The Power of Fiction

Thanks to Wenatchee The Hatchet for bringing my attention to this post concerning C. S. Lewis.

As mentioned, there is a time for war and a time for peace. There is a time for frontal attack and a time for less warlike efforts. And there is room in the world and the body of Christ for what fiction can teach us.

Why C. S. Lewis Didn't Write for Christianity Today

Thanks WTH. I needed this.

Here are WTH's musings on the above article: Link

Spiritual Abuse Survivor from New Zealand

A New Zealander is presently visiting the United States and has encountered the Bible Belt. That's okay, except that this New Zealander, Grace Bridges, has been spiritually abused in the past and sometimes those who have not made room for even the possibility of spiritual abuse, they simply don't understand.

Here is her explanation to her Bible Belt internet friends as to why she behaves the way she does.

My Battered Faith Meets the Bible Belt

And if you follow her links, you will see a bit more of her story and a bit about her book that she wrote in response to the abuse. Grace writes Science Fiction.

Edited to add: Grace's spiritual abuse actually occurred in Germany rather than New Zealand, so I updated the title to reflect this.

Houses of Healing

There is a scene from Lord of the Rings that didn't appear in the theatrical version. I've shared it elsewhere. But because it seems to go with this series on strong men and men who have the heart of true brothers towards women, I've decided to link it here for those of my friends who haven't seen it yet.

Jesus taught us to treat one another as brothers and sisters. And this view is so lost when you start dividing things up into boxes and roles and giving one gender the lesser role. When in fact we are all called (male and female) to be warriors and brothers of light. The chapter that immediately follows Ephesians 5 is Ephesians 6 which tells us, regardless of gender, to take up the full armor of God. Yet the role pushers want to make only men warriors and relegate women to helpless damsels in distress, or victims. And such a set up sets women up for failure. Then when failure comes, the woman is relegated to the level of strange women and her humanity, brother/sisterhood is lost and she becomes even lesser still and a thing to be mocked, warned against, and even further used.

More about that later.

This scene opens up with a heart wrenching cry from a warrior brother who has discovered his sister's body on the battle field and shows his anguish over her. Then it quickly moves to the following scene in the houses of healing and what follows there.

The reason I like this scene is because it shows a couple things. One, the love of a brother for his sister (who refused the box of her culture and went into battle thus fulfilling an ancient prophecy and gaining a huge victory). And, two, the healing of this sister by another man who is not her biological brother, but is most definitely her brother in arms and in heart.

There is a third man shown who becomes a love interest later, but in this scene it shows his attraction and admiration for her heroic actions on the battlefield.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6UhO9K7F3I

True brothers want to make the church into a house of healing for all, including women, no matter where the women come from or how they are wounded. True brothers believe that the name of God, "The Lord our Healer" still applies today and is more important than their own 'advancement' and authority in the Kingdom of God.
False brothers are only concerned with their own authority, controlling women and making extra rules for them that men don't have to obey, and extra sins that men can't be guilty of.

Hind's Feet on High Places

I have another book to recommend. It just sort of goes along with the heart healing message of Wild at Heart, but is geared more for women. Also, like WaH, people either loved it or hated it. So I recommend it with the warning, your milage may vary. It is fiction and allegorical and I liked it better than Pilgrim's Progress.
http://www.amazon.com/Hinds-Feet-Places-Hannah-Hurnard/dp/0842314296