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 have a strange illusion that mere time cancels sin. But mere time does nothing either to the fact or to the guilt of a sin.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Time alone cannot erase sins or guilt; action and reflection are necessary for true redemption.
C. S. Lewis highlights the misconception that simply allowing time to pass can alleviate guilt or undo the wrongs we have committed. He argues that while time may change our perspectives, it does not inherently resolve the moral consequences of our actions, requiring a deeper engagement with our guilt and the nature of our sins for true forgiveness and growth.
Themes
SinGuiltTimeRedemptionPhilosophy
In practice
Example use cases
During a seminar on morality, one might use this quote to highlight the importance of addressing sin rather than waiting for time to heal.
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.
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
What we need in Africa is balanced development. Economic success cannot be a replacement for human rights or participation or democracy... it doesn't work.
Mo IbrahimRead
I think we live in a culture that is actually hedging all of it towards comfort and immediacy, things that scare me. All the things that they sell us as a way of life scare me.
Guillermo Del ToroRead
We must begin seeing other creatures as equal. Existence makes us all equal.
Alice WalkerRead
The louder he talked of his honor, the faster we counted our spoons.
Ralph Waldo EmersonRead
Nothing lasts, you see, not even the thoughts inside you. And you musn't waste your time looking for them. Once a thing is gone, that is the end of it.
Paul AusterRead
Why God has instituted Prayer:β To communicate to his creatures the dignity of causation.
Blaise PascalRead