What is the “safest road to Hell”? Do you agree or disagree?
The "safest road to Hell" is the one in which a person drifts away from God slowly and undetected (61). I agree that a growing apathy towards honoring God is the "safest road to Hell" in the demon's perspective. It's similar to that myth about how a frog can be boiled to death if a person slowly increases the water's temperature. If the change was not gradual, then the frog would have jumped out. Basically, if i were to slowly draw away from God (which I have before), then I wouldn't really care about the dangerous changes in my life. I end up living in a fantasy, convincing myself that I can love God in my skewed mind even if my heart isn't truly into it. If I don't recognize that I am going down a bad path, then I would probably never stop. However, if I were to make an extreme choice to turn away from God, like turning to a drug addiction, I would be more likely to reach a "pit," realize the emptiness and error of my ways, and turn back to God because He is the only source of redemption.
What is the role of “nothing” and “small sins”? What does that mean for you?
The "small sins" are subtle and seemingly inconsequential actions that slowly lead people to "the Nothing," which is a state of apathy towards God (60-61). This reminds me that I really need to be careful about decisions that I make because even small things can drastically alter my relationship with God. In all things, God must be my priority. One specific application would be making sure that I read the Bible often and with and open and searching mind. It's so easy to just quickly read over a passage, making way for other things to become my idols because God isn't truly first in my life.
“When He talks of their losing their selves, He only means abandoning the clamour of self-will; once they have done that, He really gives them back all their personality, and boasts (I am afraid, sincerely) that when they are wholly His they will be more themselves than ever.” What does this mean to you?
This reminds me of that verse in which Jesus says that if any man will go after Him, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Jesus. It shows that when I surrender to God and put off my own desires, I can experience true freedom and life to the fullest. True freedom, joy, and passion are not found by doing what I want; they are found by pursuing God.
Wormwood says that he will “...eradicate from my patient any strong personal taste which is not actually a sin, even if it is something quite trivial such as a fondness for country cricket or collecting stamps or drinking cocoa.” What strong personal tastes do you have, even if they seem to be trivial?
Some of my "strong personal tastes" on the negative side include a dislike of slugs, snails, centipedes, and littering. Some of my "strong personal tastes" on the positive side include an appreciation of plants, the sky, celestial bodies, rain, chantilly from Liliha Bakery (and a lot of other food), the uniqueness of violas (over violins), chopsticks (over forks), the colors blue and orange, and instrumentals.
Give a contemporary example of each of the following: “You should always try to make the patient abandon the people or food or books he really likes in favour of the "best" people, the "right" food, the "important" books. I have known a human defended from strong temptations to social ambition by a still stronger taste for tripe and onions.”
In regards to people: Someone might ignore, not stand up for, or make fun of a quirky friend in order to be accepted by the popular/"in" crowd.
In regards to food: If coworkers go out to eat lunch together, one might order a salad to appear more healthy, when actually that person really wants a juicy burger and fries.
In regards to books: A person might read a book that contains a lot of inappropriate and corrupting content because it is popular, and he/she does not want to appear prudish.
Which human said “...active habits are strengthened by repetition but passive ones are weakened”?
Joseph Butler said this in The Analogy of Religion.
What are three “real positive Pleasures” in your life? Why are they such pleasures?
I enjoy playing music as a way to thankfully use the ability that God has given me. I enjoy looking at and being in the midst of nature to appreciate God's amazing handiwork in this world. I enjoy reading as a way to exercise the mind and imagination that God has given the author and me.
“...kill their animal self-love as soon as possible...to restore to them a new kind of self-love - a charity and gratitude for all selves.” Define your self-love.
I aim to avoid bragging and grabbing attention for the sake of impressing others. At the same time, I'm not the type of person who always puts myself down in order to get others to tell me otherwise (but I still need to watch out for the false humility that Lewis mentions earlier in the chapter). I also believe that every other person is valued and loved by God. I believe that everyone deserves respect, so I try to be kind to others.
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