Outside Reading 2: Shannon Rose

When you said "Outside Reading" I just assumed it meant reading-that-wasn't-assigned-in-class. This entry is about another one of Lewis' books, The Problem of Pain. I read the book for research pertaining to my Term paper in this class. I thought I would pull a quote that I liked rather much and kind of reflect on what Lewis was trying to emulate when he wrote this section of the book.“Love may, indeed, love the beloved when her beauty is lost: but not because it is lost. Love may forgive all infirmities and love still in spite of them: but Love cannot cease to will their removal. Love is more sensitive than hatred itself to every blemish in the beloved… Of all powers he forgives most, but he condones least: he is pleased with little, but demands all” (The Problem of Pain).
Lewis was evidently a strong believer in the original sin that is amongst humanity. Lewis proposed that suffering is simply a symptom of that original sin. Even though God is all-powerful, God still has this perfect love for humanity that requires free will. Our Creator is literally not able to will this hurt and suffering away from us because he loves us. What a concept! There is no doubt that God hates the fact that we have to go through this stuff, but God has to allow it because in our free will, we (as the created) have chosen this path. We sin every day. We choose suffering. Thankfully, God provides an outlet for that; we may hide in him whenever we choose. He will protect us, but that requires full surrender.