Screwtape Letters Politics Quote

Screwtape Letters Politics Quote – A Facebook post is circulating that the current political climate (notably Donald Trump) is in the context of C.S.’s iconic book. Lewis places

Most people know C.S. Lewis perhaps as the author of The Chronicles of Narnia, seven books of Christian allegories describing the struggle between good and evil and filling many a young mind with adventure.

Screwtape Letters Politics Quote

The book itself is a collection of fictional letters written by a “senior” devil named Screwtape to his cousin, Wormwood, advising him on the best tactics to use on humans to take their eternal souls to Hell.

C. S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters, And Politics, Part Ii

And since Trump called Hillary Trump the devil in the second debate, it only seems fair to examine how others depict the ways and means of the demonic entities that inhabit hell.

But it’s not an exact quote. It emulates Lewis’s style – his choice of words, imagery, details, language, syntax, etc. But the closing “Keep up the good work” is not used in the actual book. Screwtape always ends his letters with “Your affectionate uncle.”

However, there are many other factual quotes from the book itself that apply to the outrageous campaign a particular candidate is running.

This one from Letter I immediately caught my attention because it frames humanity in such a way that Wormwood can begin its apprenticeship in soul stealing with a good blueprint of human nature.

Collection Of 22 Rejection Quotes And Captions

“[M]an, ever since he was a boy, has become accustomed to having a dozen incompatible philosophies dancing together in his head. He views doctrines not primarily as “true” or “false,” but as “academic” or “practical,” “outdated” or “contemporary,” “conventional” or “ruthless.” Jargon, not argument, is your best ally to keep him away from the church. Don’t waste your time trying to make him think that materialism is true! Make him think it’s strong or grim or brave – that it’s the philosophy of the future. That’s the kind of thing he cares about.”

If one were to analyze this passage rhetorically only for diction, certain words would certainly be emphasized: “incompatible philosophies”, “does not think”, “obsolete”, “ruthless”, “slang” and “materialism” to name a few. .

Certainly a man who says one thing and later denies it depending on the public certainly qualifies as someone who has “incompatible philosophies”. And certainly the words “materialism” and Donald Trump clash in every sentence.

But it is the two-dimensional aspect that this particular paragraph throws the spiritually vulnerable humanity in. The use of the multiple “or’s” shows that those prone to be lured by the dark side see the world in black and white when God created such a palette for us to enjoy.

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Donald Trump is, in my opinion, the most two-dimensional presidential candidate in history. He lives in extremes – his narcissistic self-aggrandizement to his paranoid conspiracy theories. His lavish wealth he wore on his sleeve down to his hidden hairline and tax returns. His late night tweets credit his name in debates.

And as he swings from side to side, he never stops in the middle to consider that the extremes aren’t where most people exist.

The word “slang” from the Lewis fragment is most appropriate. Trump has used his slogans and “terms” to create a comfort zone that clouds reality.

“Don’t waste your time trying to make him think that materialism is true! Make him think it’s strong or grim or brave – that it’s the philosophy of the future. That’s the kind of thing he cares about.”

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His supposed wealth despite the lack of released tax returns and his opulence seem to give Trump his plastic confidence, the same confidence that is shaken when confronted with the truth, especially in the form of a smart lady.

The British then knew a thing or two about resilience, fighting for those who didn’t live on their soil and staring at an enemy who refused to give in.

And the spiritually apologetic satire of C.S. Lewis is so relevant today, especially with a revived animosity between the US and Russia and a division in our own country based on “either/or” dictates. is a series of fictional letters written by C.S. Lewis. In this collection, an elderly demon, Uncle Screwtape, advises his young nephew Wormwood on the best way to ensnare and seduce the human assigned to him.

According to Uncle Screwtape, the real job of a demon is to undermine faith and prevent the formation of virtues. Reading

Cs Lewis: The “prophetic Words” About The Pandemic Supposedly From The Screwtape Letters Are Not By Him…

S will polarize your feelings. It forces a kind of introspection rarely achieved in our fast-paced society. Ask yourself these questions:

When you come face to face with this powerful call, you must retreat for self-examination. You will either hate this because it forces you to acknowledge your own failures, or love it because it urges you to strive for courage again.

Every time you read these fictional letters to Wormword, you discover new insights. When I last reread this, I was once again impressed by the historical context in which Lewis wrote (after publishing this work in 1942):

Now that it is certain that the German people will bomb your patient’s town and that his duties will put him in danger, we must consider our policy. Should we focus on cowardice – or on courage, with the ensuing pride – or on hatred of the Germans?

Surviving Wormwood And His Uncle Screwtape

Lewis recognizes the danger that war poses to the soul of the individual. And he discusses it at a time of fierce rhetoric and virulent opinion, possibly the most turbulent time in UK history. Given the current situation in the world, this admonition is just as appropriate today as it was over 70 years ago.

This is just one example of the numerous insights presented in this work. If you prefer a book that is old, worn and familiar every time you return to it, this is not the book for you. But if you enjoy the discovery that comes with a new reading, you will enjoy it for years to come.

How often during our day do we ignore the power of the enemy to slightly influence our decisions? Lewis questions our presuppositions when he writes:

There are two equal and opposite faults in which our race can fall over the devils. One is not to believe in their existence. The other is to believe in it and feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in it.

Human Weakness In The Screwtape Letters: [essay Example], 2241 Words Gradesfixer

When, as the Scriptures say, we are in spiritual warfare (Ephesians 6:12), the battle rages around us every day. The great reformer Martin Luther understood this when he wrote the beloved hymn, “A mighty fortress is our God”:

And though this world filled with devils, should threaten to undo us. We will not fear what God has willed His truth to triumph through us.

If you’d rather go through your everyday life unconsciously, don’t read this book. But if you want to open your eyes, this satirical piece is the perfect starting point.

Discover insights from this book and 29 others when you read the full C.S. Lewis Collection pre-order. Lewis’s works elicit deep and powerful responses; there is rarely a middle ground.

The Screwtape Letters: Preface And The First Five Letters

The C.S. Lewis Collection contains 30 of Lewis’s most beloved works. And best of all, the edition is fully tagged and searchable, allowing you to gain insights from Lewis’s works like never before.

You can discuss this post and others in the Faithlife Today group. Create an account or log in to get started. Americans are deeply divided in our feelings about the outcome of this election. For me, one of the most painful results is that some members of our society feel that they have been cast aside and considered worthless. God help us if we ever treat anyone as worthless. I pray that we are revived to give love to all and hate to no one.

One of the saddest things I’ve seen in this country over the past week is the tendency for civilians to retreat to their sympathetic camps. Just when we need to reach out lovingly to all our neighbors, we retreat into our own tribes. We only listen to those who share our point of view.

Perhaps such a response was necessary and inevitable as an immediate response to an actual election. But I would really like to see a difference in the future.

From My Commonplace Book: Screwtape On “the Historical Point Of View”

I’m mainly talking to myself here. I have good work to do, and last week I was so distracted by it that I am appalled at my own behavior.

Not anymore. There are good deeds to be done, good fights to be fought. There are wounded people here in my community that I need to give love to.

Yesterday a friend from another country – a country with a much longer history than mine – reminded me of this advice from a man from yet another country. C.S. Lewis wrote these words in the mid-20th century, and they sound as true today as they did when he wrote them.

Make sure the patient remains completely fixated on politics. Arguments, political gossip, and obsessing over the mistakes of people they’ve never met serve as an excellent distraction from progress in

Episode 59: Studying Screwtape Part 1