Lens of Lewis

Life through the lens of Lewis. Quotes, insight, and apologetics from C. S. Lewis—author of Mere Christianity and Narnia.

[Lens of Lewis @LensofLewis]

My argument against God was that the universe seemed so cruel and unjust. But how had I got this idea of just and unjust? A man does not call a line crooked unless he has some idea of a straight line.

#CSLewis

[Lens of Lewis @LensofLewis]

Pain insists upon being attended to. God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our consciences, but shouts in our pains. It is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.

#CSLewis

[Lens of Lewis @LensofLewis]

A man can no more diminish God's glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word "darkness" on the walls of his cell.

#CSLewis

[Lens of Lewis @LensofLewis]

I believe in Christianity as I believe that the Sun has risen, not only because I see it but because by it, I see everything else.

#CSLewis

[Lens of Lewis @LensofLewis]

Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance, the only thing it cannot be is moderately important.

#CSLewis

[Lens of Lewis @LensofLewis]

Some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again.

#CSLewis

[Lens of Lewis @LensofLewis]

Most of us are not really approaching the subject [of Christian Society] in order to find out what Christianity says: we are approaching it in the hope of finding support from Christianity for the views of our own party.

#CSLewis

[Lens of Lewis @LensofLewis]

To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you.

#CSLewis

[Lens of Lewis @LensofLewis]

It is not your business to succeed, but to do right; when you have done so, the rest lies with God.

#CSLewis

[Lens of Lewis @LensofLewis]

We have a strange illusion that mere time cancels sin.

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[Lens of Lewis @LensofLewis]

War is a dreadful thing, and I can respect an honest pacifist, though I think he is entirely mistaken.

#CSLewis

[Lens of Lewis @LensofLewis]

Ever since I served as an infantryman in the first world war I have had a great dislike of people who, themselves in ease and safety, issue exhortations to men in the front line.

#CSLewis

[Lens of Lewis @LensofLewis]

In a sort of ghastly simplicity we remove the organ and demand the function. We make men without chests and expect of them virtue and enterprise. We laugh at honour and are shocked to find traitors in our midst.

#CSLewis

[Lens of Lewis @LensofLewis]

I have wondered before now whether the vast astronomical distances may not be God’s quarantine precautions. They prevent the spiritual infection of a fallen species from spreading.

#CSLewis

[Lens of Lewis @LensofLewis]

When we Christians behave badly, or fail to behave well, we are making Christianity unbelievable to the outside world.

#CSLewis

[Lens of Lewis @LensofLewis]

The Son of God became a man to enable men to become sons of God.

#CSLewis

[Lens of Lewis @LensofLewis]

Why, then, did God give them free will? Because free will, though it makes evil possible, is also the only thing that makes possible any love or goodness or joy worth having.

#CSLewis

[Lens of Lewis @LensofLewis]

After each failure, ask forgiveness, pick yourself up, and try again. Very often what God first helps us towards is not the virtue itself but just this power of always trying again.

#CSLewis

[Lens of Lewis @LensofLewis]

It is not your business to succeed, but to do right; when you have done so, the rest lies with God.

#CSLewis

[Lens of Lewis @LensofLewis]

Since it is so likely that children will meet cruel enemies, let them at least have heard of brave knights and heroic courage.

#CSLewis