Guest speakers of different denominations?

[restoretruth]

GV,

I hope that isn't your church!

There are issues that church members have a responsibility to address! There are times we need to speak out! There is good counsel in the SOP regarding this.

... The work which Christ came to do in our world was not to erect barriers, and constantly thrust upon the people the fact that they were wrong. He who expects to enlighten a deceived people must come near to them and labor for them in love. He must become a center of holy influence.  {GW 373.2} 

In the advocacy of truth the bitterest opponents should be treated with respect and deference. ...treat every man as honest. Speak no word, do no deed, that will confirm any in unbelief. {GW 373.3} 

...Carry forward the work of God firmly and strongly, but in the meekness of Christ, and as quietly as possible. Let no human boasting be heard. Let no sign of self-sufficiency be made. ... GW 374.1}

 The influence of your teaching would be tenfold greater if you were careful of your words. Words that should be a savor of life unto life may by the spirit which accompanies them be made a savor of death unto death. ....  {GW 374.2} 

 We long to see reforms; and because we do not see that which we desire, an evil spirit is too often allowed to cast drops of gall into our cup, and thus others are embittered. By our ill-advised words their spirit is chafed, and they are stirred to rebellion. {GW 374.4}   

   ...every article you write, may be all true; but one drop of gall in it will be poison to the hearer or the reader. Because of that drop of poison, one will discard all your good and acceptable words.Another will feed on the poison; for he loves such harsh words. He follows your example, and talks just as you talk. Thus the evil is multiplied.  {GW 375.1}

     Those who present the eternal principles of truth need the holy oil emptied from the two olive branches into the heart. This will flow forth in words that will reform but not exasperate. The truth is to be spoken in love. Then the Lord Jesus by His Spirit will supply the force and the power. That is His work.--"{6T120-123}

[restoretruth]

CP,
It seems like you're working against the current where you are! There must be some good reasons why you stay there. Are there many in your church who are troubled by the situation there? We will keep you & your church in our prayers!

[ColporteurK]

CP,
It seems like you're working against the current where you are! There must be some good reasons why you stay there. Are there many in your church who are troubled by the situation there? We will keep you & your church in our prayers!

Yes, the reason is that so far it is the best option of the weak options. There is one closer church where a teacher of the youth works at the liquor store on the Sabbath. Need I say more? That is the tip of the iceberg.

There  is some working room where I am but it is hard to change the current. We are simply holding back the tide. Otherwise it would be much worse.

[ColporteurK]

       J. Saunders entitled C.S. Lewis: A Bridge to Rome.

http://www.bereanbeacon.org/article/sorted/08_Sponsored_Articles/CS_Lewis_a_Bridge_to_Rome.pdf

A conference president tried to shoot me down because this is a non SDA site.  Interesting that he himself quotes Lewis ( a non SDA) from the pulpit in order to instruct the flock regarding spiritual matters and yet he seeks to discredit a non SDA that has concerns about Lewis because the author is not SDA. What's wrong with that ?

Anyway, if someone else runs into that the same article is on the Amazing Discoveries website.





     

[ColporteurK]

The following is not SDA (I don't think) but it is most interesting. C.S. Lewis was not even close to getting it right. Apparently some of the Bible like Psalms disgusted him. That's ok. The little I have read from the material of C.S. Lewis disgusts me. How in the world  our people ever got to the place of promoting his work would be beyond me were it not for an understanding of the Society of Jesus and their work.



http://www.scribd.com/doc/28512833/C-S-Lewis-deliberately-promoted-a-Paganised-Form-of-Christianity#scribd

[Soli Deo Gloria]

CP
Have you read any of Lewis books such as "Mere Christianity"?
His conversion story is very interesting.  He was an avowed atheist before becoming a Christian.

Sometimes the overly critical spirit of some on this board is quite troubling.  Many have come to know Christ by reading Lewis. 

[ColporteurK]

CP
Have you read any of Lewis books such as "Mere Christianity"?
His conversion story is very interesting.  He was an avowed atheist before becoming a Christian.

Sometimes the overly critical spirit of some on this board is quite troubling.  Many have come to know Christ by reading Lewis.

Nope, and I am not about to other than enough to analyze. I do not read Harry Potter and I do not read Wicca. I read little of that which I have reason not to be confident in and even that which I do have confidence in I spend a very limited amount of time in  unless it is clearly Inspired.

By the way did you know that modern day avowed witches consider the reading material of C.S. Lewis mandatory ?  Have you looked at his occultic themes running through much of his material and have you read his quotes of disgust for areas of the Bible in Psalms. as well as his disdain for passages that say "Praise the Lord!"   

