XPost: alt.books.cs-lewis   
   From: bree@bree.com   
      
   On Sat, 08 Oct 2005 13:06:58 +0200, Steve Hayes    
   wrote:   
      
   /snip/   
      
   >In a world in which everyone practises mere Christianity, that is, loves their   
   >neighbours, loves their enemies, and they all treat others as they themselves   
   >would like to be treated, there is no room for witches, because witches, by   
   >definition, are those who wish to harm others.   
      
      
   I don't think Lewis ever used a term like 'mere Christian'. Certainly he   
   never used 'mere Christianity' in a sense like that above: like some   
   improved or enlightened or ideal or purified version distinct from what   
   real people really wrote in their creeds etc -- much less something that   
   could be 'practised' on  its own!  (See Naph's quote of Lewis's passage   
   about a hall vs rooms, opposing any such idea.)   
      
   I don't know who first referred to 'practising M/mere Christianity.' Maybe   
   you were doing a reducio ad absurdum here -- but I fear it's in danger of   
   taking on a life of its own.   
      
   (If something can be in danger of taking on a life ... which might make   
   more sense in Buddhism. :-)   
      
      
   Bree   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)