Please share your views on this quote:
"Courage is not simply one of the virtues but the form of every virtue at the testing point, which means at the point of highest reality."
~~C.S. Lewis
2006-07-29 13:05:08 · 22 answers · asked by genaddt 7 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I agree completely. And for Christians like CS and me, we have faith and hope that this courage comes not just from ourselves, but from God.
I like the language he uses. To me, "the point of highest reality" refers to how you never really have a certain virtue until it gets really hard to follow that. For example, if you are always hardworking, you have to be courageous to do the work even when you want desperately to do something else.
--And after reading a comment from a user above-----
So what if he converted because he was afraid of dying in a war (not sure if this is true)? Are you mocking him because he was afraid, or because he converted? What's wrong with either one? Both are totally natural. We are all afraid of pain and maybe dying. We make life-changing moral decisions usually after monumental events in our lives. I think that there is absolutely nothing wrong with or shameful about this.
He was preaching in this quote. He was talking about moral ideals, not what he himself did every single day. We are all hypocrites. And I don't see how looking at an author closer than we do at his work helps us in any way. We need to be able to look and strive for ideals even if we know we all fail sometimes.
2006-07-29 13:12:05 · answer #1 · answered by miestersean 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
A person's courage isn't tested until something extreme or tragic happens, take for example the people on that plane that overpowered the terrorists on 9/11. That was an act of courage that will not be equaled for a while. As far as the part of the quote 'point of highest reality', when your courage is tested and you are pushed beyond your limits, then would that also be understood as "highest reality" because something is literally demanding that you step up and take responsibility.
Anyhow, this is a great quote, thanks for sharing it with us
2006-07-29 13:14:38 · answer #2 · answered by lilbitadevil 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
How true!! Courage takes the form of every virtue when you are at the highest level on consciousness...when you are looking for truth. patients or any of the other virtues. You always need courage, courage to patient, to be strong, to be happy.
What an amazing quote.
Excellent question...
2006-07-29 13:18:49 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I also enjoy the writings of C.S. Lewis and I try to understand what he has to say.
My thoughts on this are:-
Courage is the starting point - it is the first, highest starting point of our conscious living. If we do not have the courage to face life and be tested, we are unable to form other virtues.
It is the highest point of our reality - courage to face life, courage to speak out, courage to face the consequences of our actions, courage to live through our adversities and the list goes on.
Its interesting to think if we do not have courage what happens to us - we sit alone, frightened and I suppose we eventually waste away mentally and physically.
Thankyou for giving me the opportunity to think and realize that I have courage as my highest reality.
2006-07-29 13:22:16 · answer #4 · answered by the_knowing2 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I agree with him completely. Without courage, no other virtue will stand in the face of adversity. It is, therefore, the rock on which virtue stands. In fact, in our world today, without courage even faith often falters. C.S. Lewis made one of my favorite statements: “There are two kinds of people: those who say to God ‘Thy will be done’ and those to whom God says, ‘All right then, have it your way.’” Oh those poor souls who have not the courage of conviction, nor the strength to rely on faith, who simply go along with the crowd rather than strive to live a life of virtue. It is not always easy, and we often fall short, but it is well worth the effort.
2006-07-29 13:14:45 · answer #5 · answered by SoundChaserJV 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Courage is the point at which you are faced with a decision. Doing the difficult thing or taking the easier course. Where we admire that "courage" is where virtue or predetermined life path has been established.
The four chaplins in WWII are a prime example of courage in the facing of eminent death. Chirst in His death on the cross. An us when we face much smaller crises....
2006-07-29 13:08:17 · answer #6 · answered by Steven A 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's a well said statement and an opinion. But it's very true as you must have different forms of courage to do any task you do in life no matter how small.
2006-07-29 13:09:28 · answer #7 · answered by cyndi_035 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
CS lewis was a coward that converted to christianity because he was afraid of dying during WWI
his quote reeks of hypocracy
2006-07-29 13:10:12 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
To have courage is to be aware of the consequences of a situation you have found yourself in. Courage is honor, is loyalty, is purity of the heart and mind. Without courage you can have no honor.Without honor, no loyalty, without loyalty you can not be pure of heart and mind.
2006-07-29 13:08:56 · answer #9 · answered by IN Atlanta 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I love C.S. Lewis, but he was always smarter than me! And he did it again!
2006-07-29 13:07:58 · answer #10 · answered by trainer53 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