C.S. Lewis ( 10 of 145 )
This moment contains all moments.
This moment contains all moments.
It is safe to tell the pure in heart that they shall see God, for only the pure in heart read more
It is safe to tell the pure in heart that they shall see God, for only the pure in heart want to.
Affection is responsible for nine-tenths of whatever solid and durable happiness there is in our lives.
Affection is responsible for nine-tenths of whatever solid and durable happiness there is in our lives.
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.
Men say, "How are we to act, what are we to teach our children, now that we are no longer read more
Men say, "How are we to act, what are we to teach our children, now that we are no longer Christians?" You see, gentlemen, how I would answer that question. You are deceived in thinking that the morality of your father was based on Christianity. On the contrary, Christianity presupposed it. That morality stands exactly where it did; its basis has not been withdrawn, for, in a sense, it never had a basis. The ultimate ethical injunctions have always been premises, never conclusions. Kant was perfectly right on that point at least, the imperative is categorical. Unless the ethical is assumed from the outset, no argument will bring you to it.
Of all tyrannies a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive.
Of all tyrannies a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive.
Miracles are a retelling in small letters of the very same story which is written across the whole world in read more
Miracles are a retelling in small letters of the very same story which is written across the whole world in letters too large for some of us to see.
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.
Love is not affectionate feeling, but a steady wish for the loved person's ultimate good as far as it can read more
Love is not affectionate feeling, but a steady wish for the loved person's ultimate good as far as it can be obtained
I wish they would remember that the charge to Peter was "Feed my sheep", not "Try experiments on my rats", read more
I wish they would remember that the charge to Peter was "Feed my sheep", not "Try experiments on my rats", or even "Teach my performing dogs new tricks".
