"I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him:
"I'm ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don't accept His claim to be God." That is the
one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would
not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic—on a level with the man who says he is a
poached egg—or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man
was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool,
you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God.
But let us not come with any patronising nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not
left that open to us. He did not intend to." -C.S. Lewis
There is more good material in the latest chapter in his book, but this quote is well known, and if you hadn't heard it, I wanted you to. I've heard this misinterpreted by atheists before saying, "what about if he just didn't exist?" That is not the point of the quote. We can discuss historical reliability all day and you will find that the Christian has an embarrassment of riches in manuscript evidence. The point is that, from what we have about Him recorded, you must decide which of these He is. What will you decide about this man who claimed to be God Himself?
Friday, February 24, 2017
Wednesday, February 22, 2017
Simplifying the Mere Christianity of C.S. Lewis (Part 7)
"People put up a version of Christianity suitable
for a child of six and make that the object of their attack. When you try to explain the Christian
doctrine as it is really held by an instructed adult, they then complain that you are making their heads
turn round and that it is all too complicated and that if there really were a God they are sure He would
have made "religion" simple, because simplicity is so beautiful, etc. You must be on your guard
against these people for they will change their ground every minute and only waste your tune. Notice,
too, their idea of God "making religion simple": as if "religion" were something God invented, and
not His statement to us of certain quite unalterable facts about His own nature." -C.S. Lewis
As the band Caedmon's Call put it, "most things true are simple and complex." There may be simple things to grasp about God, but underneath there is always an ocean of complexity about Him. I often see atheists putting up straw man arguments of various watered down versions of Christianity. Many of them are eager to put forth apologists that say nonsensical things and call it Christian. Let us not do the same to them, but let us tackle the problems head on. The chief complaint of serious atheists is that there is not enough evidence. I understand that predicament and I don't think it's because they are mentally lacking as the above-mentioned nonsensical Christians will put it. I think the Bible speaks of an inner desire to run from God. Yet, for evidence, we can point to their conscience, the testimony of all creation's cohesion and complexity, the work of the Spirit in our lives, and most importantly the reliability of the New Testament's account of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. They might have their own criteria and will attack every one, but let those realities be the center of our conversation with the nonreligious.
As the band Caedmon's Call put it, "most things true are simple and complex." There may be simple things to grasp about God, but underneath there is always an ocean of complexity about Him. I often see atheists putting up straw man arguments of various watered down versions of Christianity. Many of them are eager to put forth apologists that say nonsensical things and call it Christian. Let us not do the same to them, but let us tackle the problems head on. The chief complaint of serious atheists is that there is not enough evidence. I understand that predicament and I don't think it's because they are mentally lacking as the above-mentioned nonsensical Christians will put it. I think the Bible speaks of an inner desire to run from God. Yet, for evidence, we can point to their conscience, the testimony of all creation's cohesion and complexity, the work of the Spirit in our lives, and most importantly the reliability of the New Testament's account of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. They might have their own criteria and will attack every one, but let those realities be the center of our conversation with the nonreligious.
Tuesday, February 21, 2017
Simplifying the Mere Christianity of C.S. Lewis (Part 6)
"My argument against God was that the universe seemed so cruel and unjust. But how had I got this
idea of just and unjust? A man does not call a line crooked unless he has some idea of a straight line.
What was I comparing this universe with when I called it unjust? If the whole show was bad and
senseless from A to Z, so to speak, why did I, who was supposed to be part of the show, find myself in
such violent reaction against it? A man feels wet when he falls into water, because man is not a water
animal: a fish would not feel wet." -C.S. Lewis
Back when I was not a Christian, I often used the Bible to argue against God. How can you challenge the internal consistency of justice in the Bible, if you yourself have no grounds to claim that justice is an objective value at all?
Back when I was not a Christian, I often used the Bible to argue against God. How can you challenge the internal consistency of justice in the Bible, if you yourself have no grounds to claim that justice is an objective value at all?
Monday, February 20, 2017
Simplifying the Mere Christianity of C.S. Lewis (Part 5)
We Have Cause To Be Uneasy
"That is the terrible fix we are in. If the universe is not governed by an absolute goodness, then all our efforts are in the long run hopeless. But if it is, then we are making ourselves enemies to that goodness every day, and are not in the least likely to do any better tomorrow, and so our case is hopeless again. We cannot do without it. and we cannot do with it. God is the only comfort, He is also the supreme terror: the thing we most need and the thing we most want to hide from. He is our only possible-ally, and we have made ourselves His enemies. Some people talk as if meeting the gaze of absolute goodness would be fun. They need to think again.
It is after you have realized that there is a real Moral Law, and a Power behind the law, and that you have broken that law and put yourself wrong with that Power—it is after all this, and not a moment sooner, that Christianity begins to talk. When you know you are sick, you will listen, to. the doctor. " -C.S. Lewis
If God is perfectly good and He has placed a Law inside of us, then who can say they are good? Have we not all broken it a thousand times?! This is truly the beginning of an understanding of real Christianity.
"That is the terrible fix we are in. If the universe is not governed by an absolute goodness, then all our efforts are in the long run hopeless. But if it is, then we are making ourselves enemies to that goodness every day, and are not in the least likely to do any better tomorrow, and so our case is hopeless again. We cannot do without it. and we cannot do with it. God is the only comfort, He is also the supreme terror: the thing we most need and the thing we most want to hide from. He is our only possible-ally, and we have made ourselves His enemies. Some people talk as if meeting the gaze of absolute goodness would be fun. They need to think again.
