Mere Christianity summary
Below I will provide one sentence summaries of each chapter I read from the book Mere Christianity.
Book 1
We as humans are created by some being who also dictates, through our conscience, how we ought to behave.
All of humanity feels the weight of some Law of Human Nature, which dictates to everyone's conscience a common sense of Right and Wrong, yet all of us fail to live up to it. Although instincts also persuade us in some course of action or another, this Law can override or promote instincts in a way that superscedes instinct. Attempts to justify the Law by reasoning fail with circular reasoning, but it is nevertheless true. Two opposing views exist on the creation of the Earth, and the Religious view proposes that God gives us this Law within us to suit His purposes. If God exists and has dictated His morals as Law to us, we are condemned by it, because we do not keep it.
We as humans are created by some being who also dictates, through our conscience, how we ought to behave.
Book 2
Christianity is the only logical explanation for the world we live in.
Christianity is the only logical explanation for the world we live in.
The very notion of good and bad promotes the stance that God exists. Christianity is not simple, and the details include the reality of a devil, in whose territory we are. God gave us free will so that we could love, and because of His love and our faults He had to take our sins upon Him. God became man and suffered and died so that we could live. When we become Christians, we actually become the body of Christ.
Book 3
Christian behavior begets Christian identity.
Christian behavior begets Christian identity.
Three goods exist for upholding morality: society's, self's, and direction's. Cultivate virtue for its own sake. Live the Golden Rule to a sacrificing degree. Your secret reason for actions is what is judged. Those struggling with sexual morality should keep trying. Christian marriage is more than civil marriage. Loving your neighbor doesn't mean being fond of him. Don't be proud you are better than others. That longing within us for a better world is a beacon from heaven. Faith is holding onto convictions when fears and imaginations press otherwise. Faith is turning ourselves over to God.
Book 4
How man becomes God-like
How man becomes God-like
Theology is a guide to God's interactions with man. The three that make up the Godhead form a trinity (ick). God lives in an eternal Now, not subject to time. Some false doctrine, and the Holy Ghost works within us. All humans are connected, so Christ's life saves all of us. God made us human and fallible; just because we are one Christian body does not mean we cannot be individuals. When we pray, we pretend to be Christ -- as we actually slowly become Him. Being Christian means that our will is wholly swallowed up in the Will of the Father. Once started, conversion will lead to a total change in you. Each of us are in our own spot in our progression towards full conversion. Everyone has a choice to become this new man.
posted by Andrew Arnott @ 7:00 AM
1 Comments:
I actually enjoyed this book. Not to say I don’t think the bible isn’t a thumping good read it’s just that it was a pleasant surprise that it was an opinion based book on one mans views. Instead of just telling you what to believe. He just draws attention to his way of thinking. He is not forcing his beliefs upon any one who doesn’t want to hear them he’s simply just wanting to be heard. I like this kind of writing, taking what just about every Christian has been taught and questioning these basic instinctual beliefs. Instead of just excepting every thing your told. Question life question authority these are two things that come to mind when I finished this book. Hell half way into it I felt rebellious not that this book was but I felt some form of familiar rebellion after this book. I have to say it felt good. I loved it and his bit on ethics in general. I have been raised a catholic and believed these teachings because I firmly believe in gods existence but sometimes I wonder if I would have taken the same path without outside influences. It’s just something that keeps me up at night like tonight for instance it is now 4:36 am and I fine with being up telling my opinions on a book I actually enjoyed instead of feeling like it was a burden. If I felt this way I’d be lucky to even have the first sentence written on this post.
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