Wednesday, January 11, 2006

A Religion to Make Us Happy?

Thanks to Dave Gosse who directed me to this interview with C. S. Lewis. Here is Lewis' answer to the question...
Which of the religions of the world gives to its followers the greatest happiness?

Lewis:

Which of the religions of the world gives to its followers the greatest happiness? While it lasts, the religion of worshipping oneself is the best. I have an elderly acquaintance of about eighty, who has lived a life of unbroken selfishness and self-admiration from the earliest years, and is, more or less, I re­gret to say, one of the happiest men I know. From the moral point of view it is very difficult! I am not approaching the question from that angle. As you perhaps know, I haven't always been a Christian. I didn't go to religion to make me happy. I always knew a bottle of Port would do that. If you want a religion to make you feel really comfortable, I certainly don't recommend Christianity. I am certain there must be a patent American article on the market which will suit you far better, but I can't give any advice on it.


But this is the great irony. Today Christianity in popular preaching and worship services is presented just exactly that - the lifestyle to make you safe and happy. Jesus is there to make us happy, right? Why, to think otherwise is considered strange, unbiblical and even heretical, correct?

3 comments:

TKls2myhrt said...

Great Lewis quote! I hadn't read it before, unless it was many years ago. You are right to observe that it is ironic that Christianity itself, as practiced in many denominations, has become a religion of worshipping one's self.

LPC said...

Thank you TK, we do need to get back to Christ centered, Cross focused, Word base worship

Anonymous said...

"Beyond Narnia- CS Lewis" will be on the abc this Sunday,

http://www.abc.net.au/compass/s1554178.htm

would be interesting to watch...