Equality by C.S. Lewis Doodle

C.S. Lewis sets out why he believes in democracy, or "a political system of voting" ('Screwtape Proposes a Toast'). Believing in God, that is 'hierarchy' or ‘inequality within’, is the foundation stone of 'equality without' – that is, legal and political equality. Notes below in the video description...

This is an illustration of C.S Lewis’ article published in the British magazine called 'The Spectator' on 27 August 1943. The Spectator was a weekly magazine and is the oldest continuously published magazine in the English language.

(0:07) When C.S. Lewis says he is a 'democrat', he means with a small 'd'. (i.e. a person who believes in democracy - a political system of government with elected representatives, not a member of the Democratic Party of the United States). Much more on this distinction in the article 'Screwtape Proposes a Toast'.

(0:16) Rousseau’s great lie was that: “People in their natural state are basically good. But this natural innocence, however, is corrupted by the evils of society.” This view is held almost universally in the world today, which clings to its own 'righteousness'.

Christianity claims, by contrast, that we were once innocent but are now fallen and corrupted. Yet even in their innocent state in a perfect paradise, Eve could be deceived, and Adam couldn't hold to the truth under pressure. They committed an act of betrayal, not just a mistake (Hosea 6.7). Satan's method is still the same, to vilify God's character whenever He says "no" to some desirable thing.

Once this lie of our “inherent goodness” is abandoned, the truth does not lead to the wrong kind of hopelessness as was feared, but for the first time opens the door to the need of a Saviour. Leaving that rickety raft of our inherent goodness, and swimming for Christ's righteousness, is the only real safety.

Rousseau is called as the 'father of the totalitarians' (Lewis, 'On the Transmission of Christianity'). When you believe in the self-righteousness of man, you believe in the supremacy of government over God.

(0:52) See "The Screwtape Letters" #1 and #25 for ‘catch words’ and the use of jargon.

(1:12) Lewis thought himself a natural non-leader (also see Judges 9.11): ‘…I don't think there are in fact any people who stand to the rest of us as adult to child, man to beast or animate to inanimate.
(Note: this is really the same objection as that which I would make to Aristotle's theory of slavery (Politics 1254A et seq.). We can all recognize the "natural" slaves (I am perhaps one myself) but where are the “natural” masters?’ (Lewis, ‘The Humanitarian Theory of Punishment’).

(1:51) Some high forms of unequal statuses (and burdens) like kingship and the Levitical priesthood were also medicines or corrections, not ideals. See 1 Samuel 8.1-7, Exodus 4.10-14, and even in Deuteronomy 5.25-28. But as Lewis points out, the basic headship or 'shepherdships' were ideal and began even before the fall of mankind. Before kingship also, God’s ideal system was to raise up leaders and appoint saviours for each individual crisis. In fact the judges refused kingship – mastership - they only took a shepherd’s role. In English history, we would call these military men the ‘Churchills’ I suppose (i.e. the Duke of Marlborough or Winston Churchill) who saw the gathering danger much earlier than others, came from obscurity and disregard, and led the British nation to outstanding, unlikely, victory over powerful enemies.

(7:35) In music, polyphony is one type of musical texture. A polyphony consists of 2 or more simultaneous lines of independent melody, as opposed to:
(a) a musical texture with just one voice, a monophony, or
(b) a texture with one dominant melodic voice accompanied by chords, a homophony.

I have used the classic wedding music, Canon in D by Pachelbel, which starts with two identical tunes with each hand on the piano, a homophony (friendship), that then becomes richer with two different melodies with each hand, a polyphony (marriage). Husband and wife play a contrasting tune which is much harder to play, but they balance each other and help each other's weaknesses with their individual strengths.

(8:17) 'I'm as good as you' - See the demon’s instruction about the word democracy in 'Screwtape Proposes a Toast'.

The original article had certain words italicised: *real* (3:06, 4:03), *erotic* (5:31), and *wear* (9:05).

[CSLewisDoodle]

7:35) In music, polyphony is one type of musical texture.
A polyphony consists of two or more simultaneous lines of independent melody, as opposed to:
(a) just one voice, a monophony, or
(b) one melodic voice accompanied by chords, a homophony.

I have used the classic wedding music, Canon in D by Pachelbel, which starts with two identical tunes with each hand on the piano, a homophony (friendship), that then becomes richer with two different melodies with each hand, a polyphony (marriage). Husband and wife play a contrasting tune which is much harder to play, but they balance each other and help each other's weaknesses with their individual strengths.

More on this in Lewis' 'The Four Loves', Eros -

[salli]

Still as timely as the day it was written. Thanks for your excellent work, as usual.

[DerekJFiedler]

I'm going to need to rewatch this... Like 5 times 😅
The footnotes in the description are gold

[AdrianCruz_]

As I get older and get exposed to more of the world I find myself looking at these doodles and writings with more fascination. Although the specifics may be different the issues that Lewis was writing about in 1943 I can see parallels in some of what I see today. These talks feel timeless to me and I always enjoy them

[drummersagainstitk]

This is ONE OF THE BEST channels on youtube. Thank you.

[TheChroNikler]

To this day, this stands as my favorite of Lewis' commentaries and is easily one of his most insightful. He saw right through to the heart of liberalism and equality, and warned against revering them as utopian ideals.

Having seen first hand of what the end state of equality as an ideal looks like, Lewis was right on the money.

[matthewpilgrim]

Incredible essay, one of Lewis' best. Thank you for uploading!

[dansorrell]

I have been trying to find a way to make this point for the last few months. Thank you for illustrating it so well.

[tavarnionniennandur]

This is exquisite. Very pertinent today. I wonder about the status of ‘positive discrimination’ which seems like the attempt to seek spiritual equality by using civil and economic law to create inequality. Lewis truly was was a prophet. Thank you so much for this.

[benjaminschaefer]

Lovely. This is with a different voice than the original glad these ideas are still being put out there

[dannykraeger]

I love these so much please keep up the good work

[JaminEMetcalf]

Such an important message for our time!

[dsc]

Excellent points. A better form of government is when local people make the decisions and the 'government' carries out their choices unequivocally. It can be done on a national level for national issues. Don't vote for people, leaders, vote on issues, what should be done, where tax money should go, that's it.

[GB-xthc]

Getting back to a limited republic would do much to reinstate freedom and true equality.

[shawnholbrook]

Thanks. I'm re-reading Mere Christianity this week.

[abcdtypes]

Wishing well,

Wow that was medical!

Wanting your best,
Healthier, Kinder, Abler, Braver