In this reading C.S. Lewis talks about sexual immorality and how people tend to see it as a right to pursue happiness. Lewis says that it is wrong that people think it is okay to leave one’s spouse because they are in love with another person and the love for their spouse has faded. Lewis brings in a very good point when he says:
“When two people achieve lasting happiness, this is not solely because they are great lovers but because they are also – I must put it crudely- good people; controlled, loyal, fair-minded, mutually adaptable people.”
The feeling of love is not all there is to a lasting relationship. In other words, losing that loving feeling towards one’s spouse shouldn’t be a reason to leave them.
Lewis also brings in an interesting point that if this way of living in infidelity is tolerated women will be in more of a disadvantage than men. He says the reason is because first, the women are more “naturally monogamous than men”, and secondly, Lewis puts it as, “the quality by which they most easily hold a man, their beauty, decreases every year after they have come to maturity.” When I first read this, I thought this comment was very insightful and true, however, as I heard the discussions in class concerning this issue, it seems that this is might not be the case. At any rate, because I am not a woman, I do not have a good answer to this comment. It would be appreciated if I can get some comments and feedback concerning this comment by Lewis.
I think your summary of Lewis' points about sexual immorality is very well-written. In response to your curiousity about the women comments Lewis made, I would have to say that a lot of he said seemed true to me too. I do think that women are more likely to want one man to commit to for life rather than bouncing around because of sexual desires. However, I am not a man so I cannot say whether or not a woman's decreasing beauty as she ages has a great effect on a man's loving feelings for her.
답글삭제The quote you pulled from Lewis was one I found very interesting as well. Notice the qualities he lists: controlled, loyal, fair-minded, mutually adaptable. To me, this are not just qualities that one looks for in a spouse. They are also qualities that make for wonderful and lasting friendships.
답글삭제Perhaps this is what Lewis is getting at: marriages should be based on more than mutual sexual happiness. They should be based on deep friendship that can endure the bumps in the road or fading feelings.