When Love Itself Becomes a god it Becomes Demonic – C.S. Lewis
C.S. Lewis’ idea that “When Love Itself Becomes a god, it Becomes Demonic” comes from his book The Four Loves, where he explores different kinds of love—affection, friendship, eros (romantic love), and charity (agape).
His warning means that when love is taken out of its proper place and made an ultimate thing—essentially worshiped as a god—it can become destructive rather than life-giving.
Why Does Love Become Demonic?
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Love Without Limits Can Justify Evil
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If love (especially romantic or familial love) is made the highest authority, it can excuse any action in its name. For example, parents who love their children may become overprotective or controlling, believing that anything done “out of love” is justified—even if it harms the child.
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Romantic love, if idolized, can lead people into obsessive or even abusive relationships, excusing jealousy or manipulation in the name of love.
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It Becomes an Idol
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Lewis was deeply influenced by Christian thought, which teaches that only God should be ultimate (Exodus 20:3 – “You shall have no other gods before me”).
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When love itself is treated as the highest good—above truth, righteousness, or God—it distorts reality. For instance, saying “Love is love” without defining what love truly is can lead to moral relativism.
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Love Without Truth Can Be Destructive
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True love must be guided by truth and wisdom. When love is separated from God’s moral order, it can become indulgent, selfish, or even cruel.
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An example is when people enable self-destructive behaviors in others because they “love them too much to say no.”
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Demonic Love – Twisting the Good
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Lewis suggests that Satan doesn’t create new evils but twists good things. Love, in its proper form, reflects God’s nature (1 John 4:8: “God is love”), but when it is turned into an idol, it distorts and enslaves.
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This echoes Romans 1:25: “They exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator.”他們將神的真實變為虛謊，去敬拜事奉受造之物，不敬奉那造物的主；主乃是可稱頌的，直到永遠。阿們！
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When we make love (a created thing) the ultimate goal, rather than God (the Creator), it ceases to be truly loving and becomes corrupt.
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Conclusion
Love is a gift from God, but it must remain under His lordship. When love is turned into an idol, detached from truth and righteousness, it can justify sin, excuse evil, and ultimately become demonic.
Lewis’ warning is a call to keep love in its right place—not as God, but as something that flows from God.