The provoking title of this article in fitting as C.S. Lewis paints a interesting picture of the differences between animals and humans. When posed with the question of whether you can lead a good life and not be a Christian.
He says, “One of the things that distinguish man from the other animals is that he want to know things, wants to find out what reality is like, simply for the sake of knowing. When that desire is completely quenched in anyone, I think he has become something less than human”. This means that our thirst for knowledge is key to our humanity. It seems unnatural than that we would want to ignore the something we think may be untrue just because it isn’t helpful to us. He then goes on to explain that the lack of knowledge can be very detrimental to humanity. Why would we be content with this lack of knowledge if it could help us even if it wasn’t convenient to our views of a happy life. He articulates this splendidly by saying, “Are we ready to run the risk of working in the dark all our lives and doing infinite harm, provided only someone will assure us that our own skins will be safe, that no one will punish us or harm us?”. C.S. Lewis had explained in some earlier reading about the moral law that being selfish in not valued in any culture or society. This is the epitome of selfishness.
C.S. Lewis then makes a crucial distinction between someone who is ignorant of Christianity or unable to believe Christianity, and someone who is simply not sure enough that they want to put the time into learning of whether Christianity is right or someone who simply doesn’t want to change their lifestyle or follow the instructions of the Bible. He first explains that he hopes God will have mercy for someone that is ignorant or mistaken. This could bring up some controversy because the Bible notes that the only way to heaven is through Christ, therefore, without knowing or understanding Christianity these people would be dammed, right? However, these types of people would never be asking whether they could live a good life without Christianity. They would either not know about Christianity at all or not think it important enough to affect the quality of life. The person who isn’t sure enough to continue their search for truth or the person who just doesn’t want to be changed by Christianity is a whole different idea. It is a type of laziness or selfishness. C.S. Lewis wisely says, “Isn’t it obviously the job of every man (that is a man and not a rabbit) to try to find out which, and then to devote his full energies either to serving this tremendous secret or to exposing and destroying this gigantic humbug?”. It only seems fitting that something as important as Christianity whether true of false should be devoted a life’s work to crediting or discrediting.
While reading this it really reminded me that I cannot be a luke warm Christian. I should either be pursuing it with all my heart if I believe it to be true, which I do, or trying to save people from this elaborate fallacy. As humans we must search for truth and continue to discover if Christianity is true or not.
I really like how you concluded in the last paragraph. I didn't see that quote in that light before. Lewis is telling the non-Christians what Christianity is all about, at the same time, he's challenging the Christians to really be passionate about spreading the word.
ReplyDeleteJenna, I love how you connected this with being a lukewarm Christian. We can even ask this questions when we are "perfectly good Christians." Also, thought I'd let you know that the presentation today was really good:)
ReplyDeleteI really agree with what you said in the last paragraph about being a lukewarm Christian. Lewis says that it's bad to ask if we can live a decent life without being a Christian, but sometimes I think it's also bad to ask if we can live a decent life with being a Christian. I think that our mindset sometimes is that we don't need to do anything else once we become Christians and that our job is over, when in reality our job has just begun.
ReplyDeleteGreat connection at the end. This whole lukewarm idea shows up in the Bible when God is talking to a specific church, and also in the Screwtape Letters. It is something that we must remember daily, so that we can continue to be hot for Christ.
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