Screwtape
Is it true what they say? That fact is stranger than fiction. After reading both A Modest Proposal and The Screwtape Letters I can honestly say that it is true. Both installments contain their share of sarcasm and ridicule yet the light they shed on their subject matters are painfully accurate. Whether the writers intended offense to be taken by a reader guilty of such deeds or the systems set in place to create the underling tragedy is not clear but that is part of the genius of the text.
In A Modest Proposal readers would find it hard to not feel ill after reading the graphic acts of cannibalism prescribed by the author as the remedy for poverty. We are slowly fostered into this new solution with us as the explanatory tone by the character. Lewis’ view of this method of luring humanity away from God and into to depravity referenced in the Screwtape Letters is similar and guilty of being a tried and proven way to achieve the theft of the faith in a Christian. By slowly attacking the social state of men, women and children, making references to the positive outcomes pending and scoffing at any other recommended solution the Proposal to kill, cook and eat humans slid from socio-economic coffee shop talk to spiritual perversion and wickedness. The careful placements of religious ridicule, though intended to be humorous was actually the nail in the coffin.
Humor laced within the sadistic tail also caused me to recall Lewis’ ideology on the types of people and their laughter and what it is that really causes them to laugh. Laughter of joy and fun could never be a product of A Modest Proposal. The humor more so tugs at Joke Proper and Flippancy. The Joke Proper has the ability to destroy shame and hide the cruelty of the situation and there was no shortage of either in the Proposal. Lewis strongest weapon against spiritual virtue is last but surely not least as it is the most fitting source of laughter for the occasion. The entire Proposal hints that all parties involved: writer, characters and readers have already lost respect for life and so the joke is implied within the entire text, even the portions that are educational, such as the demographics and social habits of the victims and victimizers. Flippancy, Lewis states “ …is thousands of miles away from joy: deadens, instead of sharpening, the intellect; and it excites no affection between those who practice it.”
It is my firm belief that the author used satire to relate the story in a manner that was sure to disgust the reader, as it should. On several levels I found myself wondering about the deplorable conditions of mankind. The Proposal addresses domestic violence but only as it relates to the selling of the wives unborn baby for food later down the line. It addresses child labor, animal cruelty and teenage pregnancy but again only in contrast to food consumption. The pitch for the new project to save the poor and needy sounds like something Screwtape himself would pitch to a believer in a weakened state. It was done with such care to detail, the research of birth per season, the cross-references with colleges in other countries, he left no room for the mind to retaliate for such a gross reasoning. Wormwood would be so proud to head that project up.
Satire is truly a form of psychological humor and the topic is surely a product of psychological illness. The shock value of the writing style made the read easy and memorable but in was the infusion of “not so funny” that caused the uproar within my spirit, perhaps more so than if it had been written as an informative article. Another benefit I see in this form of delivery is it can, in some people cushion the blow of horrible news as with many other forms of humor. Many comedians joke about the ills of their society as away to earn a living. But if we look deeper into it we can see the irony of comedy, the jokes are funniest when they are true and besides, laughter is the best medicine.
The Holy Bible reads that:
Whoso causeth the righteous to go astray in an evil way, he shall fall himself into his own pit: but the upright shall have good things in possession. [Prov.28:10] The writings of C.S. Lewis show the struggles of Christianity from many vantage points. As a collection my Spring 2010 semester’s readings led to the divine re-education on the concept[s] of evil. What is evil? And more importantly how should we deal with it?
The Screwtape Letters where Lewis’ creative way of showcasing a series of letters between demonic forces who sort to pull man away from his belief in G_d. In this case, Lewis’ take on evil is that evil is spiritual and deliberate. The evil forces in The Screwtape Letters planned attacks on the faithful and refined their strategies to a science, all this due to their need for man to worship the devil instead of G_d. This type of evil was methodical, it had a purpose and a goal and dear I say the demons had a mission equivalent to that if a Christian missionary. They sort an end product for their toil and that was the loss of a soul and even a life.
