Path: ultra.sonic.net!news.pagesat.net!news.he.net!newsfeed.direct.ca!newsfeed.internetmci.com!164.67.42.145!nntp.info.ucla.edu!164.67.80.81!nnrp.info.ucla.edu!ppc-cam.chem.ucla.edu!user From: bnh@chem.ucla.edu (Bruce Hietbrink) Newsgroups: alt.books.cs-lewis Subject: Re: View of JEws vs. Christian Date: Wed, 08 Oct 1997 16:54:32 -0800 Organization: UCLA Lines: 28 Distribution: world Message-ID: References: <34327B22.46A6@dragontree.com> <60uvga$lv7@bgtnsc02.worldnet.att.net> <610soe$mee@usenet.srv.cis.pitt.edu> <01bccf71$f1b11660$4363450c@a.stallw> <611n4v$pso@usenet.srv.cis.pitt.edu> <6122av$oqg@bgtnsc03.worldnet.att.net> <34353633.114933497@news.inetnebr.com> <613gka$2j3@usenet.srv.cis.pitt.edu> <01bcd039$36d3e160$5961450c@a.stallw> <613knd$3d6@usenet.srv.cis.pitt.edu> <1997100400574772756@zetnet.co.uk> <614mpb$9ac@usenet.srv.cis.pitt.edu> <616jvb$eqe@bgtnsc02.worldnet.att.net> <01bcd191$5b5fcf40$LocalHost@metanoi1.ix.netcom.com> <618r14$1q6@bgtnsc03.worldnet.att.net> NNTP-Posting-Host: 128.97.34.112 Xref: ultra.sonic.net alt.books.cs-lewis:9277 In article , Sam Dodsworth wrote: > There are, of course, a few problems with this argument. How do > we know that Jesus was 'too good to be a liar'? Because the New > testament tells us so. But what if the New Testament is a lie? We've got > other historical sources that mention Jesus but not, as far as I know, > another account of what he did. Similarly, can we really say that he was > 'too wise to be a lunatic'? If it's impossible to be wise, charismatic > _and_ deluded in one's beliefs then were Mohammed and Buddah liars or > lords? > > -- > Sam Dodsworth > (sam@aristos.demon.co.uk Sam, Lewis' trilemma (which should, perhaps, be a tetralemma: lord, liar, lunatic, legend) was not addressed to Jesus' beliefs in general, just to his claim to divinity, given the implications of that claim to a devout Jew. He points out that Mohammed and the Buddha never made such a claim to actually be God. The strength of the trilemma goes down when applied to less monumental claims. In Him, Bruce Hietbrink