These reviews might be shortish…
Book #162: Mi Casa Uptown: Learning to Love Again by Rich Pérez
The book is part memoir, part sermon; a good blend of uptown and faith, but in all honesty, I couldn’t bring myself to love it. I partially liked the book for I like a few of the messages, but I didn’t like that lyrically or musically, Mary was compared to the likes of Kendrick Lamar. What does Lamar spiritually and positively bring to the table? Yes, I might be petty, but I didn’t like it. The author loves his city so much that he’ll have a hard time believing that God would want to call him away to another city. 🙄
Final Verdict:
Book #163: The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis
This book was first published in 1942. It’s a Christian Apologetic novel that has been dedicated to Lewis’ then good friend, J.R.R. Tolkien. What even is the purpose of this partially self-help, satire book? This book consists of 31 letters and in the very first one, we see Screwtape advising his nephew Wormwood (named after a star in Revelation) on how to tempt his human, “the Patient” into sin and hell.
The bottom line is that Lewis gives us a very black and white view of right and wrong. Whatever we think is good is Christian-based and whatever we think is bad is anti-Christian. Christians think deeply, but non-Christians don’t? War hurts people, but it’s better to die young than to live to 70 as a non-believer?
This is exactly the kind of book that can cause non-believers to run for the hills. The fear tactics employed in this book! The smugness that clung to the pages. I felt like I went to a sanctimonious church service and the preacher thinks that he’ll be a whole lotta funny to impersonate a devilish figure. He wanted to be funny without being preachy, but it didn’t work.
Although this was satire, meaning that it was supposed to be funny, there was nothing to laugh about for it was too arrogant. Doing the Lord’s work is not a joke and this reverse Psychology of how to stay close to Christianity was not effective. Lewis said that he didn’t enjoy writing this book – I didn’t enjoy reading it – and he spent nights awake worried about this book. Well, one look at Ephesians 5:11 would’ve halt his anxiety and insomnia, and put a stop to writing this book.
Not because a lot of Christians like it, doesn’t mean I have to like it.
Final Verdict:
Book #164: Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis
I thought this book would’ve been redemptive from the Screwtape show, but alas! I was wrong. This book was adapted from a series of BBC radio talks between 1941 and 1944. It should’ve stayed on the radio.
He calls Matthew 24:34 the most embarrassing verse in the Bible because: “Say what you like,’ we shall be told, ‘the apocalyptic beliefs of the first Christians have been proved to be false. It is clear from the New Testament that they all expected the Second Coming in their own lifetime. And, worse still, they had a reason, and one which you will find very embarrassing. Their Master had told them so. He shared, and indeed created, their delusion. He said in so many words, “this generation shall not pass till all these things be done.” And he was wrong. He clearly knew no more about the end of the world than anyone else.’ It is certainly the most embarrassing verse in the Bible. Yet how teasing, also, that within fourteen words of it should come the statement ‘But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.’ The one exhibition of error and the one confession of ignorance.”
Give. Me. A. Break! Lewis was in the wrong, not Jesus. Lewis probably didn’t understand prophesy when he called this verse embarrassing. Jesus wasn’t even talking about the Second Coming. This was Jesus’ most prophetic message concerning the end of the world. Where it concerns His Second Coming, Jesus addresses what we should do (watch) for no one knows the appointed time of His glorious Coming (Matthew 24:36-51).
After many so-call believers read this book, they flocked to atheism because they were looking for a sad excuse albeit a pathetic one to turn their backs on God Who gave them the gift of life. I’m a Christian and after reading this so-call Christian book, I’ll continue to stick with God for He is my EVERYTHING. I have no excuse to turn my back on Him. I don’t need any convincing.
C.S. Lewis comes across as pompous and after reading two of his books, I’ve come to the decision that they’re not my cup of coffee. If I do come across any more of his books such as these in my TBR, I’ll get rid of them. Lewis is canceled.
Final Verdict:
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