C. S. Lewis Quotation

One web site can be counted on my "most visited" list: http://www.kenboa.org/. I was familiar with his book, Simple Prayers, so when I found his web site I was delighted. I especially look forward to the devotional, Daily Growth. Even when I'm rushed I am able to be spiritually refreshed.


The February 27th issue of Daily Growth had a quote from C. S. Lewis that struck me.


"Christianity is not a patent medicine. Christianity claims to give an account of facts -- to tell you what the real universe is like. Its account of the universe may be true, or it may not, and once the question is really before you, then your natural inquisitiveness must make you want to know the answer. If Christianity is untrue, then no honest man will want to believe it, however helpful it might be; if it is true every honest man will want to believe it, even if it gives him no help at all."

Now, different folks will pick out different phrases that stand out to them. For me, "...once the question is really before you, then your natural inquisitiveness must make you want to know the answer." How many of us known WHEN the question of the universe is really before us? Is it really before us growing up going to Sunday School where the teacher seems to have all the answers? Is it when we first hear of Darwin's theory of evolution at school where the teacher seems to have all the answers? Is it when you're sitting outside on a glorious, sunny afternoon with the sweet sounds of birds, breezes, and children playing that you suddenly want to know? Where did all this come from?

My good friend, Jenny, visited with us last week for several days. Jenny knows how to ask a good question given that her background is in counseling. Although I don't recall exactly what her question was, it allowed my near 22-year-old son to open up. Ed has done his growing up in a Christian home, even attended Christian school for several years. He is an environmental science major at UNC-Asheville and reflected his scientific reasoning in his answer.

I, on the other hand, have very little scientific background. I passed zoology my freshman year at Longwood because I took my professor's advice: he advised me not to study too hard for the exam; "drink a few beers," he said. "If you pass the exam, you'll pass for the year." I don't remember if I drank those few beers, but I did pass the exam with a 70 (I think he cheated a bit to get my grade up to 70). Chemistry was worse: first time around, an "F", second time around a "D".

My husband is the geology sort--a geotechnical engineer. One of those science guys that knows something about anything having to do with science. He's also a strong (not tepid) Christian.

It seems that Ed can talk to Jenny easier than he can talk to me, so I did listen a lot. Bottom line, he really hasn't decided what to believe. The "natural inquisitiveness" Lewis speaks of has evidently not been applied to Ed yet; he is still listening to the conflicting information he has heard from us and what he has heard from science professors (need I say more?) I think that the WHEN will come later. I think he will want to know the answer. I think he will be honest. And I think he, too, will believe Christianity to be true.