Seeing with anothers eyes

Over Christmas I decided to read the Narnia books. I’ve only read the first two, but I’m working on the rest. 

The first book, The Magicians Nephew, I really enjoyed, despite it being a children’s book, (what does that say about my intellect). The second book is much more famous. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe has been adapted for TV and not that long ago into a feature film, so I’m guessing most are familiar with it. 

Although I enjoyed the TV series when I was younger, and thought the film was…’erm…alright, I guess’ they ruined the book for me.  

Now, not because they weren’t true to the book, and changed the plot, in fact they both stick very well to the story. It was because the whole time I’m reading the book I’m imagining the film. I can see little red-cheeked Lucy discovering the lamppost, just like in the film, Mr Tumnus in my imagination looks just how director Andrew Adamson pictures him, and the beavers and Aslan look more like computer simulations (or those massive beavers, for those who remember the BBC adaptation) than real wild animals. 

I’m sure some of you have had this experience too.

This ruins the book for me. It doesn’t allow for the imagination to work. Like I’ve been told how the story looks. I’m reading but not with my eyes.  

This, for me, is a lot like how I read the bible. I’ve already been told the children’s stories. I’ve already been told how things look, how things work and what the answers are. And there is no escaping. 

It’s a shame because you miss out on so much. You miss out on the real, living wild animals. You miss out on putting yourself in the scene rather than in front of a screen. You miss out on being able to use your imagination. Sometimes you miss out on the real meaning because you’re reading through a different directors eyes.  

It’s a constant struggle to come to the Bible afresh.

Consumermas

I wanted to write something about Christmas for a while, well, since Christmas really, but I didn’t know what to write. I still don’t really know, but I want to write something, so here goes…

I don’t like Christmas. Sorry, but I had to be said. The grumpy old man in me again. Well, I do like Christmas, but I don’t, but then I do, but really I don’t. And hence you can see why I don’t know what to write.

I like Christmas. I like opening presents and sometimes I like to give them. Especially when I’ve taken time in choosing them and wrapping them. I like the looks on people’s faces when they open them. I like decorations (sometimes, let’s not go mad). I like receiving cards, especially the ones from people you don’t expect or haven’t heard from in ages. I like trees, and being warm even though its cold, and candles and ‘theologically sound’ (so my sister once described) midnight mass, and cribs and nativity stories. I particularly like spending time with family, playing those games you only play at Christmas, and of course I like the food. Roast parsnips, Yorkshire puddings and stuffing and turkey and Christmas pudding and custard and everything else.

But then I don’t like Christmas. I don’t like the thought that I celebrate good news with mindless and unnecessary consumerism. I don’t like the fact that I give and receive presents (although they are lovely and very generous) while others, the ones who really need it, don’t receive anything. I don’t like that I eat gratuitous amounts of food, while others go hungry. Something inside me doesn’t sit right when I say theologically sound prayers for the sick, poor, hungry, homeless and lonely at midnight and then go home curl up in my warm heated home and drift to sleep awaiting my hoard in the morning.

In fairness Christmas is a mass concentration, a bottleneck, of how I live my life daily – Constantly in a mix, torn between living Christism or Consumerism

‘At least there is much more truth and wisdom in the Christian Christmas than there currently is in the version now ruled by the God of Mammon. After all, look in any bible and I defy you to find Jesus Christ exhorting his disciples to go forth and shop!’
Max, UK – atheist (taken from http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/talking_point/3244944.stm)