Book Rant: Mere Christianity

I wanted to read C.S. Lewis' Mere Christianity because I've heard him quoted so many times in sermons and lectures.

It's a thought-provoking book and I'm glad I finally read it. To be completely honest though, I found it a little difficult to read . . . at least by today's standards. I say that because the book is actually an adaption of Lewis' radio lectures that BBC broadcasted during World War II.

Since the book is basically a transcript, the style is very informal and conversational with a lot of jumping around from one point to the next - which lends to the book's tendency to occasionally lose its reader.

I found it interesting that not once did Lewis ever quote scripture. Maybe one reason was because the reader he had in mind was one who was still considering becoming a Christian or a recent convert and therefore would not be familiar with scripture.

I'm not one of those who feels you have to quote scripture a certain number of times on every page; but it made me notice how often scripture is quoted by today's authors.

No doubt Lewis was an incredible theologian. However, I found the writing style a bit laborious to read. He kinda reminds me of the hyperactive child in Sunday school class - you enjoy him immensely, but best in small doses at a time.

Not to say that there aren't any good nuggets to take away - here are a few:

Pg. 65 - "For this time [when Jesus returns] it will be God without disguise; something so overwhelming that it will strike either irresistible love or irresistible terror into every creature. It will be too late then to choose your side."

Pg. 127 - " . . . it is very right, and often our duty, not to care what people think of us, if we do so for the right reason; namely, because we care so incomparably more what God thinks."

Pg. 131 - "Do not waste time bothering whether you love your neighbor; act as if you did."

Pg. 140 - "Faith is the act of holding on to things your reason has once accepted in spite of your changing moods."

Pg. 185 - "Christianity thinks of human individuals not as mere members of a group, but as organs in a body - different from one another and each contributing what no other could. When you find yourself wanting to turn your children or your neighbors into people exactly like yourself, remember that God probably never meant them to be that."