From: utzoo!decvax!microsof!uw-beave!emma
Newsgroups: net.sf-lovers
Title: Re: C.S. Lewis Trilogy
Article-I.D.: uw-beave.111
Posted: Mon Sep 20 09:03:10 1982
Received: Tue Sep 21 06:33:24 1982
References: inuxd.158

It is highly inaccurate to represent Christ as rejecting the "accepted
religions of his day" and preaching a new way of life.  He clearly
accepted the Jewish faith, and saw in himself the fulfillment of the
"hoary old stories from the past".  Further, the "new way of life" he
preached was primarily a reinterpretation of the central maxim of the
Jewish faith, that we ought to love (1) God and (2) each other.  While
I am always happy to be challenged by non-christians, I prefer that the
discussion maintain some resemblance to real life.

As to the more general question of "blasphemous" scince fiction, it occurs
to me that it is a question that should be considered separately from the
question of the overall worth of the story.  Secular fiction, almost be
definition, is concerned more with the nature of man than with the
nature of God.  It is possible, even in stories containing a "God"
character, to deal with the story apart from its representation of God--
much as hyperdrive and time travel do not invalidate the quality.

In regard to questions as to the possibility of "Christian" science fiction
with soul-less elves and resurrecting lions, one must carefully separate
out the author's intent from his/her phrasing.  Did C.S. Lewis actually
intend to produce a lion-centered faith?  If so, he was blaspheming.
Did he intend to represent some facets of Christ through allegory?  Then
the representation of Christ as Lion is no more blasphemous than John's
representation of Satan as dragon.

Finally, if this keeps up, maybe there should be a subnet
sf-lovers.religious or something.
-Joe Pfeiffer.