Maxioms by C.s. Lewis
Feast of John Vianney, Curè d'Ars, 1859 I am, indeed, far from agreeing with those who think all read more
Feast of John Vianney, Curè d'Ars, 1859 I am, indeed, far from agreeing with those who think all religious fear barbarous and degrading and demand that it should be banished from the spiritual life. Perfect love, we know, casteth out fear. But so do several other things--ignorance, alcohol, passion presumption, and stupidity. It is very desirable that we should all advance to that perfection of love in which we shall fear no longer; but it is very undesirable, until we have reached that stage, that we should allow any inferior agent to cast out our fear.
Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is read more
Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important.
It's so much easier to pray for a bore than to go and see one.
It's so much easier to pray for a bore than to go and see one.
When we propose to ignore in a great man's teaching those doctrines which it has in common with the thought read more
When we propose to ignore in a great man's teaching those doctrines which it has in common with the thought of his age, we seem to be assuming that the thought of his age was erroneous. When we select for serious consideration those doctrines which "transcend" the thought of his own age and are "for all time", we are assuming that the thought of our age is correct: for of course by thoughts which transcend the great man's age we really mean thoughts that agree with ours. Thus I value Shakespeare's picture of the transformation in old Lear more than I value his views about the divine right of kings, because I agree with Shakespeare that a man can be purified by suffering like Lear, but do not believe that kings (or any other rulers) have divine right in the sense required. When the great man's views do not seem to us erroneous we do not value them the less for having been shared with his contemporaries. Shakespeare's disdain for treachery and Christ's blessing on the poor were not alien to the outlook of their respective periods; but no one wishes to discredit them on that account.
Better never to have met you in my dream than to wake and reach for hands that are not there.
Better never to have met you in my dream than to wake and reach for hands that are not there.
