A man can no more diminish God's glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word, 'darkness' on the walls of his cell.

The quote "A man can no more diminish God's glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word, 'darkness' on the walls of his cell" by C. S. Lewis illustrates the impossibility of human actions diminishing God's inherent majesty or power. Lewis uses the analogy of a lunatic who believes that writing "darkness" can extinguish the sun to demonstrate how foolish and futile it is for humans to think they can alter or diminish the glory of God. No matter how much one denies or refuses to recognize God, His glory remains undiminished and unchanged.

This quote highlights the incomprehensibility and unchangeable nature of God's greatness. Lewis is suggesting that just as the sun continues to shine regardless of a person's actions, God's glory exists independently of human recognition or worship. Even if someone refuses to worship God or rejects His existence, it does not affect God's power or status in any way. The lunatic represents a misguided belief that one’s actions can influence something as vast and uncontrollable as the divine.

The origin of this quote comes from Lewis's writings on the nature of God, human existence, and the limitations of human reasoning. Lewis, known for works like Mere Christianity and The Screwtape Letters, often used logical reasoning to explain complex theological concepts. This analogy serves to emphasize the futility of trying to diminish God’s glory through human actions, stressing the idea that God’s power and majesty are not dependent on human acknowledgment or worship.

Ultimately, this quote reinforces the idea that God's glory and sovereignty are absolute, and nothing humans do can diminish or alter them. It encourages humility, reminding us that we cannot control or change the nature of God, and that our worship or refusal to worship does not influence His eternal greatness.