Of course most stories are in some ways a contest between good and evil, including most stories of war and police work. The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe is very clear in the Lion being portrayed as Christ like and the White Witch as Satan. Aslan, the Lion, gives his life instead of the repentant person who betrayed him, and the witch is the one who does the killing. Then the lion comes back from the dead and leads his people to victory over the evil forces. There are more allegories than that but that's a overview.

In one of the other books there is a nasty little kid who because of greed becomes a dragon. He is changed back into a boy after letting the lion peal off the dragon skin, which the boy could not do on his own. This is clearly a reference to sin and what it takes to give our sins to God and let Him free us from them.

The other books you ask about, while I've not read them, I understand there is no Christ like figure nor any thing else in them that would point a person to the Christian experience.

While I think the Chronicles are much better than most fictional books that people read I too have some problems with them. They only go so far in their portrayal of the Christian life, and in some of the books there is very little allegory and they are mostly a tale for entertainment. Again better for kids (or adults) to read than some but not real great if you are looking for a Christian message.

Redfog

I would suggest that the difference between Lewis Tolkien and Rowling basically goes like this: The Chronicles of Narnia are extremely christian in their themes, apart from pilgrims progress I have never read such a work of fiction, where in the Lord of the Rings the chrstan themes are very much more subtle. However Harry Potter, which I have never read, understand claims to show good triumphing over evil, but uses the same means to triumph over evil as those who are suppposedly evil! I have also heard Harry Potter accused of beng a pure witches manual.


My personal view on the issue of whether or not we should read any of these books comes down whether or not they uplift the mind or not.

I can say catagorically that both Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia (although I have only read the first four books) and Tolkiens Lord of the Rings have enriched and uplifted my mind bringing to my mind various bible passages at various places of the books.

Have read Mere Christianity and the Screwtape letters. IMO MC is a book Id recomend to anyone interested in a basic introduction.

/Thomas

I agree Thomas. Did you also find it interesting that Lewis did not set out to lead someone to any denomination in Mere Christianity, but just to Christianity? Just the introduction of that book has some very good points in it.

I don't get it. Nor do I see the poing of me taking my family whom I have a responcibility to protect from the snares of the devil, to see this movie. Why must I search and dig and struggle to find God in a movie or presentation? If it is that difficult to grasp then prehaps its not there to begin with!?!

If it is truly about God then there should be no doubt or mystery about it. Isn't that the problem with much of the world today who wrap themselves in the appearance of christianity, but still instead of pointing to Christ, the object of worship is self, or Mary, or someother idol.

I would not take my family to see it, nor would I recommend anyone else go and see it. What for, I ask?! For what purpose I ask?! What have I to gain? What does the believer, who is exposed to the lies of Satan in music, television, print, the speech of others, etc, have to gain from going to see this??? Will it draw them nearer to God? Will it preparing them for the shaking that lies ahead? Will is build their faith?

We don't need to know how brilliant Senior Lewis is, nor do we need to see how brilliant the movie directors are. What we need to be doing is guarding the gates of our mind, which begins with what we behold. We need to be guarding ourselves and our families from the deceptions that exist in these last days and preparing for the coming of our Lord.

No one asks or wants to be decieved. But deception is what will happen to us when try to mix the holy with the un-holy. Christ has nothing to do with magic or magical characters. Nothing at all! Its call spiritualism and it will lead multitudes to their doom. Lord of the Rings, Narlia, it does not matter. If it is not of God and centered around Christ, it is not of God.

Lets keep it out of our homes, schools, churches lives, minds and hearts.

--Ren

Here is something a friend of mine wrote on the same topic...

quote:

---

The Chronicals of Narnia are confusing at best and corrupt at worst. You cannot tell the story of Christ by using amalgamated man/animals, a lion and a witch. Fantasy of any kind creates a hunger for the sensational that will sour one's taste for the pure provender of the Bible. I know people who read Narnia that cannot look at the BIble without falling asleep. Some might say that this proves a value to Narnia,as it can reach those who find the Bible boring, but actually it is fiction and stories that cause the problem.

---

--Ren

What would happen if these same millions of children were reading the Bible in place of reading fiction? What would happen in this world?


"The readers of fiction are indulging an evil that destroys spirituality, eclipsing the beauty of the sacred page." AH 412.

"Both old and young neglect the Bible. They do not make it their study, the rule of their life. Especially are the young guilty of this neglect. Most of them find time to read other books, but the book that points out the way to eternal life is not daily studied. Idle stories are attentively read, while the Bible is neglected. This book is our guide to a higher, holier life. The youth would pronounce it the most interesting book they ever read had not their imagination been perverted by the reading of fictitious stories." CSW 24.


--Ren

I guess we had better get Pilgrims Progress out of our homes too! Fiction is bad.