I just heard about a new CD featuring an old Ray Bradbury poem titled Christus Apollo. Apparently, Sir Anthony Hopkins narrates the poem while an orchestra conducted by Jerry Goldsmith performs. I did find a link to it at: http://www.telarc.com/Classical/title.asp?sku=CD%2D80560

Should be pretty interesting...

Okay, I know, this is an old posting...
...but it brings up an 'old point / new point' that Ray has made in the past.... That is, that this poem, Christus Apollo, is a poem to regard, when considering his faith in Christ...

Well, I toss this out....looking what others who have read it think of it, as either clarifying Ray's faith, or obscuring it. For now....I'm leaving out my opinion ....

Blueangel--Thanks for the information. I'm going to buy it as soon as I get paid. It looks like something I will enjoy, and it's a new avenue of "Ray worship" for me--c.d.'s!! I get so much new information from this board every day, and here I thought I knew so much about him. Now I know I am a mere fledgling.

Attempting to make' theologica'l sense of ''Christus Apollo' upcoming week. Too big a task? Maybe! From my learning, will I discern the Christ from scripture or one of novel making? We'll see.

Meanwhile...find it both interesting and disturbing to have come across some remarks made from someone with a Bible watchdog group called ''Creation Safaris''. Seems one of the fellows there heard Bradbury speak few years ago and made this remark back then:

(06/27/2001)
"Bradbury received a standing ovation from the assembled internet gurus of 'Cisco Networkers Conference' in Los Angeles as he feebly walked with his cane back to his chair. One has to wonder if the 81 year old author, friend and colleague of Carl Sagan, is feeling a little unsatisfied with atheism as he approaches the end of his earthly sojourn. Or maybe he just doesn't want to offend the god(s) in case they exist. The God of the Bible, of course, demands we make a choice of Him apart from all the false gods of the nations. Despite how exuberant Bradbury felt in 1969 when Armstrong stepped onto the moon, is it really a comfort to him now? Even if his science -fiction dream were to become reality in the distant future, how can the achievements of people he will never know console a man when it comes time to face the dark beyond, as naked, alone, and unredeemed?"

Hmm! Harsh!?? Maybe. This is a tough one. Scripture does deal with what happens to someone who never heard the gospel or scripture at all...either lived in some remote time in history, some country it never reached during their lifetime, or off an island by himself and his unknown clan in present day.

Well, it does say...that God''s hand is written in the very nature of things, and the knowledge of God is inherit in every person. And thereby there is no one left with excuse not to recognize God. What one does with that inherited knowledge, or what one does with what is seen, is the fork in the road to all.

I believe Ray has done a super-enormous amount with what God has graced him with. Does Ray recognize God as the God in the Bible? Well that is another story. And will that answer be found in his work, "Christus Apollo'? I'll soon see what I think about all that after perusing this celebrated work of Ray's.

Let's see... in 2003 requested anyone reading this poem, Christus Apollo, might have some feedback. Now, 2005...still no replies! So, request is NOW made again!

Tying to make heads or tails of this poem, and it appears from my initial readings that it has a lot to do with self-motivation. Seems this is the poem, as well, that makes the idea that man goes into space to 'save' God. Seems that no anwser is ever given to man, except he find it in the stars, but only thru effort of making it happen himself.

Okay, open to suggestions and opinions ... Thanks (as I continue to read)...