Compare And Contrast Lewis Idea Of The Law Of Human Nature

Why do “we have cause to be uneasy” (p. 31)? When does Christianity begin to talk? Why? We have cause to be uneasy because God is our only comfort yet supreme terror. Christianity begins to talk after one has realized that there is a moral law and a being behind it.

What are your thoughts about Lewis’s idea of the “Law of Human Nature”? What are some of the laws of right and wrong that seem to be built into mankind? I agree with Lewis’s idea of Human Nature because all humans act a certain way no matter what their background is. Rooted in all humans is a desire to do what is good and Lewis offers a well developed explanation for this phenomenon. Some laws of right and wrong can be do not murder, do not steal, and treat others with respect.

BOOK II. WHAT CHRISTIANS BELIEVE
As a Christian, how are you to think about other religions? All religions contain some hint of truth.
What is the first big division of humanity when it comes to God? The first big division is whether one believes in a God or gods and whether one does not.
Explain Dualism. Why does Lewis reject it? Dualism is the belief in two gods, one good and one bad. Lewis rejects it because how does one choose whether which one is the good one or the bad one. Therefore, there must be a standard already set by some other being who controls what is right and what is wrong.
Explain how Lewis foiled his own plans to prove that God did not exist. Lewis argued that the world seemed so cruel and unjust yet how would he have an idea of what is just and unjust? This proves that such an idea is impossible to formulate unless some concept of “justice” really does exist.
What is Lewis’ criticism of those who make Christianity overly simplistic and childlike? If one simply says there is a good God in Heaven and everything is alright, they are leaving out all the difficult and terrible doctrines about sin and hell and the devil, and the redemption.
Lewis states, “in reality we have no experience of anyone liking badness just because it is bad” (p.

43) Explain what he means by this and give three examples from the real world that support his hypothesis. Lewis means that no one likes badness for the sake of being bad. People are bad because they are sadists or for the sake of something they are going to get out of it. People are not greedy for money or power because it is evil but because of what they will get out of it. This goes along with gluttony as well.

Describe the example of free will found on page 47. How does this relate to human freedom and sin? Does this make the problem of evil clearer to you? Lewis uses the example of a mother asking her child to clean their room. God gave us free will so that we can have the ability to love. Without this ability we would all be senseless machines.

What is the foolish thing many people say about Jesus? Why does Lewis say this is “one thing we must not say” (p. 52)? The foolish thing to say about Jesus is that they believe his teachings but reject his divinity. A man who claims the things Jesus did would be considered a madman.

What is the great paradox found on page 57? How does this help you to understand the death of Jesus? God does not command us to suffer however it is what we need in order to return to him. Jesus suffered because he was part man and so he had to suffer to return to

God.
What are the three things that spread the Christ-life to us? Do you find it interesting that a non-Catholic would say this? Why or why not? Baptism, belief, and Holy Communion. I find this interesting because some denominations of the Christian faith do not partake in the Mass.
Why is it important to make a decision about whether to believe or not believe in God? Why is a belief in a merely good life not sufficient to give us real meaning? If one does not believe then they will not know what good truly is. A good life is one that hopes to please God and without this belief in God they will not find true meaning.
BOOK III. CHRISTIAN BEHAVIOR
How does the schoolboy perceive God? Is this your perception? Why or why not? God tries to prevent fun. No because God knows what is best for us and will try to teach us to live a morally just life.
What is the purpose of every moral rule? Does this make sense? Why or why not? Moral rules teach us that even though things may appear all right, sometimes they do not work. Yes, God is all knowing and is the only one that knows what true perfection is.
Explain the three parts of morality using the analogy of the ships, the analogy of the music, and an analogy of your own design. First, humans drift apart; second, an individual human being’s desires interfere with morality; third, humans forget about salvation. For ships, all ships must be in union with each other and each ship must be well maintained. For the band, each player must have a tuned instrument and come in at the right moment to combine with others. Each person in a family must do their part and each family in a group of relatives must do their part so they can function as a complete and united family.
Lewis asks a question about ownership of the ship on page 74. What is his implication? Lewis implies that if someone else made them for their own purposes then one would have more duties to oblige by if they had simply belonged to one’s self.
Define the four cardinal virtues as Lewis defines them. Prudence means practical common sense. Temperance means going the right length, no more no less. Justice means fairness. Fortitude means courage.