“It is easy to think the State has a lot of different objects – military, political, economic, and what not. But in a way things are much simpler than that. The State exists simply to promote and to protect the ordinary happiness of human beings in this life. A husband and wife chatting over a fire, a couple of friends having a game of darts in a pub, a man reading a book in his own room or digging in his own garden – that is what the State is there for. And unless they are helping to increase and prolong and protect such moments, all the laws, parliaments, armies, courts, police, economics, etc., are simply a waste of time.” – C.S. Lewis I love reading C.S. Lewis because it is so clear by his depth of attitude and educated opinion on such a vast landscape of subjects that he was a man who spent much time in thought and contemplation. He took each little part of life and savored it, took it apart, analyzed it, and held it up to the light of divine truth. He then used his talents to convey what he’d learned in a way that was both entertaining and enlightening. The above quote is a beautiful example – especially in today’s world, of how Lewis could clear away the noise and show what a subject should really be all about. In this case, he throws away all the excess that government surrounds itself with in order to inflate a sense of it’s own importance, and in one small sentence states what we all should hold government accountable to, “The state exists simply to promote and to protect the ordinary happiness of human beings in this life.” Ordinary happiness, not greedy ambition or flamboyant excess, just the unhindered opportunity for people to live meaningful, purposeful lives without the threat of intrusive authority. The government should not be a threat to the peoples peace of mind. You have to wonder what C.S. Lewis would write about the governments of today.
Posted on: Sun, 08 Sep 2013 03:28:57 +0000
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