No Wonder The Mormons Like C.S. Lewis!!

[edf203]

This is taken from pages 202, and 204-206 of The Last Battle, the seventh book in the Narnia series.

In chapter 15, one evil character, Emeth, finds himself through the door (representing Heaven), surprised to be there. He thought he was going to meet Tash (the god of evil - and yes, the series does teach dualism and does refer to Tash as a god) in there. Instead, he runs into Aslan. (This is not the account of some evil person repenting and turning to the Lord - ie. Aslan, according to the novel - in faith, but of someone who was still determined to pursue evil [going through the door specifically to meet/see Tash face to face] and was surprised at where he was and at Aslan's attitude towards him.)

"For always since I was a boy I have served Tash and my great desire was to know more of him, if it might be, to look upon his face. But the name of Aslan was hateful to me...

Then I looked about me and saw the sky and the wide lands and smelled the sweetness. And I said, By the Gods, this is a pleasant place: it may be that I am come into the country of Tash. And I began to journey into the strange country to seek him...

...there came to meet me a great Lion... Then I fell at his feet and thought, surely this is the hour of death, for the Lion (who is worthy of all honor) will know that I have served Tash all my days and not him... But the Glorious One bent down his golden head and touched my forehead with his tongue and said, Son, thou art welcome. But I said, Alas, Lord, I am no son of thine but the servant of Tash. Child, all the service thou hast done to Tash, I account as service done to me... I take to me the services which thou hast done to him. For I and he are of such different kinds that no service which is vile can be done to me, and none which is not vile can be done to him. Therefore if any man swear by Tash and keep his oath for the oath's sake, it is by me he has truly sworn, though he know it not, and it is I who reward him... But I said also (for the truth constrained me), Yet I have been seeking Tash all my days. Beloved, said the Glorious One, unless thy desire had been for me thou wouldst not have sought so long and so truly. For all find what they truly seek."

So, according to Lewis, if we serve Satan all our days, as long as we are sincere, God accepts that as service to Himself. What blasphemy!! Nothing like a bit of Universalism to add to the mix!

You completely missed Lewis's entire point! The point was that Emeth had never served Tash a day in his life. In his heart, he worshiped Aslan, but the name Aslan to him was associated with what in reality was Tash. Emeth got the names reversed, but the fact was there was God and there was evil, and he chose God, regardless of what he called God. Notice that the real servants of Tash did not end up in Aslan's Country, but were destroyed with Narnia. It has nothing to do with sincerity. Lewis was saying that God cares more about your heart than your appearance on the outside.

You must be more careful in your judgment of Lewis's books; they are not the usual shallow entertainment we are used to. Lewis was a brilliant man (who was not Catholic) and used very advanced (and sometimes confusing) logic and language to explain things. You should take time to consider what he is saying before jumping to conclusions and making rash statements.

[HappyChristian]

You completely missed Lewis's entire point! The point was that Emeth had never served Tash a day in his life. In his heart, he worshiped Aslan, but the name Aslan to him was associated with what in reality was Tash. Emeth got the names reversed, but the fact was there was God and there was evil, and he chose God, regardless of what he called God. Notice that the real servants of Tash did not end up in Aslan's Country, but were destroyed with Narnia. It has nothing to do with sincerity. Lewis was saying that God cares more about your heart than your appearance on the outside.

You must be more careful in your judgment of Lewis's books; they are not the usual shallow entertainment we are used to. Lewis was a brilliant man (who was not Catholic) and used very advanced (and sometimes confusing) logic and language to explain things. You should take time to consider what he is saying before jumping to conclusions and making rash statements.

ed, you are continuing to try and force the Chronicles into an allegory of Christianity, when it is not. By your logic, Allah is God if those who worship him as such think so in their hearts.

[edf203]

I found a copy of C.S. Lewis' book, Mere Christianity, in a box at work (containing books left by clients at the Mission). Years ago, I had read the introduction and found some things in there very offensive. Last night, I was skimming through it to find those parts, and started reading and skimming other parts of it too. So far, I haven't found any Scripture in it (from all that I have read in the book, he certainly has a low view of the inspiration of Scripture - believing it is simply men writing their religious experience down, not as the Word of God and the only source of objective truth) - and he is so off the wall it isn't funny. Where are Christian''s discernment?!?

