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To: proud2bRC
Ah, thank you. Even an indirect reply is better than no reply. :)

Some thoughts on apologetics from C.S. Lewis, whom I mentioned earlier, and in the direction I thought you were going originally (and seem to be going now):

Each of us has his individual emphasis: each holds, in addition to the Faith, many opinions which seem to him to be consistent with it and true and important. And so perhaps they are. But as apologists it is not our business to defend them. We are defending Christianity; not "my religion". When we mention our personal opinions we must always make quite clear the difference between them and the Faith itself. God in the Dock

One of the great difficulties is to keep before the audience's mind the question of Truth. They always think you are recommending Christianity not because it is true but because it is good. And in the discussion they will at every moment try to escape from the issue "True - or False" into stuff about a good society, or morals, or the incomes of Bishops, of the Spanish Inquisition, or France, or Poland - or anything whatever. You have to keep forcing them back, and again back, to the real point. Only thus will you be able to undermine ... their belief that a certain amount of "religion" is desirable but one mustn't carry it too far. One must keep on pointing out that Christianity is a statement which, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The one thing it cannot be is moderately important. God in the Dock

And, with your indulgence, one more...

Here is a door, behind which, according to some people, the secret of the universe is waiting for you. Either that's true, or it isn't. And if it isn't, then what the door really conceals is simply the greatest fraud, the most colossal "sell" on record. Isn't it obviously the job of every man (that is a man and not a rabbit) to try to find out which, and then to devote his full energies either to serving this tremendous secret or to exposing and destroying this gigantic humbug? God in the Dock

As an additional observation, Lewis commented numerous times that his efforts were not to "make new Anglicans, but new Christians." He felt his calling was to get them into the great hallway of the Faith; once there, they could each choose the doorway (denomination) where they were most comfortable.

49 posted on 11/26/2001 6:18:15 AM PST by logos
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To: logos
He felt his calling was to get them into the great hallway of the Faith; once there, they could each choose the doorway (denomination) where they were most comfortable.

Actually, that's the only problem I had with Lewis. ;-)

61 posted on 11/26/2001 6:39:50 AM PST by Aquinasfan
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