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
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.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote suggests that true happiness doesn't come from religion, but rather from simpler pleasures like a drink.
C. S. Lewis highlights a personal perspective on the relationship between spirituality and happiness. He implies that relying on religious beliefs for comfort may not be as fulfilling as enjoying life's simpler pleasures, such as having a glass of Port wine. This reflects a critical view of how people often seek solace in religion when, in fact, their happiness might stem from different, more tangible sources.
Themes
HappinessReligionComfortPhilosophyPleasure
In practice
Example use cases
This quote could be used during a discussion about the role of religion in personal fulfillment.
More from C. S. Lewis
All quotes →I 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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