since I was a very young child, I loved Jesus. Period. Though I have left “churchianity,” I have not given up my faith in God, His power and sovereignty, or redemption through Christ Jesus. Doubted? Maybe. I am thinking now, though, that my doubt wasn’t rooted in “lack of faith,” but was because of the hypocrisy and ‘doctrine pounding’ that I suffered. I haven’t “been to church” in… about 7 years. It’s taken me this long to ‘purge’ the doctrine from my mind, so that I can read the Bible without ‘hearing’ the doctrinized version– I can now read it for what it says.
As I pursue this course, of re-establishing my faith, I am also learning about the many misleads and misleaders! I got to your website by way of searching a particular person, and was at first {i}not{/i} pleased (neither was I surprised) at what was said. I have to admit I have certain… misgivings about the person, though I do believe there’s a lot of truth to what is said. However, it’s kind of that “waiting for him to derail” type of deal– happened with another prominent leader, as well. Having read the article on the person I searched, instead of completely dismissing it, I read other entries of yours and comments made by others.
Thus, I am finally replying to something I’ve read online, because I think it will actually matter!
Thank you for your postings. Thank you for always referring people back to God’s Word, and not just by quotations, but by writing “open the Book and read it!” This is what the world needs to hear, and, having left “churchianity,” know that you have a difficult fight. Anyone who speaks/writes the truth, who refers people to Jesus Christ and God’s Word is in for a tough fight. I can see you’re sticking to your Sword (*smiley*), and for that I am truly grateful. Very inspiring to read.
Keep up the great work of referring people back to Christ Jesus, and His word.
May you be rewarded for your perseverance and your work,
~~CS
Hi CS
Yours was the most touching comment I have ever received. THANK YOU so much. Thank you. And yes it’s tough, but I fight the good fight for people like yourself.
Thank you. Gosh you’ve made me cry. (but it’s good crying…not bad crying lol)
Deborah,
Good cries are much needed, sometimes! I have lived through much, been through much, and am going through much– most of it is just “life” today, some of it was/is because of my stance for truth, for Jesus. I know what it’s like to get ‘bashed’, especially by those who claim the name of Christ (but fail to live what they claim to believe), and thus I make use of opportunities to offer encouragement and support (just call me Bartholomew!).
Unlike the religions of today, I am teaching my children “live what you believe. When you live what you believe, then you can talk to people about it.” (My paraphrase of ‘show [your] faith by [your] works.).
The failure of leaders today, and of parents, is the failure of living the truth! They talk, their mouths are moving, maybe their hands are folded (or extended in the air, or whatever), maybe they’re praying… but failing TO DO! I can’t help but see how the atheist’s slogan “One pair of hands working does more than a thousand clasped in prayer” can be accepted, though my parenthetical thoughts are always (who’s to say the hands have to be clasped in prayer? Can’t I do my work while praying?). That expression, combined with the knowledge that Jesus (our example) LIVED His belief to death! Wow! Um, that knowledge is what has spurred me to teach my children to first live, then talk. I am teaching them (I hope) by example, and not just by talk!
In deed, “the way is narrow and few are those who find it.” That is a powerful reason to not join any fad or “big” religion! The Bible, plain and simple. Simple enough for a child (it was the first book I learned to read), but puzzling and mysterious and deep enough for an intellectual. Haven’t read any other books/anthologies like it!
As a really off topic note, I am going to be cruising your site to update myself on traditional history. See, my folks were busy teaching me how to read God’s word, and applying it to life… not on the history/apologetics (sp?). I was challenged around age 10/11 (I think), when talking w/ some girls (older than me)– when I said I was “Christian,” they questioned me about the Crusades. I had no idea what on earth they were talking about! That was an eye opener even then. So, aside from continuing my personal biblical studies (you know… the kind where you open THE Book and read it and take notes or highlight or underline, or whatever), I am also trying to educate myself on “Christian” history so that I can better understand current discussions and events, though I refuse to be lead by any man (or woman)– Jesus gave us the Holy Spirit upon His temporary departure to comfort us and lead us; doesn’t it make sense, then, to listen to Him? The Holy Spirit who communes with the Spirit of God, and prays for us better than we can pray for ourselves?
