Nice to see you again, DieHard! I've been waiting to see you again to let you know that I did indeed take out The Three Musketeers from the library on your recommendation. I got to page 105 before I couldn't take anymore. The last sentence on that page said something like, "Love is the most selfish of all the emotions." I found this "classic" the most pornographic, licentious, selfish pleausure-promoting, fallen human ego-aggrandizing, Way of Christ-bashing and senselessly violent reading I've done in a long time.
I was wondering what it was about the book that you found so worthy of recommendation? I was wondering, too, what it was about me, a Christian and a woman, that you thought would enjoy that reading?
Our last contact (around that recommended reading) coupled with your statement above prompts me to ask: if you do not believe in the God of the Bible--that is, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit--what god do you believe in and how does The Three Musketeers embrace and promote your religious values/your idea of who God is and what He requires?
I ask in all love and all sincerity. I consider you my friend. I was not offended by you as I read the book you recommended; rather, it occurred to me as I continued reading to page 105 that you do not know the Christ of the Bible or understand what He means to me; otherwise you would not have so highly recommended such a book to me. Obviously the author did not love Jesus as I do, either: His ignorance of all that is Christian astounded me for a work of that era and of that popularity. I was taken by surprise!
I would like to help you see Jesus in all His Majesty and Holiness, fully God and fully Man, dying for your sins on the cross and rising from the dead in the perfection of His purity to justify your entrance into the presence of God.
I would like to share with you my admiration for the Word of God, Christ Jesus the Son and only Mediator of my peace with my Creator even as you sought to share with me your admiration for the book The Three Musketeers. There is a wide gulf between these two loves, but we seem to have found common ground for discussion here on the Chambers threads and that is cause for great praise to the Giver of Every Good and Perfect Gift! (:
And this is my prayer:
that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight,
so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ,
filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ--
to the glory and praise of God.
Philippians 1:9-11 NIV
Hello .30Carbine
You write
> I found this "classic" the most pornographic, licentious, selfish pleausure-promoting, fallen human ego-aggrandizing, Way of Christ-bashing and senselessly violent reading I've done in a long time.
Oops!... I certainly meant you no offense by the recommendation. And I'm genuinely sorry you didn't enjoy the book. I found Aramis (the priest-Musketeer) a particularly interesting character, with his struggles between following the way of the cloth (which he ultimately does, in the end) and being a Musketeer, and the dichotomy that this presents him with.
(These would be struggles I can relate to in my day-to-day life).
I thought his intended thesis, which followed the lines of "nothing is worth sacrificing if it is not accompanied by regret" to be particularly profound.
All the more interesting because this work of fiction is based largely on real, historical characters and events. Porthos, Athos, Aramis, and D'Artagnan, DeVille, Cardinal Richelieu, King Louis, Buckingham -- all real people.
Granted, it *is* a wee bit of a rollicking read: I suppose I had just filtered that, much like I have to filter what's on the telly and what I encounter in the streets. I'd find it difficult to live my life if I were easily scandalized: over the years I have developed a very thick skin.
(That said, I try to hold myself to a high personal standard of morality and ethic and conduct.)
I guess I forgot that not everybody would find The Three Musketeers entertaining, for the reasons you raise: my recommendation clearly has caused you upset, and for that I am deeply sorry.
The offense was inadvertent.
> what god do you believe in and how does The Three Musketeers embrace and promote your religious values/your idea of who God is and what He requires?
I'll do my best to explain.
As to the Trinity, I have a very simple Faith: the three-in-one is a concept I have a great deal of difficulty getting my head around. Not being able to understand something is a barrier to Faith, for me.
So I explain it to myself like this: God is the Father and is both eternal and immortal. Jesus is His only begotten Son, not eternal (for he was conceived and born of the Virgin Mary) and once mortal (for he died on the Cross) but raised to Immortality at the Resurrection and is now at the right hand of God. The Holy Ghost is the practical outworking of God's power, manifested.
This makes sense to me because I take a very prima facie reading of the Bible. Possibly this is a simplistic approach, perhaps too "face value" but for me I can understand this.
I used to have a Religion. After a series of trials and setbacks in my life, I of necessity took a small step back from my Religion and developed in its place a very simple yet deep Christian Faith.
I lost a strict dogma and gained a deep and rewarding Spirituality. In all, this is working in my daily walk and has given me Direction, whereas what I had before was not.
I hope you are still doing OK with your campaign to quit smoking?
Kindest regards
"DieHard"