CS Lewis & Mere Christianity

[spiritmech]

[Mere Christianity] is more like a hall out of which doors open into several rooms. If I can bring anyone into that hall I shall have done what I attempted. But it is in the rooms, not in the hall, that there are fires and chairs and meals. The hall is a place to wait in, a place from which to try the various doors, not a place to live in. For that purpose the worst of the rooms (whichever that may be) is, I think, preferable. It is true that some people may find they have to wait in the hall for a considerable time, while others feel certain almost at once which door they must knock at. I do not know why there is this difference, but I am sure God keeps no one waiting unless He sees that it is good for him to wait. When you do get into your room you will find that the long wait has done you some kind of good which you would not have had otherwise. But you must regard it as waiting, not as camping. You must keep on praying for light: and of course, even in the hall, you must begin trying to obey the rule which are common to the whole house. And above all you must be asking which door is the true one: not which pleases you best by its pain and paneling. In plain language, the question should never be: 'Do I like that kind of service?' but 'Are these doctrines true: Is holiness here? Does my conscience move me toward this? Is my reluctance to knock at this door due to my pride, or my mere taste, or my personal dislike of this particular door-keeper?'
"When you have reached your own room, be kind to those who have chosen different doors and to those who are still in the hall. If they are wrong they need your prayers all the more; and if they are your enemies, then you are under orders to pray for them. That is one of the rules common to the whole house."

CS Lewis, preface to Mere Christianity

So, what of it? Which doors have you tried? How long did you stay in the hall? Where are you now and why?

SM

[Cyrus of Persia]

I didn't checked the context of the quote from his book i have. Does he means by Hall the place where you are after being introduced to God, and by rooms different churches and denominations? If so, then i briefly give my story.

I was in lutherian church (baptized, confirmed), but it did not had almost any effect on me. It was like: this room (lutherian church) is my home, but i'm almost never at home, and always travelling in the world.

I got saved in evangelical christian church (ALMOST similar to baptists). So i enjoyed fully this room and i'm still in it (although in another congregation, because i moved from one town to other). Year, or so after getting save, i unofficially enjoyed the decorations in Prosperity Theology room, and remained to do so for few years. I still like some decorations from this room and think that other rooms i have been in, might be more vital if they would include those decorations, while refusing to have some other decorations from that room.

But i'm travelling again. I break some rules set in my previous room, because i find them not scripturally based. If they kick me out, i do my best to show to outsiders the other side of this room, what might be unknown to them. If they tolerate me, i keep contributing them and doing my best to provide this room with talents i have.

But there is only one room i feel totally confortable. It's my heart where God lives. I have seen TOO much strife over doctrines, and ethics and almost every church seem to have "the truth"(TM). They support their case of scripture, and condemn others. Others base their case on scripture too, and fight back. While essence is God's, traditions and interpretations are many times man-made, and i really don't see why i should appreciate one interpretation over another, while both are made by fallible humans. This is why i believe that what God is talking to me is as legitimate (for me) than what others claim about what God is speaking to them. Every church and human is fallible, so am i. Until i keep it in mind, my spiritual health is in safe side.

[Dracula Girl]

So, what of it? Which doors have you tried? How long did you stay in the hall? Where are you now and why?

SM

Is this like the story of how we got to the church we are at or if we are they yet or something?