Rating: 
Summary: "Musturbation" versus human well-being.
Review: Lewis begins his argument for Christianity by pointing out the grammatical oddity (in English) that we often speak of things that we ought, or ought not, do. He then makes the dramatic leap that the origin of such ideas must come from some SUPERNATURAL realm, and thus opens a doorway for the arbitrary and historically contingent Judeo-Christian ideas about "god."Now, really. When you buy a new auto, and you read in the owner's manual something like, "You ought to change the oil every 3,000 miles," are you to conclude that you've just received a "supernatural" revelation? Of course not. Some human invented that ought-statement as a way of expressing the relationship between a means and an end, in this case, maintaining one's auto properly. Moral ought statements are no different, though their origins have been lost in the passage of time. They express relationships relating to the maintenance of a workable society, with the "supernatural" sanctions associated with them acting as a kind of psychological scarecrow to improve compliance. Moreover, since Lewis argues elsewhere (_The Abolition of Man_), following David Hume, that you can't derive ought from is, this effectively destroys the argument that the postulated existence of a god means that we ought to act in certain ways. "We ought" cannot follow in any way from "God is," so Lewis's case is dead on arrival. Moreover, even if the origin of moral ideas is genuinely mysterious (though I don't see them that way), you can't explain a mystery by invoking an even bigger mystery ("god"). And to top off my critique, I might add that modern cognitive psychotherapy (exemplified by the popular writings of Albert Ellis and David Burns, many of them still in print) has discovered that a lot of unnecessary emotional distress results from irrational adherence to ought, must and have-to ideas. Ellis coined the term "musturbation" to describe the kind of crooked thinking responsible for so much human suffering. We can use ought statements as guidance when they serve human flourishing, but the kind of unthinking ought-idolatry promoted by Lewis and other Christian moral absolutists causes nothing but misery.
Rating: 
Summary: Wonderful
Review: This is, from what I've read from him, C.S. Lewis' best book. It's jam-packed with so much wit and wisdom; like the Bible, reading it more than once will prove rewarding. The first chapters deal a lot with "belief" in God, while the later ones simple talk about living a life of Christianity. Both sides are a great read, even if you feel like you're doing okay in both areas (Mere Christianity will defenitely reveal something that needs to be fixed in your life). It can be pretty confusing in spots, so only read this if you WANT to. And if you're here reading this review, you probably do, so go ahead and buy it. You won't be disappointed. This was written by a 17-year-old guy who likes to think about deep stuff.
Rating:
Summary: Recommended Reading For The "Not Sure"
Review: This book is one of only a few books I have ever read, and re-read, and re-read, and read again. C.S. Lewis uses simple, yet comprehensive, arguments that lead the reader to the inarguable conclusion that Jesus was in fact God. The way in which the argument unfolds is simply masterful; almost like a well written murder mystery where the villian was visible all along, but you just couldn't quite figure it out. Then all at once the answer hits you! Lewis goes on to explain how the Christian faith interacts with the individual and with society in general. C.S. Lewis does this without any bias to a particular Christian dogma, instead opting to address the common beliefs of all Christian religions. This book will be enjoyed by anyone who is unsure of the existence of God or unsure of who Jesus is. It will also be enjoyed by firm believers for its simple style. A must read in my opinion.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent learning for Christians of all stages in faith
Review: Obviously, most people know C.S. Lewis for his Chronicles of Narnia and Space Trilogy, but he has amazing critical writings as well. Mere Christianity is one of these notable and important books. No matter the stage in your walk in faith, this book will be a great read. Lewis' intelligence jumps off the pages, and the style of writing (taken from audio conversations) makes it feel like you're listening to a close friend. Lewis provides excellent allegories and everyday examples of faith, belief and basic understanding of Christian concepts. And the beauty of it all is that he provides just the right mix of philosophy, facts and faith. I suggest this book if you: A) Want some "real world" examples of why faith is important B) Need a refresher course of who God is and why He matters C) Need more backing/help in your crusade to spread God's Word D) (like most of us) All of the above
Rating:
Summary: I never fail to learn something new from Lewis
Review: The wonderful thing about C.S. Lewis was that he put an amazing amount of thought into his faith. He understood better than most that becoming a Christian meant constantly trying to understand more, to examine both one's self and one's relationship to God. His penetrating intellegence towards Christianity is something that is often lacking in religion, and every time I read Lewis I learn something new, both about myself and my faith. Lewis is a true master. Another author who I'd highly recomend to anyone who enjoys Lewis, one who explores the Christian faith as brilliantly as Lewis, is Brian Caldwell. His novel, We All Fall Down is breathtaking. I'd put him on a par with Lewis, both for writing ability and theological brilliance. His novel is one of the few Christian masterpieces. Both Lewis and Caldwell should be read by those who have discovered God and want to explore that faith as deeply as possible, and perhaps more importantly, by those who have not.
