This section was a lot easier to read, having the background from our discussion in class this week. All of the anti-Christian ideas were easier to understand. It is interesting how the 4th letter begins. The uncle is talking about how he needs to fully inform Wormwood about the “painful subject of prayer”. The adjective painful is not how Christians normally would describe their main way of talking to God, because praying brings Christians closer to God this is a painful action to Satan, because it pulls people away from him. He instructs Wormwood to not just stop the patient from praying, but to the person from even thinking about praying. This is good advice for the Uncle to give, because if the thought is not in the head there is no doubt or intention to do it later.
I also thought this was interesting “It is funny how mortals always picture us as putting things into their minds: in reality our best work is done by keeping things out” (pg. 16). This is a very interesting idea, what are your opinions on this subject? Another interesting idea that is found in this letter is the idea of turning their attention away from God and toward themselves. By doing this we take away the selflessness the God wants us to have and become a self-centered person, only thinking about ourselves and not doing Gods work. What were your opinions on this idea of turning the attention away from God and towards themselves?
Just an aside, while I was reading this I could not help but wonder how hard it would be to write this book. I feel like I was raised to live by God’s word and could not imagine trying to come up with all of these ideas that C.S. Lewis has. Did anyone else think about this?
4 comments:
First of all, I agree with your analogies on chapter 4. Satan's job is to pull Christians away from their prayer because he knows that is their strength, protection, and communication. Then he can steal, kill and destroy the person as the Bible states. He knows that a person who is "prayed up" is a threat to him because he/she can defeat him at whatever he tries to do to them. Second, I believe what C.S. Lewis meant by "our best work is done by keeping things out" is that while Satan places negative thoughts into our minds, Wormwood is doing a better job keeping any thought out of their mind or not allowing any thought or intention from producing a desired outcome, for example, prayer. Third, Satan will use any distraction to deter you from God. His goal is to bring you down. He will using anything, including self-centeredness or self-indulgence so that you are taken from God's work and then he wants you to become like him, self-serving. Additionally, he knows that you will not produce any good fruits for God and others, including your own. And fourth, I have thought about the author's intentions in coming up with these letters. He definitely plays "devil's advocate" where you could say that it is evil intentions. However, you could also look at it in another perspective--that he is showing the "flip side" of the coin where you can come up with the Godly perspective or others and become a stronger Christian and wiser from it.
I imagine Lewis has to have some personal attachment to Wormwood that the reader doesn't understand well. The reason I say this is that on the surface the nephew comes out as sort of a sympathetic figure. He's desperately trying to ruin Wormwood but despite the effort, Screwtape rips him apart for coming short all the time. It would have to be hard to write this book without actively thinking about who is the protagonist, just like reading it requires. Yet, having a connection to Wormwood that is deeper than the reader understands would make writing it much easier in my opinion.
First I agree that the letters overall are becoming easier to grasp and understand. I as well found the idea of of Satan's best work is done be keeping things out to be an extremely interesting outlook on the 'devil's work' I think C.S. Lewis is trying to depict the fact that the strength in religion is not the tangible things that can be taken away such as the church or the Bible, but instead prayer. I think he does so in a satire manor through Screwtape and his attempt to force the patient not to pray.
I want to comment on the question you asked on turning attention away from God and towards yourself; it is a horrible thing to think about, but I think everyone is guilty of it at one point or another in life. We get caught up in everyday activities, work, school and such, and forget that we are actually here for something bigger, that God has a plan for why we’re here. I find myself in this situation sometimes and it’s discouraging. Someone may want to live for God and according to His word, but in the midst of our busy schedules, we may get absorbed in ourselves. In working to combat this selfishness, sometimes quiet meditation time is good. Just going for a walk outside, enjoying your surroundings and thanking God for what He’s done and asking Him to help you in living according to His plan.
And also, on your last question, I was also raised to believe in God, and I think it is amazing that C.S. Lewis could pull a work like this off. I’m thinking it must take a LOT of thinking backwards, and sort of taking your own struggles and problems and trying to understand the bad influences that may lead you in the wrong direction. I’d like to hear what everyone else thought of that too! :-D
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