| Poster | Thread |
| | Re: | | Quote:
While some are analyzing the flaws of someone/something, they might just be failing to see God's timely truth through that person/thing.
I think Diane hit it right on the nail, and it was mentioned several times in the forum - without listening to what God is saying, we can easily substitute His voice with our own reasoning ability, and, in her words, " [fail] to see God's timely truth through that person/thing." It is called Providence.
The truth is: we do not choose our situations, no matter how hard we may press forward and how much we want to be trusted by God for the decisions we make. Always, God has some truth for us, some "wisdom that comes from heaven" (James 3:17). It may not necessarily be what we want, but is what we need - and it can come through Lewis' [i]Narnia[/i], or just flipping through the channels to hear a "prosperity gospel" preacher, or [i]whatever[/i] God finds necessary - this, however, takes patience. And when God speaks, it is then our responsibility to be quick to listen and slow to speak (James 1:19), shed any pride we may have, and trust Him to guide us safely through the process.
Otherwise, we are bound to start a condemnation game which has no end - until we hear God say, "Be still, and know that I am God" (Ps.46:10). |
|  2005/12/27 13:57 | |
| | Re: Narnia - the postmodern path to salvation? | | Know I've already said a lot, but, on the point of [u]analysing[/u], can I draw to [i]everyone's[/i] attention, that people 'process' incoming information very differently from each other.....
Some people have to do a lot of [i]speaking[/i] to work out what they have decided to accept or reject. Others, do a lot of [i]listening[/i], a lot of [i]silent thinking[/i], not very much conscious analysing but actually they are..... (without realising it) trying to work out what to keep and what to reject from what they've heard..... until their conscious position has accommodated any changes they accept to make, which is [i]more of a metamorphosis[/i].
These are [i]only[/i] two ways that people deal with new thoughts or information.... there are [i]many[/i] (many) others.... and..... perhaps we should cut each other as much slack as possible, recognising that God has to (virtually) shout at some people some times, whereas others are constantly digging themselves out of guilt and condemnation, because they are [i]so[/i] sensitive to any 'voice' which catches their attention.
This is not about love covering a multitude of sins. This is simply a request that we acknowledge each others' humanity and in some cases, that means [i]slowness[/i] (that's me), [i]misunderstanding[/i] (that's me), simply not picking out what other people 'hear' as the central message in what's being said (that's me) and generally making things more complicated than they need to be....(yes, me again), while others appear to have never [i]not[/i] thought of what's being discussed. (Extremes, I know, but putting it this way for the sake of emphasis.)
Some of the best threads are full of questions and answers, where brethren have bothered to clarify what the other is trying to say. |
| | 2005/12/27 14:28 | | roadsign
Member
Joined: 2005/5/2
Posts: 3777
| | Re: The blessedness of confusion | | Quote:
Some of the best threads are full of questions and answers, where brethren have bothered to clarify what the other is trying to say.
I've heard it said that we evangelicals are too quick to give answers before the questions are asked. Maybe the true giftedness lies in the ability to cause questions to be raised. If Narnia (or whatever other medium) does that, then perhaps it serves a useful purpose. It sets something in motion within the mind. Perhaps confusion, in itself is a gift. It moves one on, if one is willing to move.
I must admit that some of the worst sermons I have ever heard where the best for me. They stirred up my rage enough to arouse me out of my complacency. They got me asking quesitons and searching the Word FOR MYSELF.
Who knows what little seeds will be planted here and there through Narnia. And little "seeds" that stir up rage in some Christians might be good too... shake them out of their "boxed-in" thinking.
Diane
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Diane
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| | 2005/12/27 16:06 | Profile |
| | Re: Narnia - a postmodern path to salvation? | | Quote:
I must admit that some of the worst sermons I have ever heard where the best for me. They stirred up my rage enough to arouse me out of my complacency. They got me asking quesitons and searching the Word FOR MYSELF.
Diane,
You've put a smile on my face.... thank you. ;-) |
| | 2005/12/27 16:23 | | groh_frog
Member
Joined: 2005/1/5
Posts: 432
| | A Letter From Lewis | | Supposedly here's a letter from Lewis talking about turning Narnia into a TV series.
I don't know if this letter is real or not- I'm trying to verify it. But here it is all the same- just take it with a grain of salt in case it can't be substantiated as genuine.