Rating:
Summary: Masterfully Written
Review: Mere Christianity is the magnum opus of the greatest 20th century writer of Christian literature. Lewis argues for the Christian faith in Mere Christianity, and he does so with grace and style. He does not spurt dogmatism. Instead, he takes the reader on a circuitous route to the cross. He begins by describing the vague sense that most of us have about "fair play." Whence comes such a noble sense? Surely it did not get into us by indoctrination or by birth-- there must be some higher source. At this point, Lewis admits that he is not within a thousand miles of "The God of Christian Theology," but he does get there eventually. Lewis's take on the doctrine the Trinity (which comprises a section of Mere Christianity titled "Beyond Personality") is exceptional, and just maybe the best Trinitarian theology ever written. I have read St. Augustine's work on the Trinity, but it is not nearly as well thought out or put together as well as Lewis's. "Mere Christianity," like "Pilgrim's Progress" by John Bunyan or "Castle of Wisdom" by Rhett Ellis (the most intelligent Christian book of recent times) should be read by every Christian who is a deep thinker-- and also by deep thinkers who are not Christians.
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Summary: Christianity is better than this...
Review: I am Christian, and this book was borrowed to me in the hopes that I may gain a "better" understanding of what Christianity is about. Guess what? It worked! I now more fully support Christian principles and have a clearer understanding of the power and vast applicability of this great religion. Only I didn't learn this from Lewis. His personal definitions of Christianity and interpretations of how Christianity should be lived may have adverse effects on society. Following are some of the highlights in his book that serve to reduce Christianity into something static and simplistic: 1) Lewis states that God is seperate from the world. In fact, God is PART of the world he created, among each of us and in each of us. 2) Lewis states that where Christianity differs from other religions, Christianity is right and they are wrong. This is unprecedented. And this is arrogance. There are many roads leading to the same end and each is valuable to its own traveller. 3) Lewis states that the male in a marriage is the superior and has final say in making decisions. Perhaps this old fashioned thinking is due to the era in which the book was written, but unfortunately many Christians today still live by this. And there are many more examples like this. None of these are defining characteristics of Christianity. They rather serve to distort and undermine Christianity's true profoundness. Looking at many of the other reviews, it may be that the favorable reactions are mere affirmations of existing beliefs. In the interest of converting non-Christians (and from a philosophical standpoint), the logic in this book is poor and incomplete. In the attempt to define Christianity, I cannot judge Lewis' personal interpretation. Mine is just much different, and I can only hope that other Christians see the same.
Rating:
Summary: Unprovable yet undeniable evidence for Christian Faith
Review: A logical and incremental method to "prove" to his fellow humans the existance, not just of a higher entity, but of the specific God of The Holy Bible. C.S. Lewis uses wit, logic and analogies throughout this book which will give comfort to even the most militant of agnostics. Lewis' original intent of this book was to, once and for all, prove that there was/is NO God. After completing less than half of his research, he became one of the great defenders of the Christian Faith in the 20th century. This converted atheist and most intelligent scholar from Oxford University of England has found his place as a true guide to help others discover that divinity in Christ exists and all one has to do is read. Another claim I will make, is that this piece appeals to most of the spectrum of intelligence in society from a sophomore in high school to a theological philosopher..enjoy!!
Rating: 
Summary: An Intellectually Honest Attempt
Review: Lewis has good habits as a writer. He tells you his assumptions, his biases and the steps in his logic. It is up to you whether you find his arguments convincing. In this book, he tries to show logically not only that a god exists, but that it is the Christian God in particular which exists. As we would expect, some arguments are better than others. Of course, people who already believe in the Christian God are much more likely to be convinced, but his arguments on the existence of God--particularly in sections concerning morality--are often quite strong. As the divinity of Christ is a much harder fact for some people to swallow, his proofs there also tend to be less convincing. Overall though--and I am a beliver--I found this about as good a "proof" of Christianity as there is. The book has aged well, and apart from what looks now like a quaint view of women and marriage, one could hardly imagine it was written in the first half of the 20th century.
Rating:
Summary: A classic among classics
Review: Any person, young or old who has the faintest interest in Christianity should read this book. I first read it at least 10 years ago, while serving in the U.S. Army. It is one of those books that you find yourself thinking about for weeks after you've read it. If you're curious, if you're just interested in the classics of religious literature, buy this book.
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