Possibly I’m just over-excited at what I’ve been given… provision and care through-out my life, no matter where I’ve gone or what I’ve done; the love of a good husband (I’m biased, but I think he’s the best!), and two loving children who seek to help others. Few are the people who get to experience the kind of family ties we have, and I have recently had the power of Jesus’ sacrifice made, ironically, more powerful to me. Perhaps joy will be restored now, as I haven’t been able to experience joy during the horrendous “stormy weather at sea,” though for certain my Jesus was guiding the boat!
I’m beginning to praddle. It’s quite past bedtime here, but was hoping to give you a little more encouragement before I lay down.
“Words are more powerful than a double edged sword” and some are more powerful than others:
The three most powerful sayings? Please, Thank you, and I love you. Polite, yet applicable to everyday situations! 🙂
Please continue to share, Deborah. Thank you for sharing what you have already! 🙂
~~CS
Plenty of interesting points here, Deborah.
I wasn’t aware that C.S.Lewis believed any of those things you’ve mentioned he did. I didn’t know that he believed that people who weren’t Christians could be saved without knowing that they were. Who’d have believed he had that thing in common with Billy Graham!
When I first read CSL, I was fairly sure that he was a Christian. I could understand statements such as that we would have to paganise our society in order to get them back to Christianity. But I took that to be a sarcastic comment on the secularism and atheism of our present day society. I didn’t take it literally.
I read The Great Divorce and accepted it as an incredible allegory. I thought it was a kind of surrealism used for a great purpose. And I took it that his portrayal of hell was totally symbolic. I never for a moment thought that he himself meant it to be taken literally. Indeed, in The Great Divorce, I found a condemnation of ecumenism, Churchianity and pseudo Christianity.
In fact, a person I know who is steeped in Churchianity–and loves ritual and “bells & smells”–was so upset by it when he read it that it made him very depressed. He, like myself, read a condemnation of religious synthesis in it, finding that it drew lines he didn’t like. I have to say that I did enjoy it for the very reason it depressed my friend–NOT because it depressed him!
True, I have been disturbed by certain things he has written–especially in The Chonicles of Narnia–but I accepted this was his idea of trying to defend Christianity; though I disagreed with the methods.
But I am actually astonished to read that he had an evolutionary paradigm as he wrote things which I presumed were anti-evolutionary. He also quoted others who were not evolutionists–such as Professor Haldane. He also quoted churchmen who made sound biblical statements.
I am still not so sure that he deliberately tried to lead people astray: At the time, he could have still been growing in the faith. I really don’t know. When I read the Faith Chapter of Hebrews I am encouraged at some of the people that God sees as heroes of the faith. It gives me hope! Perhaps CSL was in their category. There again, those who do not gather with Christ scatter. I will need to think much on this.
It is obvious, from your reports above, that he erred greviously in things he claimed. I am indebted to you for these comments. Since I have read other objectively critical things about CSL’s work, it has made me more dubious about many of his statements.
I will read over his writings again with more of a detatched view than before. I had thought of passing on a couple of his books to a couple of people I know who are atheist/agnostic in the hope that it will make them rethink. But, on reflection, perhaps I’d be best just giving them the gospel. Paul tried to meet the Greeks where they were but it didn’t work. (Maybe that’s where CSL was: meeting the intellectuals where they were.)
Thanks again. It’s encouraging to find someone who is willing to contend for the faith.
It doesn’t make many friends when we do. I have personally experienced the virtual fury of “Christians” at pointing out something that’s stated plainly in the Bible.
May God continue to bless your site.
