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
A young man who wishes to remain a sound atheist cannot be too careful of his reading.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Critical reading is essential for those questioning their beliefs.
C. S. Lewis emphasizes the importance of being discerning and careful in one's reading choices, especially for young men exploring or questioning their atheistic beliefs. He suggests that the material one consumes can significantly influence their worldview and understanding of faith and skepticism.
Themes
ReadingBeliefAtheismPhilosophyKnowledge
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion on how literature impacts belief systems.
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
After the conversations about Indian philosophy, some of the ideas of Quantum Physics that had seemed so crazy suddenly made much more sense.
Werner HeisenbergRead
That his prayer was nothing else but a sense of the presence of GOD, his soul being at that time insensible to everything but Divine love: and that when the appointed times of prayer were past, he found no difference, because he still continued with GOD, praising and blessing Him with all his might, so that he passed his life in continual joy; yet hoped that GOD would give him somewhat to suffer, when he should grow stronger.
Brother LawrenceRead
Speech is for the convenience of those who are hard of hearing; but there are many fine things which we cannot say if we have to shout.
Henry David ThoreauRead
Every act of every man is a moral act, to be tested by moral, and not by economic criteria.
Robert M. HutchinsRead
They learned to have a very high opinion of God and a very low opinion of His works—although they could tell you that this world had been made by God Himself. What they didn’t see was that it is beautiful, and that some of the greatest beauties are the briefest.
Wendell BerryRead
Extreme positions are not succeeded by moderate ones, but by contrary extreme positions.
Friedrich NietzscheRead