Grace and Peace...
Dear Sieveking
(Why do you 'Dr' me? Had we not dropped the honorifics?) As things worked out, I wasn't free to hear a single instalment of our serial [The Magician's Nephew] except the first. What I did hear, I approved. I shd. be glad for the series to be given abroad. But I am absolutely opposed - adamant isn't in it! - to a TV version. Anthropomorphic animals, when taken out of narrative into actual visibility, always turn into buffoonery or nightmare. At least, with photography. Cartoons (if only Disney did not combine so much vulgarity with his genius!) wld. be another matter. A human, pantomime, Aslan wld. be to me blasphemy.
All the best,
yours
C. S. Lewis
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| | 2005/12/27 21:19 | Profile | groh_frog
Member
Joined: 2005/1/5
Posts: 432
| | | 2005/12/27 21:21 | Profile | groh_frog
Member
Joined: 2005/1/5
Posts: 432
| | Re: | | I'm sure that this issue is soon to be water under the bridge, eh? Well, if it can be used, even if only to be a door to plant a seed. When does this movie come out?
Grace and Peace... |
| | 2005/12/27 21:24 | Profile |
| | Re: Narnia - the postmodern path to salvation? | | Quote:
When does this movie come out?
I think you'll be able to see it when you get home.
I've seen it already. As as film, I appreciated the acting, which I thought was pretty good.
As an evangelistic tool, I'd have a lot of trouble explaining the use of the term witch, which comes nowhere near the power of the sin principle. (See Gal 5:20). There is also a problem with the use of terms like 'deep magic'. And if you were a witch spelling magic, you'd spell it with a 'k'.
The difference between sin and sins is tricky enough to explain, without trying to explain where witches fit in the scheme of things. I think the gospel needs to be preached with an objective view of Jesus Christ right in the middle of it... Although Aslan had the power to break the witch's spell, the power of Jesus Christ's death was to break the power of sin itself. Jesus Christ's power is overwhelmingly more than Aslan's. Praise His Holy Name!!!
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| | 2005/12/28 5:49 | | suzy
Member
Joined: 2005/12/11
Posts: 69
Devon, England
| | Re: | | We were introduced to the Narnia books by Edgar Parkyns back in the 70s, and read the whole series to our children (good bed-time stories).
My husband and I went to see the film just before Christmas, and thoroughly enjoyed a good, clean, wholesome and moral film - a very pleasant change to some of the other stuff produced for children to watch (eg Harry Potter). Three of my grandchildren also went to see it with their parents before Christmas and also enjoyed it because we met up with Narnia on Boxing Day (26th).
My son lives in a converted 'Devon long barn' (U-shaped barn), and at one end they created 'Narnia' in a spare bedroom where Christmas presents were hidden for my daughter's family. A wardrobe was adapted (back removed), and placed in front of the door leading to Narnia; and of course, coats were placed inside the wardrobe. So the children had to go through the coats in the cupboard to get into Narnia to find their hidden presents! It was very imaginative and great fun for all - adults and children alike!
Let's take it at face value and enjoy some good literature which has been made into a film!
Sue
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Sue
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| | 2005/12/29 13:42 | Profile |
| | Re: Narnia - a postmodern path to salvation? | | Quote:
My husband and I went to see the film just before Christmas, and thoroughly enjoyed a good, clean, wholesome and moral film
The professional advice is to not take a child who is under ten to see the film, because the 'dark' side is indeed dark.
Were you not distressed for the child who seemed to be tied up for days in a freezing cold environment? Did you not ache for the way his naivete was exploited?
I'm sure it was lots of fun going through a real 3D wardrobe with coats hanging in it, and no back, but I remember vividly as a child and later as a mother, the amount of trouble which was gone to to teach me never to go inside a cupboard (or wardrobe) and close the door, because there is not usually a way to get back out.
Although I enjoyed the film too, something I'm slowly learning to do, when there is one which is not riven with other sorts of thing one would rather not feed to one's eyes, afterwards, I thought of the amount of trouble all those pictures of children going into a wardrobe and carefully closing the door behind them 'click', will cause to parents - and who knows, maybe even real life tragedies.... although one hopes not. |
| | 2005/12/29 14:23 | |
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