C S Lewis making his rounds.

gordon 2

Senior Member
Since C S Lewis is making his rounds here lately I thought I might post one of his sayings:

“God is no fonder of intellectual slackers than He is of any other slacker.”
― C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

It seems to me that Christians who are unwilling to allow intellectual abstractions in the relationships of spiritual lives to history, economics and philosophy and current events are missing out on the unique nature of man. Now some will be limited in this, like I am, and some more so and some less so.

Nevertheless when the subjects of our histories, economics and philosophies, and our politics which relate most closely to our relationships with others and others relationship to our selves are disregarded as frivolous, fancy and simply off topic to the specifics of an individual's life it is in my view intellectual slackness. The subject of others is not frivolous to God, nor is it to man.

When Christians consider that their prized hearts of flesh as opposed to hearts of stone are in league with renewed minds it should follow that spiritual reasoning must not repress the power of the human intellect to abstraction no less than to see order.

When we teach about different lives, lived, possible and impossible, we are suspect if we cannot make links between them with the same fervor we claim to have for our understanding of Christ's parables. Failing to entertain that man is imaginatively creative, that on spiritual and worldly subject man can intellectually abstract on abstractions and remain on topic and within definitions is to respect all reality.

What is sometimes thought off topic, or irrelevant to spiritual matters is many times on topic and relevant. We just have not bothered to use our capacity to intellectual abstraction sufficiently. In some cases we just cannot. In other cases we just are slackers... for a host of reasons.
 
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Israel

BANNED
Christ has been fiercely relentless in His teaching a unity I am often found in resisting.
My apprehension, as poor as it may be, does not negate the lesson. That only testifies to the Lord's patience and single mindedness in it (to unity).

My inclinations to compartmentalize vs His devotion to truth in the singular, as said, sometimes clash. Politics, economics (especially home economics), philosophy, sociology in Him are not denied...but being brought to a thorough consistency with Him as head over all.

Where once it seemed to serve to separate "spiritual things" holding certain opinions/beliefs/practices and persuasions in matters other...His poking of His head(ship) into all these other things...constantly, uninvited, yes...relentless even to a rudeness perceived, commands capitulation.

Even such a thing as "theology" of which I was quite sure He would be pleased to find in my considerations I learned meant little to Him...till submitted to Him. How I step on a wasp, with what attitude and motive; to how I confused flattery with thinking I was being kind to my wife all have repercussions of eternal nature. And especially when my attitude is revealed by such a wife who tells me "just speak truth!".

I am persuaded some find, and others have found His discipline in all things...even what are called the "other" disciplines...of such things as philosophy. And in the strictest of terms of which that word is formed "lover of wisdom" I find the chiefest of philosophers, perhaps the only true among all men (though He gives gifts) whose wisdom was only and always dispensed in view of its cost to Him to give.

Some men may "learn" their words will cost their very lives...yet He came knowing full well this was to be the endorsement (and only satisfactory one) to all His speaking...with His very own life.

As I was walking this morning this came to me, no doubt it could sound "philosophical", but I was made fit to its hearing:

Love of all is the most severe and relentless of all tutors, never failing. As rigorous in its absence as it is vigorous by its presence.

God knows all my slouchy areas. One is under discipline to search and find it (Him) always and everywhere lest the stiff rigors take hold. I of all may need this most to really "wake up."

It is only love that has no requirement "to be"...it is all in itself of reason for itself.
 
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