That Hideous Strength

I need to summarize and contrast the worldviews espoused by the N.I.C.E aand those held by ransom and the resistence from the book THE HIDEOUS STRENGTH BY CS LEWIS

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I don’t have my copy in front of me. (Grouse).

Let me give you some stuff that’s by no means exhaustive. The public face of the N.I.C.E. is a radical approach to government and science that examines all society’s institutions from the ground up--remake society to maximize all the known science and technology for the good of humanity.

The real aim is to transform society into a totalitarian state more ironclad than Nazi Germany or Soviet Russia. Suspension of all civil liberties. Seizure of all private property. Control of the press. Abolition of any group--religious or political--that looks threatening. Engineering humanity into breeding stock--again, like Nazi Germany--and the Italian surgeon, Filostrato. Awful experiments on humans--like with the guy they behead, Alcansan. Achieving population reduction by extermination. Humanity becomes a herd--for slave labor--or food--to serve the elite.

Prof. Frost tosses some names at Mark Studdock. Jeremy Bentham. David Hume. Huxley (famous British family that includes Aldous Huxley, author of ‘1984’. Also Thomas, famous biologist who championed Darwinism--a Richard Dawkins of his era. And Julian--same deal). The gist is that there is no such thing as morality--because the concept of morality and religious belief is an offshoot of Spirituality--the idea that there is an intangible part of human nature. Frost is a complete Materialist. He doesn’t believe in a conscience. He doesn’t even believe in Consciousness. He thinks Mind is a delusion. This is part of the thinking of David Hume--which is very highbrow philosophy. Yet he--and John Wither--and a few others--know of the existence of the Macrobes--the supposedly unknown Creatures that exist on a level above humans.

So there you go. N.I.C.E. is not nice. Secrets within secrets.

Now--the other side--Logres. It is an ancient order presided over by the Pendragon, who is divinely appointed each generation. It is

Christian--yet also oddly pagan Celtic--no doubt due to the ancient influence of Merlin, who was a Druid--yet a Christian--and reinforced by Ransom’s influence--who has met the Oryarsa of both Mars and Venus. It is also quaintly Victorian--in a good sense, of proper reverence and social graces--not the bad sense of imperialism. It reveres God and nature, and the sanctity of all human life, all in the proper way--like St. Francis of Assisi. Sometimes its members have been called upon to do battle--and sometimes only pray and meditate--and raise veggies and big adorable bears.

Lewis himself once said that modern people are so thoroughly Materialist that you almost have to make them Pagans just to lay a foundation for teaching about Jesus. The One God makes more sense to people to believe in many gods than to those who believe in no gods.

I hope with all my heart this helps--not only for academic and intellectual discussion, but personal application. I'll be the first to confess its inadequacy.