Andrew & Esther - Through Our Eyes Archive
Our Thoughts

August 10, 2006
Lewis on Happiness
I picked up a book containing a collection of essays by C.S. Lewis last week. Thumbing through some of the fascinating essays, I came across a transcription of a Q & A session with Lewis.

Lewis was asked, “Which of the religions of the world gives to its followers the greatest happiness?”

To which he responded:
While it lasts, the religion of worshipping oneself is the best.

I have an elderly acquaintance of about eighty, who has lived a life of unbroken selfishness and self-admiration from the earliest years, and is, more or less, I regret to say, one of the happiest men I know. From the moral point of view it is very difficult! I am not approaching the question from that angle. As you perhaps know, I haven’t always been a Christian. I didn’t go to religion to make me happy. I always knew a bottle of Port would do that. If you want a religion to make you feel really comfortable, I certainly don’t recommend Christianity. I am certain there must be a patent American article on the market which will suit you far better, but I can’t give any advice on it.
I thought his response was brilliant – and far different from the answer I might try to give if asked that same question. The temptation to portray Christianity as one that results in an unending happiness is strong, but it is one that we must violently fight against! I believe the Church (especially in America) has “marketed” Christianity as the way to live a happy life – and how many people have been appalled to find that happiness is not the payoff for saying the sinner’s prayer.

Following Jesus Christ is wonderful. He promises that we have immediate access to joy and peace regardless of our circumstances – a joy and peace that are constant. But this is far different from happiness.

Lewis is right on to suggest that if happiness is really what you’re after – live life worshipping yourself!