“The safest road to hell is the gradual one – the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts.”
- November 29, 1898 – November 22, 1963
- Born in Ireland
- Writer, scholar
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Quote
“The safest road to hell is the gradual one – the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts.”
Explanation
In this quote, C. S. Lewis warns that the path to moral and spiritual ruin is often not a dramatic, sudden fall, but a slow, almost imperceptible descent. He compares it to a gentle slope, where the journey is easy and comfortable, with no obstacles or signposts to indicate the danger ahead. This gradual path is particularly dangerous because it lulls individuals into a sense of security and complacency, making them unaware of the moral decay that is quietly happening over time. The lack of milestones and sudden turns means that the person on this path may not realize how far they have strayed until it is too late. For Lewis, this represents the subtlety of temptation and how spiritual apathy can lead people further away from God without them even noticing.
Historically, Lewis wrote about the slippery nature of sin and how it can be easily disguised as harmless or even pleasurable. In his book The Screwtape Letters, he explores how evil often works through small compromises, gradually drawing people further from their faith and moral center. He emphasizes that small sins, repeated over time, can have a cumulative effect, leading to spiritual destruction. Lewis often cautioned against the danger of neglecting the small details of our spiritual lives, warning that indifference to daily moral choices can lead us down a path of spiritual death.
In the modern context, this quote is a stark reminder of how complacency in everyday life—whether through moral compromises, distractions, or neglecting spiritual growth—can slowly pull us away from the deeper purpose and fulfillment that comes from a committed life. Today, people often live without reflecting on their choices and direction, drifting through life without milestones or clear signposts to guide their moral compass. Lewis’s words challenge us to recognize the subtle dangers of inaction and indifference, urging us to actively pursue a life of purpose and awareness, where we continually assess our spiritual state and make intentional choices.
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