--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If Christianity was something we were…" description: "\"If Christianity was something we were making up, of course we could make it easier. But it is not. We cannot compete, in simplicity with people who are..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/582/c-s-lewis-2-132_bother_if-christianity-was-something-we-were-ma_2591551.png" --- # If Christianity was something we were making up, of course… ![“If Christianity was something we were making up, of course we could make it easier. But it is not. We cannot compete, in simplicity with people who are inventing religions. How could we? We are dealing with Fact. Of course anyone can be simple if he has no facts to bother about.” quote by C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/582/c-s-lewis-2-132_bother_if-christianity-was-something-we-were-ma_2591551.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/582/c-s-lewis-2-132_bother_if-christianity-was-something-we-were-ma_2591551.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/582/c-s-lewis-2-132_bother_if-christianity-was-something-we-were-ma_2591551.png) > “If Christianity was something we were making up, of course we could make it easier. But it is not. We cannot compete, in simplicity with people who are inventing religions. How could we? We are dealing with Fact. Of course anyone can be simple if he has no facts to bother about.” [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He argues that religion’s complexity cannot be simplified without losing truth; simplicity is only possible without facts. **In simple terms:** Religion’s depth resists simplification. Key Takeaway Respect the complexity of belief systems. Themes theology philosophy truth complexity Mood reflective serious Type theological philosophical When to use this quote - religious discourse - education - public debate Key Concepts faith human understanding Questions to Reflect On - Can faith be both simple and deep? - How do facts shape religious belief? A Different Perspective Simplifying may alienate believers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) [Cult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cult/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Inventing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inventing/) [Islam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/islam/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Simplicity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/simplicity/) ## Related quotes > [If Christianity was something we were making up, of course we could make it easier. But it is not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/if-christianity-was-something-we-were-making-up-of-course-we-could/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [“Of course anyone can be simple if he has no facts to bother about.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/of-course-anyone-can-be-simple-if-he-has-no-facts-to-bother-about/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [According to most philosophers, God in making the world enslaved it. According to Christianity, in making it, He set it free. God had written,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/according-to-most-philosophers-god-in-making-the-world-enslaved-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Knowledge is power only if man knows what facts not to bother with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-staughton-lynd/knowledge-is-power-only-if-man-knows-what-facts-not-to-bother-with/) [Robert Staughton Lynd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-staughton-lynd/) > [I was always inventing characters and making up stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-vega/i-was-always-inventing-characters-and-making-up-stories/) [Suzanne Vega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-vega/) > [I am perfectly convinced that whatever the gospels are they are not legends. I have read a great deal of legend and I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/i-am-perfectly-convinced-that-whatever-the-gospels-are-they-are-not/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [The human mind has no more power of inventing a new value than of planting a new sun in the sky or a new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/the-human-mind-has-no-more-power-of-inventing-a-new-value-than-of/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Those silly girls had no idea what they were really celebrating. They had no idea what it took to bring Agatha and her friends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-addison-allen/those-silly-girls-had-no-idea-what-they-were-really-celebrating-they/) [Sarah Addison Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-addison-allen/) > [I feel at times that I'm making up these little people and I've lost my mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-chute/i-feel-at-times-that-i-m-making-up-these-little-people-and-i-ve-lost/) [Carolyn Chute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-chute/) > [What do you look at while you’re making up your mind? 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He's not left that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/either-jesus-is-the-son-of-god-or-a-madman-or-worse-but-his-being/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [To every soul, God will look like its first love because He IS its first love. Your place in heaven will seem to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/to-every-soul-god-will-look-like-its-first-love-because-he-is-its/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Don't you understand anything? Isn't it absolutely essential to keep a fierce Left and a fierce Right, both on their toes and each terrified…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/don-t-you-understand-anything-isn-t-it-absolutely-essential-to-keep-a/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [“Really great moral teachers never do introduce new moralities: it is quacks and cranks who do that. 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