Two of my favorite Lewis writings! I have frequently listened to John Cleese’s reading of Screwtape on long car rides, and my kids claimed to get sick of it, but they learned. If you want to divide a log, you don’t hit a log with a hammer, you use a wedge, and the finer the edge on it, the better it works. Often, you only have to begin the division, and it will persist.
Lewis also pointed out that salvation is also in little acts. Remember the fellow who was saved from attraction to unsavory situations by his stronger appetite for tripe and onions? Also, his new girl who found Screwtape funny, or the two genuine pleasures that Wormwood allowed his client to enjoy? The whole indicates that we must focus on theoretical or abstract when we should be focusing on the real and down to earth, and focusing on mere realities when the soul is called upon (“All that REALLY happened is that you saw some pretty windows and heard some music”). Utterly brilliant.
Lest we all become Karens (unfortunate term, as I know some perfectly lovely women named Karen), I would agree that we should keep our damn mouths shut more of the time. However, in my former life (physician), I was called upon to not only “judge” but to inform those judged about their wrongdoings and attempts at remediation. I doubt I told any patient what they wanted to hear. This is probably not what Klavan the Elder is referring to, and in his brilliant commentaries, he often passes judgement on actions of the absurd and malignant. I would love to see a disquisition on judgement and what precisely it means to him. For me, I cannot send anyone to Heaven or Hell (Hamlet deciding not to kill his uncle while his uncle is praying, and therefore may die in God’s good graces, and opting to dispatch him in his iniquity is an interesting take). I can decide whether someone broke a rule, and should suffer consequences for it. A club I am a member of is facing such an issue right now, in which cad-like behavior is causing the board to ban the person from any further functions. We can do this, but cannot say and cause “Go to Hell”. I would not want such power, as the one thing I have learned is how often I am wrong (don’t tell my kids, but my wife clearly knows, as she informs me regularly).
"In his riveting horror novel, That Hideous Strength, Lewis dramatizes how these little sins of uncaring and intellectual dishonesty can lead to apocalyptic disaster."
Ugh...I think we are seeing evidence of that everywhere currently! However, it always surprises me somewhat that we haven't completely fallen apart yet as a society, and the reason has to be that the opposite of the above is also true. I immediately thought of this quote from the "not hot" Gandalf:
“Saruman believes it is only great power that can hold evil in check, but that is not what I have found. I found it is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep the darkness at bay… small acts of kindness and love.”
Oh my, I like this Hawthorne quote! Several such quotes have been highlighted by us dissenters since the Commie Crud madness. Comforting to know that we are not imagining the evil and madness that can possess even the elites. Dumbfounded to realize that I had subconsciously believed that we here in 21st century America were past all that.
I trusted the elites to know better. As a prosecutor, I am basically in, and very much around, the “elite” classes. I thought there would be more integrity, more careful thought, more openness to dialogue. I am, apparently, also El Stupido to have had that level of trust.
It is true. We should enjoy what God provided and for which our forebears paid so dear a price. However, we should never be so deceived of ourselves as to think it is ours by entitlement. We must always earn the freedoms and comforts we have, or they will wither away, like fruit left on the vine. The Covid abuses should have taught everyone that. Sadly, it only taught some, but it was enough, for now.
I’m assuming the message is , Judge thee not , it ain’t your job but to try & ultimately fall short at living up to the word .
But I guess judging others is the default distinction for falling short in one’s own house . Look at those who criticise Israel for their in-house iniquity & failure , but not a peep about else where .
Two of my favorite Lewis writings! I have frequently listened to John Cleese’s reading of Screwtape on long car rides, and my kids claimed to get sick of it, but they learned. If you want to divide a log, you don’t hit a log with a hammer, you use a wedge, and the finer the edge on it, the better it works. Often, you only have to begin the division, and it will persist.
Lewis also pointed out that salvation is also in little acts. Remember the fellow who was saved from attraction to unsavory situations by his stronger appetite for tripe and onions? Also, his new girl who found Screwtape funny, or the two genuine pleasures that Wormwood allowed his client to enjoy? The whole indicates that we must focus on theoretical or abstract when we should be focusing on the real and down to earth, and focusing on mere realities when the soul is called upon (“All that REALLY happened is that you saw some pretty windows and heard some music”). Utterly brilliant.
Lest we all become Karens (unfortunate term, as I know some perfectly lovely women named Karen), I would agree that we should keep our damn mouths shut more of the time. However, in my former life (physician), I was called upon to not only “judge” but to inform those judged about their wrongdoings and attempts at remediation. I doubt I told any patient what they wanted to hear. This is probably not what Klavan the Elder is referring to, and in his brilliant commentaries, he often passes judgement on actions of the absurd and malignant. I would love to see a disquisition on judgement and what precisely it means to him. For me, I cannot send anyone to Heaven or Hell (Hamlet deciding not to kill his uncle while his uncle is praying, and therefore may die in God’s good graces, and opting to dispatch him in his iniquity is an interesting take). I can decide whether someone broke a rule, and should suffer consequences for it. A club I am a member of is facing such an issue right now, in which cad-like behavior is causing the board to ban the person from any further functions. We can do this, but cannot say and cause “Go to Hell”. I would not want such power, as the one thing I have learned is how often I am wrong (don’t tell my kids, but my wife clearly knows, as she informs me regularly).
"In his riveting horror novel, That Hideous Strength, Lewis dramatizes how these little sins of uncaring and intellectual dishonesty can lead to apocalyptic disaster."
Ugh...I think we are seeing evidence of that everywhere currently! However, it always surprises me somewhat that we haven't completely fallen apart yet as a society, and the reason has to be that the opposite of the above is also true. I immediately thought of this quote from the "not hot" Gandalf:
“Saruman believes it is only great power that can hold evil in check, but that is not what I have found. I found it is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep the darkness at bay… small acts of kindness and love.”
Oh my, I like this Hawthorne quote! Several such quotes have been highlighted by us dissenters since the Commie Crud madness. Comforting to know that we are not imagining the evil and madness that can possess even the elites. Dumbfounded to realize that I had subconsciously believed that we here in 21st century America were past all that.
Maybe it would be better to say “…especially the elites,” as power and position have their own capacity for corruption.
I trusted the elites to know better. As a prosecutor, I am basically in, and very much around, the “elite” classes. I thought there would be more integrity, more careful thought, more openness to dialogue. I am, apparently, also El Stupido to have had that level of trust.
So true!
It is true. We should enjoy what God provided and for which our forebears paid so dear a price. However, we should never be so deceived of ourselves as to think it is ours by entitlement. We must always earn the freedoms and comforts we have, or they will wither away, like fruit left on the vine. The Covid abuses should have taught everyone that. Sadly, it only taught some, but it was enough, for now.
I’m assuming the message is , Judge thee not , it ain’t your job but to try & ultimately fall short at living up to the word .
But I guess judging others is the default distinction for falling short in one’s own house . Look at those who criticise Israel for their in-house iniquity & failure , but not a peep about else where .
Thank you, Mr. Andrew Klavan
Amen