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 must keep alive in myself the desire for my true country, which I shall not find till after death; I must never let it get snowed under or turned aside; I must make it the main object of life to press on to that other country and to help others to do the same.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the importance of longing for a higher, spiritual existence and guiding others toward it.
C. S. Lewis speaks to the necessity of maintaining a passionate desire for a higher purpose or spiritual 'country' beyond our current life. He urges individuals to prioritize this longing to ensure it isn’t overshadowed by the distractions of daily existence, while also encouraging others to share in this pursuit of a meaningful afterlife.
Themes
DesireSpiritualityAfterlifePurposeGuidance
In practice
Example use cases
In a spiritual retreat, to inspire attendees to reflect on their ultimate goals.
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.
C. S. LewisRead
Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you get neither.
C. S. LewisRead
Forgiving and being forgiven are two names for the same thing. The important thing is that a discord has been resolved.
C. S. LewisRead
I pray because I can't help myself. I pray because I'm helpless. It doesn't change God - it changes me.
C. S. LewisRead
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
C. S. LewisRead
Similar quotes
Karate is like boiling water: without heat, it returns to it's tepid state
Gichin FunakoshiRead
Zionism demands a publicly recognized and legally secured homeland in Palestine for the Jewish people. This platform is unchangeable.
Theodor HerzlRead
In court, judges tell people that their conviction carries a sentence of years, or probation. The truth is far more terrible. People convicted of crimes often become social outcasts for life, finding it difficult or impossible to rent an apartment, get a job, adopt children, access public benefits, serve on juries, or vote.
James Forman, Jr.Read
A society that doesn't know any longer how to observe every death with proper rituals, that does not know that death is not the end, but only part of the journey, has lost its way, has had the very heart of its humanity torn out.
Marina WarnerRead
For the average American, freedom of speech is simply the freedom to repeat what everyone else is saying and no more.
Gore VidalRead
We need language to tell us who we are, how we feel, what we're capable of- to explain the pains and glory of our existence.
Maya AngelouRead