A mixture of truth and error, paganism and Christianity is Christianity's biggest problem. Lewis had serious problems with the Bible.

Today I called the ABC at Lincoln, Nebraska. There is so much coming out of Lincoln that I expected a full line of Lewis' books to be carried there. The manager said, "we do not carry anything like that. You would have to go to Barns and Nobles for that kind of thing." I was pleasantly surprised and replied with, "good for you." Part of the reason I said tat was to reveal to them that I was not searching for that kind of material but rather researching this.

Critical of such material is just what we need to be especially at this time. There IS a prophet in Israel and it is not C.S. Lewis.

Many that claim to know Christ have an extremely warped concept because of books like this. As SDAs we can offer them so much better than that.

[ColporteurK]

 Let's discuss the links I posted. Let's look at the problematic material of C.S Lewis. A mixture of truth and error, poison and lemonade can be lethal.

Particularly on this thread  we are talking about SDAs being led to accept material from those who do not know or accept the Three Angel's Messages.


Reflections on Psalms  by C.S. Lewis

Regarding verse 5 of Psalm 23 (“Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies”), he says:

“This may not be so diabolical as the passages I have quoted above; but the pettiness and vulgarity of it, especially in such surroundings, are hard to endure. One way of dealing with these terrible (dare we say?)contemptible Psalms is simply to leave them alone.” (p.18)

[newbie]

i have read the book only because I saw that it was quoted so much by our people...

my take away feeling is that this book is for atheists... that maybe it will get them to think logically about good and where it must come from...  for atheists, I believe it might be a first step...

as for us, I think it should have no place in our quarterlies and writings... 

[Soli Deo Gloria]

i have read the book only because I saw that it was quoted so much by our people...

my take away feeling is that this book is for atheists... that maybe it will get them to think logically about good and where it must come from...  for atheists, I believe it might be a first step...

as for us, I think it should have no place in our quarterlies and writings...

Thanks Newbie for an honest assessment from someone who actually read Mere Christianity. 
Lewis is so right on when giving an apologetic for the existence of God.

I have problems with those who take pot shots from reading other people's opinions rather than making intelligent observations from actually reading directly from the author. Then it is fair game to critique their writings.

[ColporteurK]

 
  I posted a quote from C.S. Lewis. They are HIS words. If one wishes to add more of his quote that is fine.

Probably even the pope has said something good but we do not promote his literature as recommended reading for enlightenment within our church. If they do, they should be ashamed. Truth mixed with error only serves to make the writer's work the more dangerous and the more to be avoided.

What is amazing is that anyone could take an author's disdain for the word of God so lightly.

I am reminded of a question that never receives a sensible answer. What is it that those who have the light of God's Word and the amplification of God's Word as given through a  modern day prophet (relatively speaking) suppose they are finding in a jumbled mass of truth and error ( Lewis's work) that does not exist with prophetic writings ?  Entertainment ?

If indeed there is ANYTHING profound in ANY of Lewis' writings please present it (specifically) and It will then shown where we already have such truth , minus error, minus occultic imaginations, and minus confusion. An open mind is not an empty mind.

It has been acknowledged by a pro Lewis' fan that Newbie read Lewis with an open mind. Even that is not necessarily correct.  It sounds to me like Newbie read Lewis' because of influences that would tend to give one a preconceived view of the man's writings that they are wonderful. I am not saying that she could not be objective but to say that she  was entirely neutral when beginning to read is the very best one would conclude since she only read it because people were saying it was good. Her conclusion is that Lewis' writings " might be" for atheists.  Even the "might be" is an indication that this was a solid statement of assurance. She then said that his writings are not for SDAs. That is in harmony with the principle direction of this thread. It could be argued whether Lewis' writings are for anybody but the dominant point is that they are not for SDAs.

Can we address the error and attitude toward Scripture of C.S. Lewis or does that not matter ?
A faithful study of anything involves analyzing the content and not just a broad brushed statement of approval.
What standard do we hold when it comes to supporting a professional's work in any field ?

Imagine a brain surgeon having performed  what some  might consider a good maneuver during surgery and then making many serious mistakes like leaving the scalpel inside the patient and rather than sewing up the incision placing the stitches where there is no incision.  Would that be ignored because he may have done something correct during the surgery ? Imagine others in the field of medicine replying with " You need to keep an open mind."

Incidentally, that's pock shots. Error and  distain for any of God's Word should be singled out from the onset.