How can they miss the mark so??!

[Alexa Angel]

Actually, it's John William Waterhouse. He's considered a Pre-Raphaelite, though he might be better called a neo-classicist. He often painted pictures out of mythology and fable. The title of the painting is Psyche Opening the Golden Box. I am told that I closely resemble Psyche. Waterhouse also did a painting called Psyche Entering Cupid's Garden. I have now made use of both paintings as my avatars. I am including the link to his website.

http://www.jwwaterhouse.com/paintings/

[a_hnau]

Many thanks for the link. Is Till We Have Faces a favourite of yours? (being like Psyche and all). I came across something intriguing in Warnie's Louis XIV; speaking of Louise La Valliere, Louis' latest mistress, he says "She was the mortal whom the god she idolized visited only in darkness, vanishing with the daylight" - I know the myth of Cupid and Psyche is a well-known one and in those days anyone with a classical education would think it very natural to use it in writing, but I can't help secretly hoping that Warnie wrote this because his brother was at the same time wrestling with TWHF (Louise XIV was published in 1959, TWHF in 1956, so it's not impossible...

[Alexa Angel]

*looks embarrassed* Actually, I haven't read Til We Have Faces. It's on my list, though. It sounds as though your theory could be substansive, though. :)

[Guest]

[Guest]

[Sven]

[loeee]

Hello aZur.

I would say that article is definitely not written from an RC point of view. Some sort of conservative fundamentalist church, possibly Baptist, would be my guess. Yes, they seem very conservative.

By occult they mean witchcraft/sorcery and magic, which they associate with devil worship even in the case of such "fairy tale" magic as Lewis included in his fantasy stories.

(I don't agree with them either. I doubt you'll find anyone on these board who does.)

[Sven]

[Guest]

[jen]

Um...I'm a baptist, but I would have to say that the writings of Lewis have had the most positive effects on my spiritual life than any other books besides the bible. I also know many other baptists that support and admire Lewis' writings, albeit don't agree with EVERYTHING said. I hope there are no nasty feelings behind the word "fundamentalist". What is wrong with being a fundamentalist? I believe Lewis was. It only means that you hold to the 7 fundamentals of the faith such as the Deity of Christ, the Virgin Birth, christ's Death, resurrection and ascesion, etc (can't remember the rest...). By that definition, I think it is safe to guess that most Christians in the Wardrobe would be considered fundamentalists. ;)

Believe me, I know what you mean when you sneer at the Christian-fantasy-haters of the world. (Many may be baptist, but they are the extreme, really! The Bill Gothards and the Bob Joneses, if you know what I mean...) They are more fustrating than almost any other people-group, and I would have to admit, they are my least favorite. I have had more than one "friendly discussion" with Spiritual Snobs of that sort. Those people have a whole set of self-inflicted problems of their own (I know because my Uncle is one of them) and more often than not, destroy their families because of them. Anyway, not only are these people Spiritual Snobs, but I also believe they are afraid of fantasy. That is why they hate it so much. Has anyone else noticed this? What is your take on all this? I think I might be rambling a little, but I felt like I had to say something...

[a_hnau]

Hi, Jen. It's an interesting thought - afraid of fantasy. Obviously there is a balance to be struck, between concentrating only on the objective truth, versus allowing your imagination to run wild. I think Lewis represents one of the best examples of this balance we are likely to see - although he was a master of 'sub-creation' in his fantasy, he didn't allow this to take him down blind alleys theologically. As the old cautionary saying goes, "Whatsoever is truly new, is certainly false".

[provis]

[jen]

Thanks for your replies...I was worried I was going to be blacklisted, admitting myself to be a baptist... ;)

The fear of fantasy is something I am noticing more and more in people. They look at fantasy and label it all as dragons, dugeons, etc. I believe that were we look at fantasy and see flickering light and shadow, mystery and wonder, they see darkness, uncertainty, and border-line sorcery. One of my very closest friends steers away from fantasy, because of this perception. He says he doesn't want to see it that way, but he can't help it. It the undercurrent of the supernatural and the apperance of "hidden knowlege" seem dangerous to him, and as he frankly admits, it scares him. And he is no whimp. Perhaps it was the way he was brought up that had something to do with it, (a baptist minister's son, teehee) with parents that have a distaste for "all that sort of thing". I'm thinking, that most fantasy-haters think this way only don't know it, and are not as objective as my friend is to take the time and think it through, realizing they are really only judging it on a personal preference.

Just thinking out loud here, so I hope it makes sense. Does anyone have any thoughts along these lines?

[Solomons Song]

[a_hnau]