Adoration Quote by C. S. Lewis
“We must sometimes get away from the Authorized Version, if for no other reason, simply because it is so beautiful and so solemn. Beauty exalts, but beauty also lulls. Early associations endear, but they also confuse. Through that beautiful solemnity, the transporting or horrifying realities of which the Book tells may come to us blunted and disarmed, and we may only sigh with tranquil veneration when we ought to be burning with shame, or struck dumb with terror, or carried out of ourselves by ravishing hopes and adorations. ...”
About This Quote
Source Essay: The Weight of Glory, 1942
He warns that beautiful, solemn language can soothe us, dulling our response to moral truths and deeper emotions.
In simple terms: Beauty can numb us to harsh realities.
Key Takeaway
Beware of letting aesthetic comfort mute moral urgency.
Themes
beauty
morality
perception
Mood
thoughtful
serious
Type
philosophical
literary
When to use this quote
- reading sacred texts
- art criticism
- public speaking
Key Concepts
aesthetic complacency
emotional numbing
ethical blindness
Questions to Reflect On
- Do you let beauty soften your moral judgments?
- How can you balance aesthetic appreciation with critical awareness?
A Different Perspective
Overemphasis on style may obscure substance.
![“In turning away from beauty, we turn away from all that is wholesome and true, and deliver ourselves into an exile where the vulgar and artificial dull and deaden the human spirit [] In contrast, the Beautiful offers us an invitation to order, coherence, and unity. When these needs are met, the…” quote by John O'Donohue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d37/john-o-donohue-1919_beautiful_in-turning-away-from-beauty-we-turn-away_625329.jpg)
