C.S. Lewis: Telling it Like it Is

Although it's a somewhat scathing criticism of humans, I really enjoyed reading Chapter 4, "Human Wickedness," from The Problem of Pain. As I read it, I kept thinking about how a lot of Lewis's criticisms are at least somewhat linked to the current society we live in. Yes, we do live in a much more post-modern society than Lewis did, but compared to the big picture of history, the mid 2oth century and 2010 share a lot more similarities than differences. I kept wondering, among other things, why we lack feeling shame and why we focus so much on being kind (the weak, wimpy kindness Lewis talks about). Also, I couldn't quite understand what our current society has to do with this. Lewis seems to explain what I was thinking when he writes, "From considering how the cruelty of our ancestors looks to us, you may get some inkling how our softness, worldliness, and timidity would have looked to them, and hence how both must look to God" (p. 58).


This quote from Lewis helps show what I was thinking while reading this chapter: our society in general, along with Christians, needs more of a "backbone", a willingness to stand up for what we believe in. I guess I get fed up sometimes with the thinking, "You can do whatever you want, who am I to say how to live your life? Let's just respect each other and get along." Of course, I'm not saying Christians should become like the fanatical Christians during the Crusades who supposedly slaughtered non-Christians in the name of God. No, the Crusades are a black mark on the face of Christianity. But I do agree with Lewis that this false kindness that we often practice, which is more about getting along with no tension whatsoever, is a problem. I think most of us can agree that we would want someone to give us a dose of "tough love" if they see something wrong with what we're doing. If I'm stumbling somewhere in my life, I want someone to show me, even if it means negative feelings towards that person at the time. I just think society and Christianity needs a shot of bluntness, toughness, honesty, and so on. In the end, reducing the kindness that Lewis criticizes would lead to a more true form of love. Finally, I think it's apparent that I agree with much of what Lewis says in this chapter.


That's a somewhat rambling, jumbled up mess of what I was feeling after reading this chapter. I think the interest I have in history, and therefore the different time periods of history, has something to do with why Lewis's criticism of our current society stuck out to me.