Martin
Ask the Holy Spirit to open your eyes WIDE to the truth, sometimes men are very clever in hiding the error deep undercover. I think CSL was one of these, speaking out of both sides of his mouth and making friends with both sides of the fence. An intellectual who knew how to write the Gospel to a certain point, but did not practice what he preached, he was not steadfast in holding to the truth. Narnia was in fact a very occult film, and as much as CLS tried to use Christianity in the story line, those who could see the truth saw right through the lies.
Look after yourself Martin, I see from your last few comments you have quite a lot to learn still 🙂
PLease let me kknow why you people judge others so quickly? You don’t have that right to shoot others down because they don’t fit 100% into the little box you’ve built around you… the message of The Chronicles of Narnia is an allegory of the Christian gospel and that is what I focused on when I read the book and watched the movie.
Does everyone have to think exactly the same – I thought God has made us all different and enables us to express ourselves in different ways…
ross
>> Does everyone have to think exactly the same – I thought God has made us all different and enables us to express ourselves in different ways…
Really? I only find ONE Bible with 1 Gospel Message detailing 1 strict Christian way of living and obedience to God through His Only Begotten Son Jesus Christ.
What are you reading?
Ross, do you believe that good fruit can come from a diseased tree?
If you can read the above article and not see that so many absolute truths of the Bible have been violated, you should go back and examine what you have in your “box” of beliefs.
We don’t need “allegories” which are no more than entertainment, when we have the Bible and its truths. We are to uphold those truths and not support and promote the works of a man who has clearly denied the sound doctrine presented in the Word of God.
What say ye to that?
[delete]
Hi all.
I think what Ross is trying to say is that we are all created as individuals for a good reason. Some of us express ourselves and reach out to others most profoundly with music, some with dance, some with written words, some with art. Are people saying here that this expression should all be wiped out simply because of the possibility of human error?
I believe that God desires that we respect and appreciate our own and each other’s unique set of giftings. We do not need to all think exactly the same, in fact that would be terrible! What matters is that we do not compromise the one unifying trait that bonds us as brothers and sisters in Christ, which is personally knowing and as a consequence expressing the love and character of Jesus from within us.
I’m saddened at the lack of verification by regulars of this site of the condemning statements about C.S. Lewis in the article above. As they are either untrue or totally misleading, and the quotes used, are misrepresented or taken out of context. For example Lewis was clear in explaining his use of the term ‘myth’, he did not think of a myth as being an untrue story like we do now, particularly when it came to the Bible. The word is poorly understood today, as it actually refers to a story from long ago that may or may not be true. So it is not actually an insult to the integrity of the Bible to say it contains myths.
I have read a number of Lewis’ books and been profoundly blessed by them from a young age. I like many, found that as a child, identifying with the children in the Narnia books, and reading about the love and sacrifice of Aslan for them and for Narnia, and then realising Who it represented, helped me to connect better with and appreciate more the sheer awesomeness and magnitude of the message of the Cross. And having read his non-fiction works since then too, I am as certain of Lewis’ residency in heaven as I am of that of any of the Saints.
As it happens, I am a Harry Potter fan as well, and again, even though I was at this point an adult reading the books, the day I realised that the Harry Potter story was another allegory for the story of Jesus and the Cross was a joyous day for me! And the best thing about the movies for me was the moving depiction of how true brothers and sisters in a cause act towards each other. For example they could be challenged by each other without resorting to cold and dismissive put-downs as an insecure unloving self-defence.
Also, a rather desirable and unexpected side-effect of reading about basic methods of a fictional witchcraft for me has been that it helped me to become aware of the presence and domination in much of mainstream Christianity of real (although subversive) witchcraft.
Take people who teach things like, for example, that if you say the magic words “In Jesus’ Name” at the end of every prayer request, then you have somehow transformed what is your own will into being the will of God, which then means you are guaranteed to get what you want. Well to my mind, THAT is the sort of witchcraft that is most threatening to our personal walk with Christ. And it’s the learning of that NON-fictional spell-casting that we need to be protecting our children from! (In addition to teaching them an understanding of what fiction is, obviously!)
