my christian odyssey
2005-08-30

I'm reading "Mere Christianity" as a prelude to starting "Why I Am Not a Christian." Having given up for the 2nd time on "History of Philosophy," I am bound and determined to get through at least one Bertrand Russell before I die.

I haven't gotten to the actual "Christian virtues" part yet, but right now Lewis's logic goes something like this:

1. Everybody has morals which are all about the same, give or take
2. Which shows there is a moral law
3. Which must have been put in place by something outside m.an

I don't get the point about why God has to be the Christian god, but it has something to do with Jesus being both God and Man so he could perfectly repent for everyone. There's a lot of war imagery - Christians fighting the enemy, etc. Also, Hindus believe everything is God. Is that true, P.? I have to go back and read the Narnia books now to see if there were any Hindus in there as opposed to the Muslims and the Communists who ran the evil kids' school where Eustache went.

There's also a bit of that self-help flavor, "be religious because it will make you better," but Lewis's idea of better seems to do with being able to adhere to a certain code of morality, not the idea that Christ will help you push up your sales.

Am worried now about the few people I know from New Orleans. Apparently the whole city has descended into even more chaos, with mass looting. In New York there was no looting when we had a blackout, even though the streets were completely dry as opposed to being awash in cholera-carrying poo water. We are well behaved because we are forbidden to dance or smoke in bars.

My roommate is watching "Six Feet Under", I really should like it but I think I am allergic to Alan Ball. OHMIGOD THESE CAMERA ANGLES ARE STUNNING.