Daily Diary discussion

"Creatures are not born with desires unless satisfaction for those desires exists. A baby feels hunger: well, there is such a thing as food. A duckling wants to swim: well, there is such a thing as weater. Men feel sexual desire: well, there is such a thing as sex. If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world."

I like, but what desire could a person have that couldn't be satisfied? I think that kind of desire has to exist in the emotional realm.

That makes sense...maybe it is just a subjective, emotional desire vs a real actual desire like hunger.

I think he's talking about the void that everyone is born with. The Christian belief, that everyone is born with a hunger for God and when they don't get it, they fill it with people or things. Like, most people wonder if there is a God or not. Mostly I think it's because they hear about God and then maybe it's the longing for Something more Divine than they themselves. You follow? =D
Maybe he's talking about heaven?
hmmmm.

Rereading that statement, it makes me think that he's trying to take some kind of comfort in the idea that an unfulfilled desire only means he's made for another world. Is that comforting? That our unfulfilled desires somehow make us otherworldly?

And don't you think that he's also contradicting himself? He says, "Creatures are not born with desires unless satisfaction for those desires exists." Then he goes on to say, if he does find such a desire in himself (though it's impossible) the only explanation is that he's not of this world--or not made for it. Doesn't that sound more like a "godly" trait? I'm just musing here.

He is setting himself up to be godly, otherworldly unless of course it's objectively true tha we're not born with desires unless it's possible to satisfy those desires. I guess the hunger for something outside of ourselves that is never satisfied can lead to all sorts of outlets or conclusions.

I think Halle has hit the nail on the head - especially when you think of the Christian themes underpinning his Chronicles of Narnia. Read the final chapter of The Last Battle in particular to see what he says about yearning and desire for everlasting life.

Thought process: It sounds more like he's contemplating his existance in this world, considering all of the references to creatures we know the natures of and who's place is pretty well defined in this world, he then says that if a desire for something cannot be satisfied, than it's a desire for something the world cannot provide. Therefore another world can meet those desires. BUT if you do have a need for something this world can't provide, than you must not be from this world, because this world would have something to satisfy those needs. So, he either doesn't seem to beleive he's from this world, or he doesn't feel like he belongs...

I think...did I just make a complete circle of that?
LOL, Halle,your explanation makes more sense than mine, lol!

Hey Target,
I think your take on it made a lot of sense actually. =]
I mean, you're right about "if you do have a need for something this world can't provide, than you must not be from this world, because this world would have something to satisfy those needs. So, he either doesn't seem to beleive he's from this world, or he doesn't feel like he belongs..."
I so get that. It was pretty full circle. Bravo! Or brava!

The fact that we're dicussing C.S Lewis' quote is awesome to me. I mean, wouldn't it be great to be so wonderfully regarded after you're long gone? That would waaay cool in my book. =]

He really has had a tremendous influence...I need to read some of his non-narnia books...Mere Christianity, etc.

Me too. I'm planning on reading Screwtape Letters this year. Sounds kinda graphic, but I'm curious.

I read it years ago-loved it along with his sci-fi...trying to remember it.

I'm only familiar with his Narnia series...what all else has C.S.L. written? I'm interested in reading his stuff but havn't found them yet.

And thanks, Halle. :P

Yeah, same here. I've only read the Narnia series...which I adored!

He wrote Mere Christianity about his conversion from atheist to christian--I think Miracles and Problem of Pain relate to his faith as well; he wrote a space trilogy..that was the sci fi I wast trying to remember--out of the silent planet, perelandra...forget the third one; screwtape....There was a movie about him called Shadowlands that was good and I read that the day he died was the same day Aldous Huxley died and JFK was assassinated.