Lewis’ works covered evil as a fleeting spirit that manipulates the mind of humanity, evil as a careless relationship between two than ends in suffering and evil that slips with us threw the door to the other side. In totality the works of Lewis , when read in relation to the things that we have some control of in life can serve as a map to navigate thru the many twist and turns we encounter as we fellowship. Yes evil is a hidden foe but as Christians learn and grow towards perfecting their love for each other such literature on the subject matters that plague our congregation can only add to more testimonies as to the grace of Christ.
In the Spring of 2010, while a student at Washington Bible College in Lanham, Maryland I was an assignment to write a letter to Screwtape or Wormwood as if I were one of the characters. The letter read like this:
To: Mr.Screwtape
cc: Mr.Wormwood
For years now I have sat quietly and listened as the two of you aimlessly search for the best route to set me on the wrong path in order to destroy my faith and even my life. It is only myself respect that allowed me to hold my thoughts and tongue till now.
You both know full well the G_d is real and all powerful yet your joy is found only in the spreading of lies and confusion about there being another worthy of praise while hiding yourselves in the shadows of doubt found in humanity. I am sure you both know the scripture has addressed there is no hiding place from Him. No fig leaf or mind game can render a believer of non believer safe from the guidance or judgments of G_d.
With all your plots and plans you conspire in vain. You are as much at the mercy of G_d as a new born who is unaccustomed to the light of the world. Perhaps, even more now than as a child I have learned to keep the ways of G_d close to my heart. You two are still lost in your own web of lies and deceit waiting for me to believe that up is down.
I pray you find time to reevaluate the word of G_d once more and see that your hatred of Him has set you under His feet when you could have been at his feet. Even with all the false wisdom of your devilish father I am still in love with G_d and able to pray that you some day see the reason why.
Patient
C.S. Lewis writes about The Gradual Road to Hell
Screwtape explains to Wormwood that G_d favors followers who serve Him due to and/or during their lowest point. As Screwtape sees it G_d loves that His servants seek Him in order to recover and when the troughs have turned to peaks he delights when they attempt to walk on their own two feet. Screwtape expresses concern with the process and is clearly intimidated by G_ds’ special favorites who have endured especially long and hard down periods. They pray better, survive on the faintest of communication and due to periods when they grew reliant on G_d, they tend to resemble Him and continue to do His works regardless of the obstacles placed in their way.
I have had the experience(s) Wormwood explained to Screwtape. During stages of depression I have had to rely totally on spiritual substances from G_d in order to replenish myself. Once that down period of my life is passed it is impossible to tempt me away from G_d. It is a choice, I am not made to stay at His feet but I stay because He is the source of life and love and consistently there. The feeling of being forsaken comes and goes; still, each time I have forgotten that He is with me always He corrects the thought. My bouts with depression use to last for months, now the bouts are much shorter and I no longer accept the thought that G_d has left me.
C.S. Lewis writes about Pleasurable Manipulations
Pleasure came as an invitation from God writes Screwtape. He continues by adding that the devil is unable to provide pleasure for man but that he can encourage humans to over indulge in the pleasures provided to them. Screwtape writes that moderation in a patient is only desired by the devil as it pertains to religion. Screwtape explains the amusement that comes with a patient having that type of mind set and how Wormwood can manipulate the Bible verse to make a patient feel content with not being fulfilled.
C.S. Lewis writes about Treacherous Friends
Screwtape assures Wormwood that the patient’s new friends are going to be a great tool for controlling the mind of the patient. He continues by stating that the patient’s friends will expose him to elements of life that contradict his faith and create internal conflict on some level. The patient will eventually develop two parallel lives and grow treacherous to both sets of friends, all the while feeling as if he is blessing the people he has deceived.
C.S. Lewis writes about The Devils Laughter
Screwtape describes the types of laughter as those caused by joy, fun, joke proper and flippancy. The preference of the devil, however, is flippancy. Screwtape suggest that persons who use this type of humor tend to be without joy and affection. He continues to explain that the flippancy joke is usually a sign that person finds the subject manner ridiculous.
