Mere_Christianity__The_Great_Sin_

Rachel Horvath Mere Christianity paper “The Great Sin” In Chapter 8 , C.S. Lewis introduces an idea that pride is the worst sin a person can commit, but in the end gives the reader reinsurance that pleasure of praise and being proud of someone are not evil. The structure of this chapter is very effective. It opens the reader to the subject making one examine the idea and realize its truths. He begins with the fact that the more pride a person has the more he or she dislikes another’s pride. This fact everyone can relate to especially in sports. The Home team will love the cheers of fans on the sidelines after a good play, but completely despise the applause coming from the opposite end if the visiting team does well. Pride has an ultimately competitive nature. This is the reason it is so harmful. Lewis drives in the idea of a prideful person’s need to be better than others by bringing it up time after time. Upon reading this the reader becomes aware that they have fallen into pride. Then he makes the reader fear pride and never want to be a victim of it, saying “It comes directly from Hell”. He pronounces it a spiritual cancer that will suck any possibility of love or happiness out of your life. After the reader is frightened by the horrors of pride, Lewis softens and reveals concepts about pride that people may have mistaken. He states that liking compliments and being proud of someone is not a sin. He informs the reader that though God does not like pride, he is not opposed to it either. Even though humans are proud people, they still need to show humility towards the Lord. This chapter had strong points that many are not familiar with or have never given much thought about. He uses fantastic figurative language to help the reader fully understand his concepts such as his example of pride being a spiritual cancer, overtaking a person and leaving them with nothing. This chapter will definitely make people analyze their actions more carefully so they are not infected by the monstrous pride.