Mere Christianity Book 1 Chapter 1 Review

Mere Christianity Review

• Quarrelling: Trying to prove the other person is wrong.
• Mere Christianity's Purpose: A series of radio talks.
• Law of Human Nature (alternate names): Morality, Moral Law, Decent Conduct, Law of Right and Wrong.
• Law of Human Nature's Validity: Exists because people worldwide have similar ideas about right and wrong behavior. Evidence for it exists because humans commonly justify bad actions.
• Ancient Moral Teachings: Similar across different societies.
• Key Points, Book 1, Chapter 1, Mere Christianity: The existence of a Moral Law and humanity's tendency to not follow it.
• Moral Law's Origin: Inscribed in our hearts by God.
• Herd Instinct: The desire to protect and help our own group.
• Instinct Definition: A strong desire to act in a specific way
• Moral Law vs. Instinct: The Moral Law is not an instinct because there is no innate instinct that can be labeled "good". Instincts are neither good nor bad.
• Third Force in Moral Choices: The Law of Human Nature resolves conflict between impulses.
• Social Convention: Learned and man-made, not inherent.
• Moral Law's Basis: What humans ought to do, though often don't.
• Odd Human Traits (Lewis): Knowledge of how they should act but not always doing so.
• Law of Nature vs. Law of Human Nature: Law of Nature describes what things do; Law of Human Nature describes what people ought to do.
• Moral Law's Meaning: Decent conduct
• Materialist View of Universe: Believes matter and space exist without purpose or design, based only on chance.
• Religious View of Universe: Believes a mind or purpose (e.g. God) created the universe, driven by design and purpose.
• Evidence for Something Beyond the Universe: The universe itself and the human moral law.
• Moral Law and Something Behind Universe: The Moral Law shows the Something is interested in right behavior.
• Universe and Something Behind: The universe suggests "artist" traits and implied indifference towards humans.
• Moral law and Knowledge of "Something": The Moral Law reveals the underlying force's interest in appropriate behavior. The force reveals itself through internal impressions.
• Moral Law's Purpose: Guiding humans toward goodness and proper conduct.
• "Going Backward" as Forward Motion: Recognizing mistakes allows one to return to proper action, enabling progress.
• Christianity's Prerequisites: Acknowledgment of a force behind the moral law, and the consequences of disregarding it.
• Components of Morality: Harmony with self, others, and a higher power.
• Mortal vs. Venial Sin: Mortal sin destroys charity; venial sin allows it to subside.
• Terms for Harmony: Fair play/harmony between individuals, and the "general purpose of life"/Harmony with a higher power.
• Principle Passions: Love, hatred, anger, joy, desire, fear, sadness.
• "Cardo": Hinge (pivotal).
• Theological Virtues: Faith, hope, and charity (love).
• Self-Love: Wishing your own good.
• Cardinal Virtues: Fortitude, prudence, temperance, and justice.
• Fortitude: Courage.
• Prudence: Common sense.
• Temperance: Self-discipline.
• Golden Rule (Lewis): Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
• Church Meaning (Most People): The Clergy
• Church Meaning (Correct Understanding): All practicing Christians.
• Christian Community Characteristics: Obedience, courtesy, no parasites.
• Charity Giving: Give more than you can spare.
• Tithing: Giving 10% of income to charity.
• Obstacle to Giving: Fear of insecurity.
• Human Progression: Becoming either heavenly or hellish beings.
• Sexual Appetite Disorder (Lewis): Humans perceive all sexual desires as healthy.
• Religion Approving Body: Christianity.
• Justice in Marriage: Keeping promises.
• Effect of Indulging Appetites: They grow stronger.
• Marriage Basis: Christ's teachings.
• Marriage Engine: "Quieter Love”.
• Sex Outside Marriage Immorality: Isolating a specific union from other acceptable unions.
• Love as Marriage Basis: "Being in love" is simply a feeling.
• Forgiveness' Role in Eternal Life: Failure to forgive hinders receiving forgiveness.
• Unpopular Virtue (Lewis): Forgiveness.
• Beginning Forgiveness: Start with small acts of forgiveness.
• Gifts of Holy Spirit: Wisdom, knowledge, understanding, awe, courage, right judgment, reverence.
• Loving Him (Scripture): Wishing him good.
• Greatest Sin (Lewis): Pride.
• Deadly Sins: Pride, gluttony, greed, lust, envy, anger, sloth.
• Lively Virtues: Humility, asceticism, generosity, chastity, admiration, forgiveness, zeal for the mission.
• Virtue Counteracting Pride: Humility.
• Virtue Counteracting Gluttony: Asceticism (self-discipline).
• Virtue Counteracting Greed: Generosity.
• Virtue Counteracting Lust: Chastity.
• Virtue Counteracting Envy: Admiration.
• Virtue Counteracting Anger: Forgiveness.
• Virtue Counteracting Sloth: Zeal for the mission.
• Deadly Sin Leading to Others: Pride.
• Fruits of Holy Spirit: Charity (love), joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control, and chastity.
• Quote by Lewis on Success: "When a friend of mine succeeds, something in me dies."
• Quote by St. Augustine: "My heart is restless until it rests in Thee."
• Catholic Church and Sex: The Church protects sex because it's good and sacred
• Rampant Spiritual Problem: Pornography
• Competitive Vice: Pride
• Pride's Desires: Power.
• Chief Cause of Misery: Pride.
• Being in God's Presence: Forgetting about oneself.
• First Step to Humility: Recognizing pride within oneself.
• Charity Meaning: Love wanting the best for others.
• Techniques for Righting "Human Machine": Morality and psychoanalysis.
• Moral Choice Components: Action and feelings.
• Grave Matter Definition (Catechism): Specified by the Ten Commandments.
• Morality's Focus: Acts of choice.
• Human Judgment of Others: Based on outward actions.
• Continuous Becoming (choices): We become either heavenly or hellish beings with each choice.
• Celibacy: Abstinence from sex for life.
• Neighbor Love Issues: Act like you love them.
• Daily Decisions' Importance: Good and evil multiply.
• Virtue of Hope: Continual anticipation of eternal life.
• Fool's Way to Fulfillment: Unsatisfactory, constantly seeking "the best," always disappointed.