That article, Lush, made Ms. Basham look like an Enlightened philosophe.
Without getting into any of the specifics of what the author was saying, I will say that I was not impressed by the writer's use of leading rhetorical questions ("Doesn't God want us to...?") to 'help' the reader along. The author sets up the article as a critique of Tolkien's work. Ha. After openly admitting to "have neither the time nor the stomach to drudge through any of Tolkien’s books," the author proceeds to write an article in which no characters, events or quotes from
The Lord of the Rings are used as argument, instead choosing to utilize only two notable sources;
The Inklings Handbook and the Bible.
The article attempts to defame C.S. Lewis by questioning "the company he kept," specifically that of Mr. Aleister Crowley, who was supposedly rumoured to sacrifice children "and other ceremonies" ("other ceremonies?!" oh no, anything but that!). What is the author implying with the reference to Mr. Crowley, another "member of this intimate society" known as the Inklings (the Inklings actually had many members, on-and-off, as well as people who frequently sat in on their sessions. My memory may fail me, but I do not remember Mr. Crowley being a prominent member.), about C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien? Is the author implying that Lewis and Tolkien were embroiled in cults which led them to sacrifice infants? That their literary styles and spiritual lives were influenced by this Mr. Crowley? This question, just like all of the questions that she poses to the readers, are never plausibly answered.
Ok, without even touching on Lush's point that the author "attempts to speak for God Himself," which he/she certainly does, I cannot bear to continue writing about this tripe.
I agree Saucepan; shades of Yusko indeed. In the
I don't believe this thread you asked the question that was tugging at my mind the entire time I read this and Mr. Yusko's writing:
Quote:
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Why can't these people devote their energies into addressing the tangible wrongs that are happening here and now, rather than making wholly misguided attempts to brand anything that they don't agree with, or which doesn't conveniently fit into their own comfortable little belief system, as evil?
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