Oh dear
Guardian Unlimited | Special reports | 'Narnia represents everything that is most hateful about religion':
I wish I was eloquent enough to tell you how sad this statement makes me. It gets worse:
And worse:
I despair. The tragedy of all of this is that it's christians that haven't helped at all. It makes me sick that true christianity must suffer under this sham that's come about because of people who call themselves christians.
I'm done.
"Of all the elements of Christianity, the most repugnant is the notion of the Christ who took our sins upon himself and sacrificed his body in agony to save our souls. Did we ask him to?"
I wish I was eloquent enough to tell you how sad this statement makes me. It gets worse:
"Poor child Edmund, to blame for everything, must bear the full weight of a guilt only Christians know how to inflict, with a twisted knife to the heart."
And worse:
"So Lewis weaves his dreams to invade children's minds with Christian iconography that is part fairytale wonder and joy - but heavily laden with guilt, blame, sacrifice and a suffering that is dark with emotional sadism."
I despair. The tragedy of all of this is that it's christians that haven't helped at all. It makes me sick that true christianity must suffer under this sham that's come about because of people who call themselves christians.
I'm done.
She accidently proclaims a great truth when she says:
"Without an Aslan, there is no one here but ourselves to suffer for our sins, no one to redeem us but ourselves: we are obliged to settle our own disputes and do what we can."
No one indeed.
Given that the Narnia books were written for children, Luke 10:21 absolutely ROCKS.
Posted by
Rob Hyde |
December 06, 2005 12:01 AM
Although you are right to be concerned that Chritians are good witnesses of Jesus Christ, that they shine like stars, are salt and light, etc., I think you are wrong to get angry about this getting in the way of a person's salvation. An individual's salvation is ultimately dependent upon the sovereign choice of God, made before this world had even been created. An unregenrate person such as Polly Toynbee has absolutely no way of comprehending the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ until the Father by the Spirit makes her renegerate. She is a spiritual corpse and cannot see Christ any more than a dead body can enjoy a beer. Rather than being condemning of struggling Christians - which only further adds to the problem you are raising by demonstrating an ungracious and judgemental attitude that Christians are exhorted to flee from (Matt 7:1 ff.) - we should not be at all surprised at the offence that gospel is so clearly causing her. Let's keep focused on Him, always thanking Him for His glorious gospel, and keep praying for the regeneration of others, believing that it is possible to bring a man or woman to God by prayer alone. Happy New Year and God bless! Nigel.
Posted by
Nigel Dutton |
December 29, 2005 12:25 PM
I'm not actually so much concerned with christians behaviour getting in the way of other people's salvation. What really makes me cross is when christians trap, manipulate and crush other people with guilt and legalism. Didn't Jesus get very angry at the same thing?
Posted by
tobiwan |
December 29, 2005 1:03 PM