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Lewis' thoughts on other major religions?

Comprising most of Lewis' writings.
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Re: Lewis' thoughts on other major religions?

Postby rusmeister » May 26th, 2010, 6:11 pm

"Eh? Two views? There are a dozen views about everything until you know the answer. Then there's never more than one."
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Re: Lewis' thoughts on other major religions?

Postby cyranorox » May 26th, 2010, 8:02 pm

Buddhism is to Hinduism as Protestantism is to [Western] Christianity, but not as Christianity is to Judaism. A reform movement, with some insights, but not a News.
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Re: Lewis' thoughts on other major religions?

Postby JRosemary » May 27th, 2010, 10:43 am

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Re: Lewis' thoughts on other major religions?

Postby rusmeister » May 27th, 2010, 2:51 pm

"Eh? Two views? There are a dozen views about everything until you know the answer. Then there's never more than one."
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Re: Lewis' thoughts on other major religions?

Postby JRosemary » May 27th, 2010, 4:23 pm

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Re: Lewis' thoughts on other major religions?

Postby rusmeister » May 28th, 2010, 3:33 am

Hi Jo,
I think you've read me quite wrongly. You seem to have taken what I meant as a general point that there is a practical limit to what any of us could know as an ad hominem attack.
But your idea that all comments MUST be confined to Lewis is illogical. It is not possible to have much of any discussion at all. We could not discuss any applicability of Lewis's ideas to us, or even the issue of whether those ideas are true or not. You are basically saying that you may criticize Lewis's ideas, but that I may not criticize yours. If you criticize Lewis you DO place yourself in a position above him to do so. I question your ability to really do that - I don't think that your basis to do so is as strong as you seem to think it is, and I don't think any criticism can even be seriously considered if it cannot be questioned. I see a difference between insults to a person (ad hominem) and attacking ideas. I do the latter with no apologies, I avoid the former as sin, an exercise in pride.

I am NOT engaging in personal attacks! I'm not saying you are stupid if you are ignorant of, for instance, Orthodox Christianity (my faith) - and I accept that you are fairly well informed on Buddhism and Hinduism - my point is that we are all invariably ignorant of some aspects of religion, and an apologist for any religion is going to be necessarily dismissive of something or other. That Lewis was dismissive of Buddhism and Islam in "Mere Christianity" is quite excusable, given the audience and circumstances under which he wrote it. I'd say he knew enough, and he does periodically display sufficient knowledge of them for an educated person in other works. I'm not aware of any specific treatises on Buddhism or Islam that he wrote, which, it seems, is what you might wish he had. (For that matter, so do I. I think it would eliminate some of your objections, as well as be very interesting in its own right.)

In sum, I'd say that you should first define what "in-depth knowledge" means, and then how possible it is for any of us to have it regarding all (if only) major religions. A modern comparative religion study course? To me such a thing is, generally speaking, most likely to be a farce and do the dangerous thing of giving a person an impression that they actually understand a religion when in fact they do not. As I said, the horse's mouth is best.
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Re: Lewis' thoughts on other major religions?

Postby maralewisfan » May 28th, 2010, 4:41 pm

Hopefully I'm not being too forward.

Jo,
I appreciate your response to my question, that gives me a good place to start for my final paper. I had an interview with a local rabbi on Wednesday and was thrilled with the conversation that we had. I had a set of questions that I had to ask, but the more indepth part of the conversation was my favorite. I do believe that you are correct that it is much easier to find information about the different religions and to study their beliefs with the internet and a much more congenial environment of acceptance, even if it is not complete agreement.

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Re: Lewis' thoughts on other major religions?

Postby JRosemary » May 28th, 2010, 7:10 pm

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Re: Lewis' thoughts on other major religions?

Postby JRosemary » May 28th, 2010, 10:06 pm

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Re: Lewis' thoughts on other major religions?

Postby rusmeister » May 29th, 2010, 4:35 pm

"Eh? Two views? There are a dozen views about everything until you know the answer. Then there's never more than one."
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Re: Lewis' thoughts on other major religions?

Postby Adam Linton » May 30th, 2010, 8:00 pm

Last edited by Adam Linton on June 4th, 2010, 10:35 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Lewis' thoughts on other major religions?

Postby cyranorox » May 31st, 2010, 12:30 am

For a Christian, the study of Buddhism or Hinduism must be a study of the thought of men, not the study of Divine things; the same for the world flora of religions. To a lesser extent, with important qualifications, this is true of Christian study of Islam. Of Judaism, we are committed to an interpretation at odds with the other heirs of the texts and praxis, principally the Jews. For example, I know the OC claim that the YH-H is Christ is not at all acceptable to others.

So Lewis shares this view, I perceive from scattered comments and allusions; he is not placing Buddhism in quite the parallel with the Church that the [secular] discipline of Comp Religion does. As a wise and perceptive man, Lewis saw the glimpses and patches of truth in Pagan religion, and did not hold that Christianity had exclusive title to all of the truth. But I think he did hold that Christianity had all of the truth, sharing various aspects or parts with the religions, but neither needing nor accepting addition from any.
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Re: Lewis' thoughts on other major religions?

Postby postodave » June 3rd, 2010, 7:01 pm

So I drew my sword and got ready
But the lamb ran away with the crown
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Re: Lewis' thoughts on other major religions?

Postby rusmeister » June 4th, 2010, 3:52 am

"Eh? Two views? There are a dozen views about everything until you know the answer. Then there's never more than one."
Bill "The Blizzard" Hingest - That Hideous Strength
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Re: Lewis' thoughts on other major religions?

Postby JRosemary » June 4th, 2010, 12:40 pm

Yay--lots of new posts! Boo--I haven't had time to read them. :cry:

It's been a crazy-busy week, everyone. Looks like I won't get a chance to catch up till Sunday. Shabbat Shalom, all, and have a great weekend! :pleased:
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