A dogmatic belief in objective value is necessary to the very idea of a rule which is not tyranny or an obedience which is not slavery.
C. S. LewisRead
We poison the wine as He decants it into us; murder a melody He would play with us as the instrument...Hence all sin, whatever else it is, is sacrilege.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote reflects on the human tendency to corrupt and misuse the gifts and talents bestowed upon us, equating sin with a violation of sacred trust.
C. S. Lewis suggests that when we engage in sin, we are not just committing a wrong but are actively desecrating the sacred gifts that life offers us. He likens our actions to poisoning the very essence of life, symbolized by wine and music, which are meant to be enjoyed and celebrated. This perspective frames sin as a profound act of betrayal against the beauty and potential of existence, urging us to recognize the gravity of our choices and their impact on both ourselves and the divine gifts we have.
Themes
SinSacredPoisonLifeGiftsBetrayal
In practice
Example use cases
During a sermon on ethics, one might quote this to illustrate the seriousness of moral choices.
More from C. S. Lewis
All quotes βI enjoyed my breakfast this morning, and I think that was a good thing and do not think it was condemned by God. But I do not think myself a good man for enjoying it.
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Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you get neither.
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Forgiving and being forgiven are two names for the same thing. The important thing is that a discord has been resolved.
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I pray because I can't help myself. I pray because I'm helpless. It doesn't change God - it changes me.
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The instrument through which you see God is your whole self. And if a man's self is not kept clean and bright, his glimpse of God will be blurred
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Why God has instituted Prayer:β To communicate to his creatures the dignity of causation.
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When a condition or a problem becomes too great, humans have the protection of not thinking about it. But it goes inward and minces up with a lot of other things already there and what comes out is discontent and uneasiness, guilt and a compulsion to get something--anything--before it is all gone.
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