Aside from various references about believers being/becoming Christs themselves (rather than becoming more Christlike), this was quite disturbing:

"The command Be ye perfect is not idealistic gas. Nor it is a command to do the impossbile. He is going to make us into creatures that can obey that command. He said (in the Bible), that we were 'gods' and He is going to make good His words. If we let Him - for we can prevent Him, if we choose - He will make the feeblest and filthiest of us into a god or goddess, a dazzling, radiant, immortal creature, pulsating all through with such energy and joy and wisdom and love as we cannot now imagine, a bright stainless mirror which reflects back to God perfectly (though, of course, on a smaller scale) His own boundless power and delight and goodness. The process will be long and in parts very painful, but that is what we are in for. Nothing less. He meant what He said." (Taken from pages 205-206 of the edition I have, the last 2 pages of chapter 9.)

If you read C.S. Lewis or have ever promoted his books - or especially this book - Wake up people!!

After reading Lewis's work and seeing his stunning intellect, I can hardly believe you could have skimmed through Mere Christianity and understood what he was saying. Lewis wrote a lot of things that sound shocking at first, but when you look at it more closely, you see that he is right. The real danger is prematurely judging something you don't yet understand.

[Annie]

After reading Lewis's work and seeing his stunning intellect, I can hardly believe you could have skimmed through Mere Christianity and understood what he was saying. Lewis wrote a lot of things that sound shocking at first, but when you look at it more closely, you see that he is right. The real danger is prematurely judging something you don't yet understand.

True, ed. I have a feeling that even Jerry would agree that "skimming" through Scripture would not give someone a complete and accurate picture of Truth. "Skimming" and quoting out of context do not a valid argument make.

[HappyChristian]

After reading Lewis's work and seeing his stunning intellect, I can hardly believe you could have skimmed through Mere Christianity and understood what he was saying. Lewis wrote a lot of things that sound shocking at first, but when you look at it more closely, you see that he is right. The real danger is prematurely judging something you don't yet understand.

ed, you don't know how closely Jerry looked at it - so be careful judging someone you don't yet understand. 'K?

[Annie]

ed, you don't know how closely Jerry looked at it - so be careful judging someone you don't yet understand. 'K?

He mentioned "reading the introduction" and "skimming."

[Guest]

I don't believe Lewis had us IFBer's in mind when he wrote his books. It would be difficult but find some way to put yourself in the place of a total skeptic or atheist...then look at what Lewis wrote. It just was not meant persuade Christians of anything. I read "The Problem of Pain" cover to cover and could see he was not speaking to a Christian; that doesn't make me an expert however, I will read "Mere Christianity" some day.

[Salyan]

You completely missed Lewis's entire point! The point was that Emeth had never served Tash a day in his life. In his heart, he worshiped Aslan, but the name Aslan to him was associated with what in reality was Tash. Emeth got the names reversed, but the fact was there was God and there was evil, and he chose God, regardless of what he called God. Notice that the real servants of Tash did not end up in Aslan's Country, but were destroyed with Narnia. It has nothing to do with sincerity. Lewis was saying that God cares more about your heart than your appearance on the outside.

The problem with that, is that we are told that "there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." If we're going to apply this idea to soteriology, we must logically come up with the conclusion that as long as we seek to serve 'God' (whoever He is) and 'good' (whatever our definition of that might be), we're okay and we're saved. But the Bible tells us that we must come to God through Jesus Christ. How can we call upon the name of the Lord (Rom. 10:13), and confess the Lord Jesus (Rom. 10:9) without His Name?

I understand Lewis' point about service from the heart - no one who claimed the service of Aslan without really loving him ended up with the privilege of enjoying Aslan's country either. But there is a very dangerous idea being presented here along with that good point. There is none other name whereby we must be saved!