C.S. Lewis writes about Dead Drops -vs- The Gradual Decline
Screwtape provides verbal illustration on how to coax a man away from G_d. Screwtape reasoned with Wormwood that the gradual slop would do the trick verses the dead drop which would cause the patient to snap back to reality and send then hurdling back to G_d.
As far as this theory is concerned, I can only speak for myself. I believe all individuals have a personal relationship with G_d and so I would not be the one to say what road another being is on.
I can see where I was before and where I am now and only testify as to how G_d took me out of certain situations. The way a smoker sees smoking and a drinker sees drinking reminds me of the way my mind had the ability to convince me that I was not addicted. I never confessed to being an alcoholic or drug addict. No matter the amount I consumed it was always in moderation. Gradually the time and money I would spend doing things that proved productive turned into social hour. I am not sure when I heard G_d explain what the issue was, but it seemed to come clear one day that I was self medicating. I believe the Word of G_d is the equivalent to the dead drop and the coax of the devil is the gradual decline.
C.S. Lewis writes about Last Rights
Screwtape sees death as a pleasing and refreshing opportunity to lead a soul to hell due to the periods of suffering prior to their death.
It is my belief that all humans across the globe have different views of death. I myself do not think about death except in a Biblical context.
Screwtape fells it best for all humans to die in costly nursing homes among doctors, nurses and friends who lie and do not make a priest available until the last minute.
C.S. Lewis writes about Dead Drops -vs- The Gradual Decline
I seldom give the devil any thought as my life is God centered.
I believe that it could be possible that there are demons assigned to ruin the lives of certain individuals. All threw out history we have seen that the great leaders of a society have had to overcome great tribulations in order to testify to G_d’s greatness. Many have lost their lives prematurely, leaving the earth to strive towards good. It is my theory that had those same people been less concerned with Go_ and more in love with man the devil would have never noticed them and their lives would have been easier.
C.S. Lewis writes about Temptation
Lewis sees man as food for the tempters. Man is called a patient in the Screwtape letters but I believe the term patient is used in contradiction to the medical term. It seems as though Wormwood has been couching Screwtape on how to weaken the patient instead of making them stronger. Once in the weakened state the patient becomes a tempter as well.
Lewis describes Christ’s goal for man as a sort of evolution from convert to converter. The process by which the patient learns to rely on G_d is in complete opposition to the coaxing of the tempter yet the two worked to validate the love and power of G_d. In the end, it seemed that the fears that Screwtape suffered from stemmed from were due to man who chose to serve G_d after being exposed to the Devil.
C.S. Lewis writes about Fish and Onions
Screwtape explains to Wormwood that the patient should be led to abandon the many things that give him pleasure and be molded to cultivate a finer selection in order to limit the pleasures available. Screwtape’s concern with the patient having to many pleasures stem from his knowledge that the patient is more likely to maintain innocence and humility, virtues which are loved by G_d and distrusted by the devil. Screwtape referenced a patient being pulled away from temptation by having a love of fish and onions.
The patient’s repentance makes Screwtape nervous because it could be pressures to action. The patients repetitive actions could cause the creation of new habits, those new habits could cause the patient to be strengthened. In any case the devil would prefer the patients to do nothing but wallow.
C.S. Lewis writes about Corruption of Patients
Wormwood mentors Screwtape to corrupt the patient’s definition of humility in order to promote self hatred. Wormwood says the benefits of the patients false sense of humility is that in many cases it will cause them to believe many types of lies that causes the mind to spin endlessly it aims to achieve the impossible.
Wormwood states that the goal of G_d is to restore mans self love, charity and gratitude.
C.S. Lewis writes about The Future of Humans
Screwtape writes that G_d wants humans to attend to the future. As Screwtape explains, a human who is convinced that there hope will become manifest in the future does not ever take into consideration what G_d has already done. Also Screwtape writes that said state of mind of that patient leaves them in a constant state of disappointment.
I think that my inability to accept what G_d has done for me keeps me from becoming complacent, yet I rarely think that way. For the most part my faith that G_d has kept me and my household is consistently my frame of reference towards life.
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