It is after you have realized that there is a real Moral Law, and a Power behind the law, and that you have broken that law and put yourself wrong with that Power—it is after all this, and not a moment sooner, that Christianity begins to talk. When you know you are sick, you will listen, to. the doctor. " -C.S. Lewis
If God is perfectly good and He has placed a Law inside of us, then who can say they are good? Have we not all broken it a thousand times?! This is truly the beginning of an understanding of real Christianity.
Friday, February 17, 2017
Simplifying the Mere Christianity of C.S. Lewis (Part 4)
"The only packet I am allowed to open is Man. When I do, especially when I open
that particular man called Myself, I find that I do not exist on my own, that I am under a law; that
somebody or something wants me to behave in a certain way. I do not, of course, think that if I could
get inside a stone or a tree I should find exactly the same thing." -C.S. Lewis
Even the most atheistic scientists admit things "appear to be designed, but aren't." I'm okay with that being as far as they are willing to go on the subject. Science can never prove God nor was it meant to be a proof in the logical or mathematical sense. Rather, the universe gives the appearance of design and my conscience is the guide that speaks to me and tells me of a Law that must be given by a Lawgiver.
Even the most atheistic scientists admit things "appear to be designed, but aren't." I'm okay with that being as far as they are willing to go on the subject. Science can never prove God nor was it meant to be a proof in the logical or mathematical sense. Rather, the universe gives the appearance of design and my conscience is the guide that speaks to me and tells me of a Law that must be given by a Lawgiver.
Wednesday, February 15, 2017
Simplifying the Mere Christianity of C.S. Lewis (Part 3)
The Reality of the Law of Morality
"We ask: "Why ought I to be unselfish?" and you reply "Because it is good for society," we may then ask, "Why should I care what's good for society except when it happens to pay me personally?" and then you will have to say, "Because you ought to be unselfish"—which simply brings us back to where we started." -C.S. Lewis
Why is it that those who claim that there is no objective morality are oftentimes so angry at injustice in the world? Why do they still claim that men ought to treat others with fairness and kindness? I agree with Lewis' conclusion (which has much more to it in the book) that it is because there is a real Law placed inside of them that tells the mind what is good and what is evil.
"We ask: "Why ought I to be unselfish?" and you reply "Because it is good for society," we may then ask, "Why should I care what's good for society except when it happens to pay me personally?" and then you will have to say, "Because you ought to be unselfish"—which simply brings us back to where we started." -C.S. Lewis
Why is it that those who claim that there is no objective morality are oftentimes so angry at injustice in the world? Why do they still claim that men ought to treat others with fairness and kindness? I agree with Lewis' conclusion (which has much more to it in the book) that it is because there is a real Law placed inside of them that tells the mind what is good and what is evil.
Tuesday, February 14, 2017
Simplifying the Mere Christianity of C.S. Lewis (Part 2)
Objections
"Isn't what you call the Moral Law simply our herd instinct and hasn't it been developed just like all our other instincts? Of course, we sometimes do feel just that sort of desire to help another person: and no doubt that desire is due to the herd instinct. But feeling a desire to help is quite different from feeling that you ought to help whether you want to or not. Supposing you hear a cry for help from a man in danger.
You will probably feel two desires—one a desire to give help (due to your herd instinct), the other a desire to keep out of danger (due to the instinct for self-preservation). But you will find inside you, in addition to these two impulses, a third thing which tells you that you ought to follow the impulse to help, and suppress the impulse to run away. Now this thing that judges between two instincts, that decides which should be encouraged, cannot itself be either of them." -C.S. Lewis
This thing that judges between the two instincts is our conscience. Our conscience appeals to a a higher standard; a moral law. Where did that come from?
"Isn't what you call the Moral Law simply our herd instinct and hasn't it been developed just like all our other instincts? Of course, we sometimes do feel just that sort of desire to help another person: and no doubt that desire is due to the herd instinct. But feeling a desire to help is quite different from feeling that you ought to help whether you want to or not. Supposing you hear a cry for help from a man in danger.
You will probably feel two desires—one a desire to give help (due to your herd instinct), the other a desire to keep out of danger (due to the instinct for self-preservation). But you will find inside you, in addition to these two impulses, a third thing which tells you that you ought to follow the impulse to help, and suppress the impulse to run away. Now this thing that judges between two instincts, that decides which should be encouraged, cannot itself be either of them." -C.S. Lewis
This thing that judges between the two instincts is our conscience. Our conscience appeals to a a higher standard; a moral law. Where did that come from?
Simplifying the Mere Christianity of C.S. Lewis (Part 1)
The Law of Nature
"These, then, are the two points I wanted to make. First, that human beings, all over the earth, have this curious idea that they ought to behave in a certain way, and cannot really get rid of it. Secondly, that they do not in fact behave in that way. They know the Law of Nature; they break it. These two facts are the foundation of all clear thinking about ourselves and the universe we live in." -C.S. Lewis
Naturally, humans have a code of conduct that seems to be similar throughout various cultures and religions. We ought to recognize this fact. You find some version of the golden rule in most religions and even most atheistic systems of morality. There is a way we ought to behave. Next, we find that everyone falls short of their own standards. I can at least admit that I certainly have in many ways. How about yourself?
"These, then, are the two points I wanted to make. First, that human beings, all over the earth, have this curious idea that they ought to behave in a certain way, and cannot really get rid of it. Secondly, that they do not in fact behave in that way. They know the Law of Nature; they break it. These two facts are the foundation of all clear thinking about ourselves and the universe we live in." -C.S. Lewis
Naturally, humans have a code of conduct that seems to be similar throughout various cultures and religions. We ought to recognize this fact. You find some version of the golden rule in most religions and even most atheistic systems of morality. There is a way we ought to behave. Next, we find that everyone falls short of their own standards. I can at least admit that I certainly have in many ways. How about yourself?
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