Strangers and Aliens: Science Fiction & Fantasy from a Christian Perspective

Ep. 66 — The Silver Chair and the Red & Blue Pills

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Pulp-O-Mizer_Cover_Image-16In this episode, Steve, Dr. Jayce, and Ben discuss The Silver Chair and its famous confrontation between the witch queen and Puddleglum, and the sci-fi and fantasy movies that reflect the idea of living in a world that is not reality. They also put on a couple dramatic presentations to do so.

This episode is part of the Strangers and Aliens Year of Lewis. The month of May is devoted to The Silver Chair and The Problem with Pain. You can discuss these books on our Goodreads book club: Our Goodreads group can be found here.

Next week is also the Christian geek podcast theme week. Check out these other podcasts, who will be taking part in the week!

PODCASTER’S ASSEMBLE!!!

Are You Just Watching? — http://areyoujustwatching.com
 
Faith Hope and Nerds — http://faithhopeandnerds.com
 
Gamestore Prophets — http://gamestoreprophets.com
 
Geek This! podcast — http://geekthispodcast.com
 
Geekually Yoked –– http://geekuallyyoked.com
 
Holy Worlds Podcast — http://holyworlds.posterous.com
 
The Sci-Fi Christian — http://thescifichristian.com
 
Storymen — http://storymen.us
 
Strangers and Aliens — http://strangersandaliens.com

 

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2 responses to “Ep. 66 — The Silver Chair and the Red & Blue Pills”

  1. Michael Poteet Avatar
    Michael Poteet

    I like how Ben’s Morpheus sounds a lot like, not Christian Bale, but Clint Eastwood. “Are you feelin’ lucky, Neo? Well? Are ya?”

    The thing about using “The Matrix” as a Christ-metaphor or Christian-figure, which kind of works, is that salvation in that movie (haven’t seen the other two) is based on gnosis – secret knowledge, not freely available to all. Jesus is not a gnostic savior. No, this world is not all there it is; but neither is it an illusion, as the matrix is. It works, but only up to a point (as, of course, all analogies do).

    I think you really should ask an atheist the question about morality, because I have heard them defend non-theistic morality quite coherently, and I have known very moral atheists. I am not prepared this minute to argue that case for them; but, while I do believe God is the ultimate source of morality, I also think we Christians don’t do ourselves any favors in apologetics by continually trotting out the “you-can’t-be-good-without-God” argument. It persuades no one except believe who already believe in God.

    But, criticisms aside, I did enjoy this episode! Thanks for it!

    Reply
    1. Ben Avatar
      Ben

      It’s not so much that you can’t be good without God, as it is where does morality come from?

      The few people who have actually thought about it and who are also atheists and who have talked to me about it gave me the concept of evolutionary protection of the species and route of least resistance (I do not steal because I am happier without the thing I want than I would be if I were to be caught). Also there is a chemical component, from an evolutionary standpoint — we have evolved to feel good when we help someone — our brain rewards us with endorphins when we do something “good” and that is where morality comes from.

      But when pressed for why, for example, the question I asked is why help someone not within your “tribe” like the random person on the side of the road who needs help changing a tire, they said they would want to help that person, but could not say why.

      The question I want to ask is not “can you be moral/good without God?” — people can be and are — but “why be moral/good without God?” What pushes you toward that desire? As Christians, we see it as God’s law written in the hearts of man. I want to know what those who do not have God think.

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