The vast majority of Jesus’ public teachings were through parables or allegory. So if that is ‘just entertainment’ should we erase all of His stories from the pages of our Bibles in order to ‘conform not to the world’?
BurningLamp, using the ‘good fruit from a diseased tree’ allegory before dismissing any use of allegories in teaching is a little ironic!? And if you want to apply that to any specific human, then it is only fair to apply it to all of us. And since ‘all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God’ surely that means we are all ‘diseased trees’?
Thank God for Jesus then; the one human in history who, being sinless, was not a ‘diseased tree’! (For it was Himself and His own fruit that He was referring to in response to accusations of working with Beelzebub.)
Also, Deborah, I’m a little puzzled that I don’t know what it is about a saving relationship with Christ that is so ‘strict’?? Because the more I experience His love and guidance in my life the more set free I become, no longer chained or burdened with imagined self-justifying duties and obligations and trying to meet the controlling expectations of others. But instead filled with peace, awe, love and trust in Him as He teaches me more each day.
Finally, I am sorry if this post all sounds very disagreeable, as I really do appreciate and respect the purposes and intentions of this site. But I would say that there is most certainly more than ‘one Bible’. Since it’s been such a long time that the original languages of the Bible have been in common usage, they cannot be completely and fully reliably translated. So the best we can do as a society is interpret what we have with the best of the knowledge and resources available to us. As this has been done by so many different groups over the years, the result is varying translations.
So God in His mighty wisdom has not left us with a single complete and perfect book. Thankfully! As that would invite us to forsake our worship of and interaction with a living being Who is seen with the heart and mind in endless colours and depth, for idolatry of something that is only seen with the outer eye and merely in black and white. (Although my observation is that most religious Christians have still gone this way, seeking to be redeemed by laws and not by grace.)
I believe that it is Jesus Who is the inerrant Word Of God, which is alive today. That He sent the Holy Spirit as His messenger, to dwell with and within all who earnestly desire it, and Who remains ready and eager to answer or address all of our questions, in the here and now, guiding each one of us as He did each of the first disciples. They set a good example by using the Scriptures of their day as a secondary aid in their preaching of the Gospel, but it is clear that the heart of their message was given to each one primarily through their own relationship with Jesus, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit to each person individually as he or she sought it.
I hope you find my comments acceptable as opposed to delete-able! I also hope it’s clear that no offense is intended. 🙂
Hannah
>> Deborah, I’m a little puzzled that I don’t know what it is about a saving relationship with Christ that is so ‘strict’??
Strict was the wrong choice of word to use, and it’s been something that I’ve wanted to come and edit for a while now, but you picked up on it now. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is simple, salvation is simple, being led by the Holy Spirit is wonderful and being chastised by Him is welcome because it brings you to repentance and a close loving relationship with Jesus Christ. The Bible however gives us ‘strict’ guide lines on how a Christian is to behave. And I mean ‘strict’ as in something we ‘adhere to closely’. The Bible is not something to be taken lightly as a Christian, and it’s rules can’t be bent. When God says do not follow after false gods, He means in. When He says you are not to delve into wickedness He means it.
But to some supposed Christians they say that the Bible is too strict and they don’t want to be obedient to God, the then bend the Word of God to suit themselves…and make excuses as to why they should not be living a holy life as the Bible commands. But living this life can ONLY come with the guidance of the Holy Spirit and by no other means.
What? You can’t do that. Please find scripture FROM THE BIBLE where the Bible (WORD OF GOD) says you can do what you did? So you just applied a Biblical message to a satanic story. Why don’t you just call Satan, Jesus and get it over and done with. The Bible says, Ephesians 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
The Bible says… 1 Corinthians 10:31 31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. How do you give God glory when you read Harry Potter books? Instead you do the opposite, you blaspheme God by making a satanic story Christian. How on earth do you think Jesus must feel about this? Satan who is a roaring lion out to deceive, kill, murder Christians and you shake his hand and Christianize him. I’ve never in my life read anything so shocking.
