The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

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1. mcswellMar 2024
   In C.S. Lewis' book The Voyage of the Dawn Treader", the travelers meet a "retired" star, Ramandu:

   "In our world," said Eustace, "a star is a huge ball of flaming gas."

   "Even in your world, my son, that is not what a star is, only what it is made of. And in this world you have already met a star, for I think you have been with Coriakin." [said Ramandu]

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2. uticusJan 2024
   > Is this universal?

   You tell me, we live in the same world. Humans universally have serious issues with greed, selfishness, and all manner of other ugly things. We are not basically good, we are basically evil.

   A twisted man has a sort of twisted Midas touch, so that even if he has natural abilities in managing wealth things become tainted. He may even realize he's a dragon (speaking as a fellow twisted man). C.S. Lewis had some things to say about people who suddenly realize they are dragons in "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader."

   The problem isn't wealth, it is our hearts.

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3. mcswellMay 2022
   I used to use the term "evangelical" to describe myself, but given the usage of that term in the last ten or so years, I've stopped, and I just consider myself a Christian.

   That's a preface to what I really wanted to say, which is that having been in various kinds of evangelical-like churches for the past 50 or so years, and having heard a lot of sermons both good and bad (and by "bad" I mainly mean boring, only occasionally something wrong), I've never heard much about heaven or hell; in fact, I can think of precisely one sermon that really gave the topic of heaven much thought, and none that talked about hell. I'm at a loss to explain why your experience and mine are so different.

   BTW, if you've read C.S. Lewis's Voyage of the Dawn Treader, I have always thought that the monopods (duffers) were a congregation, and their chief a pastor who is constantly preaching boringly obvious things: "And what I say is, when chaps are visible, why, they can see one another." And such like.

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4. artimaeisNov 2021
   If my attempt to cite a source is a veiled attempt to confuse the issue, then what is your citation of anecdata? And what is your context of this very argument, if not a meta-argument?

   Regardless, it seems like you prefer the idea of anarchy to order on the roads. Especially since order can only come from groups which exist for enrichment through creation and enforcement of rules. I'm sure your decades of experience have proved to you that a road without laws and bureaucracy is best for all. After all, tyranny is super bad, so less tyranny is always more good!

   I'll sign off with my own C.S. Lewis quote.

   "One of the most cowardly things ordinary people do is to shut their eyes to facts."

   -- C. S. Lewis (2010). “The Voyage of the Dawn Treader”

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5. mcswellSep 2021
   1 point by mcswell 0 minutes ago | edit | delete [–]

   “Aren’t you a star any longer?” asked Lucy. “I am a star at rest, my daughter,” answered Ramandu...

   “In our world,” said Eustace, “a star is a huge ball of flaming gas.”

   “Even in your world, my son, that is not what a star is but only what it is made of." [--Ramandu]

   C.S. Lewis, The Voyage of the "Dawn Treader"

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6. lazaroclappJun 2016
   Oh, it is absolutely right (as far as we know). But "exactly as programmed" doesn't mean "exactly as intended" it means "exactly as programmed", with bugs and vulnerabilities and all.

   ' “This is the land where dreams–dreams, do you understand–come to life, come real. Not daydreams: dreams.” There was about half a minute’s silence, and then with a great clatter of armor, the whole crew were tumbling down the main hatch as quick as they could and flinging themselves on the oars to row as they had never rowed before. . . . For it had taken everyone just that half-minute to remember certain dreams they had had–dreams that make you afraid of going to sleep again–and to realize what it would mean to land on a country where dreams come true. ' - C. S. Lewis’s Voyage of the Dawn Treader

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