This is not magic, when we pray, we can pray to God our Heavenly Father – Psalm 5:2 “Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray”. To the Lord Jesus Christ, we pray as to the Father because they are equal. Or you can pray to our Heavenly Father and the Lord Jesus Christ – it does not matter, what ever makes you happy. Prayer to one member of the Trinity is prayer to all, because all three are One. Stephen, when he was being martyred, prayed – Acts 7:59 “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit” . We are also to pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Paul said, that we are always give – Ephesians 5:20 “thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” . There is no fixed rule, to add a rule on how to address God is wrong.
If you do not come to God THROUGH Jesus Christ then which God do you pray too?
Really? The bible is not complete? I have news for you – it is perfect and complete and the biblical Holy Spirit (who CAN NOT be seen, let alone in endless colours, or black and white) illuminates (the biblical way) the PERFECT AND COMPLETE BIBLE for the genuine Christian. The Holy Spirit will only speak what IS IN the Bible and … Revelation 22:18-19
18 I testify to the one who hears the words of the prophecy contained in this book: If anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book.
19 And if anyone takes away from the words of this book of prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city that are described in this book.
Proverbs 30:6 Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.
Matthew 15:6-9
6 …. You have nullified the word of God on account of your tradition.
7 Hypocrites! Isaiah prophesied correctly about you when he said,
8 ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me,
9 and they worship me in vain, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”
1 Corinthians 4:6 And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written….
The Bible is complete because The Bible says so.
John 1:14 “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
2 Timothy 3:16–17 16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
Proverbs 30:5 Every word of God is pure: He is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.
Psalm 119:89 Forever, O Lord, your word is firmly fixed in the heavens.
—–
I’m interested to know how you got saved, and how you did receive this (all colourfull) holy spirit What did you do exactly to open your 3rd Eye?
Hannah, if you will take an honest look at C.S. Lewis, his life, his associates, and his beliefs there is no way you can see him as an instrument of God’s truth.
Firstly, the man could not have been genuinely saved considering that he held to Roman Catholic beliefs and the account of his “conversion” is far removed from biblical truth.
You show your ignorance of biblical truth when you Christianize a work of Satan in the Harry Potter books.
Astounding, absolutely astounding. You sound like a sincere person and I hope and pray that you come out of your fog and grasp the truth and come to understand who the Holy Spirit is and the truth that He illuminates.
JK Rowling now has something out called The Book of Spells, I believe it is a book/playstation game. Horrible! Not only are Rowling’s books and movies an assault on innocent children and deceived adults, but now this ‘book of spells’ is out..which will only lead people, especially children, further down the occultic road and into satan’s ugly grasp! It makes me SO angry!! How dare anyone, ESPECIALLY so called Christians, maintain that these evil books are some kind of allegory for the story of Jesus??!! CS Lewis and JR Tolkien books are also full of evil, I was shocked when ‘Chrsitian’ family of mine tried to convince me that Tolkien’s ‘tales’ are of a Christian nature. Eh?? I mean how STUPID can people actually be.. if you are filled with the Holy Spirit, everything inside you would revolt, you would run for your life, YES your eternal life!
I am sorry, but none of this makes any sense. Lewis himself never said that this series was purely Christian based, rather a mixture of religion and mythology to teach wholesome lessons to children. And also, this is fictitious, meaning cannot happen and will never happen lest it be by God’s will alone. Therefore, how is this trying to get children interested in witchcraft and paganism? You know what they see magic as? Silly tricks, tomfoolery, sparkles and bright lights. With God as my witness, these books will corrupt a child about as much as a “Clifford the Big Red Dog”, so why make such a big deal out of it?
Anonymous,
God’s truth has nothing to do with mythology. So why mix religion and mythology to teach wholesome lessons to children? You are not teaching the children anything wholesome but deception that’s very dangerous.
Even Dave Hunt who quoted Lewis favorably in some of his news letters had to admit that something was drastically wrong with Lewis.
This is what Lewis wrote:
In his book, C. S. Lewis: A Biography (Harcourt Inc., 1974), Roger Lancelyn Green, a researcher on the life and writings of Lewis, said Lewis believed that “Christianity fulfilled paganism” and “paganism prefigured Christianity” (pages 274, 30).
I wouldn’t be surprised if you allowed your children to read the Harry Potter series of books. If so, goody for you because “these books will corrupt a child about as much as a ‘Clifford the Big Red Dog’, so why make such a big deal out of it?”
Thomas Lessing,
Quite an interesting reply as i was hardly expecting my comment to be published. Actually, I have no children and nor do I plan on it. I am 17, I am in high school. I HAVE read Harry Potter, yes, many people–adults and children–here in the US have. I find it humorous that you quoted me, and even in the proper context. Bully for you, friend.
Now, about Mr. Lewis believing in purgatory. Everyone who reads the Bible–or any holy book, for that matter–takes with them their own interpretation of the written word. I personally do not believe in purgatory, however I am not one to judge others beliefs, and neither are you.
So after that little rebuttal, I am just happy to see you stand up for what you believe, so few Christians do that nowadays. I hope you understand where I am coming from, I do not intend to make enemies as I do realize that this site is from a more strict country than my own.
Thank you for your concern and God bless.
Anonymous,
You may not want to judge others beliefs but you should at least admit that Paul was right when he wrote,
You’d better believe Paul because he was inspired by the Holy Spirit to write these words.
Oh my gosh. Please direct me to the right thread to comment on. I found this because yes i too until today was taken in by lewis. It’s a hard blow. It all seems black and white to me now. I’m so thankful to find this site with all of you! This all started years back when i started my walk with God messed up in assemblies of God. It didnt work for me. I started asking God who he was. He showed me a lot, like word of faith and the toronto blessing and basically all of the televangelists and more. It all blew my mind but now it goes even deeper. Then i was still taken in by lewis, macdonald, other entertainment, and 12 step groups not realizing it was a satanic church. It blew my mind. But now it’s all clear. It’s either the Holy Spirit or satan inspired. From music, to movies, to school, to medical, to science, to our food, governments, everything in this world is satanically, what’s the word controlled? What started this recent revelation was that the 12 steps were written by channeling, not Christian origins but the occultic Oxford Group and Aleister Crowley’s (satanism) follower Huxley! And i thought i was safe in the christian version celebrate recovery! Created by Rick Warren?! It isn’t biblical recovery or the gospel. A cr leader gave me a book Jesus Calling, which was channeled by automatic writing!!! My mom read it for 2 years! Right before i found it was crap in my research, i never read it, God pulled her away from it. She faithfully read it every morning and then was assaulted with anxiety, fear, anger, etc. So here i sit, thinking i finally found a good church. But you can find that book, cr meetings, and other herecies there. How do you find true Christians? True gospel, bible believing and reading, not polluted with this twisted truth “christian” satanism? Do they have a name? I’ve found the bereans so far. But so many “christian” denominations, books, magazines, etc are just satanism false teaching. That’s why it didnt work, i felt so empty, and i’ve been plagued with so much demonic oppression like depression and anxiety. I was opening the door to it, and didnt fully have the Holy Spirit. Or something. Right now i’m questioning every belief and teaching i’ve ever believed. And measuring it against scripture and praying for true discernment. I wonder if i was ever really saved until now. I had satanic idols and teaching and didnt even know it. So where do we find other unpopular Christians like us? Advice is welcome.
What an amazing article! I remember when this book “The Shack” first came out. A friend of mine, who’s a Christian, read it and just loved it. She asked me to read it. After the first few chapters, I knew immediately this book wasn’t right and didn’t bother to finish it. When I tried to explain to my friend why I found this book so offensive and blasphemous, she couldn’t understand why. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for your edification. God Bless you!