“Screwtape Letters” by C. S. Lewis
- A) Screwtape opposes using argument because pulling a person into argument takes their
anything can come into their thoughts giving then ideas. B) An example of jargon from the novel was when he got the person to consider after having lunch was better for this and the “stream of experience” occurred when the person saw the newsboy and the bus he came back to the “reality” Screwtape wanted.
- A) One example explaining how patient’s feelings are used in prayer for judging the success
of prayer is explains determining the value of prayer is not in the specific outcome like praying for good health but in the desired “feeling,” the prayer gives them. B) Praying in this manner destroys real prayer because by focusing on the feeling rather than the purpose of connecting with the Will of the Creator the prayer becomes subjective.
- When a patient feels abandoned by God but still obeys this is a danger to the devils because
this is the true example of faith and actually shows as if Christ embracing the sacrifice then arrives at God’s intended destination.
- A)The “law of undulation” explains how humans go through both a theological and
physiological, change that creates a spiritual drought. This is an intention of God for believers develop into mature and independent people of faith B) One use of the “law of undulation” to tempt the patient looks at anything providing temporal sensation in the pleasure factor. It is only temporary but draws people in when they do not allow themselves to connect to God.
- The patient having a double-life with one set of Christian friends and another set in the ways of worldliness encourages two kinds of false pride. False pride connected with the worldly friends comes from putting importance on the way these people see the world and their perception of their position in it. Spiritual false pride connected to the Christian friends looks at the “way” they view the righteousness of the Christian conduct resulting in condescending attitudes toward those not believing their way – it has nothing to do with a personal relationship with God and the gift of grace.
- A) Lewis defines flippancy as the refusal for taking anything seriously. Bound in assuming nothing matters in the end leads to believing commitment is not a life necessity. In doing so, this never-ending flippancy leads to never asking about the meaning of life and leaves the person living a superficial life. B) Laughter generated by flippancy is always a devilish advantage because as a type of humor it overcomes shame. Shame is necessary for humility and humility for seeking the grace of God.
- A) Vanity and fashionable pleasures both have to do with impressing others. Reading a book to impress someone is a fashionable pleasure while vanity is the perspective of self from the approval of others. B) Vain and fashionable pleasure do not advance anyone spiritually even when they may not be sinful because they do not allow true feelings and without true feelings there is no conscience and conscience makes people want to change.
- A) Humility may become sin when a person believes debasing self is what God wants to exhibit humility. This is not true and God does not want dishonesty – it is a sin. B) The “true end of humility” is to be free from having any opinion of self thus, allowing sincere praise of the accomplishments of others without comparing the success to self.
- Screwtape suggests the patient can corrupt churchgoing by shopping around for another church because this activity leads to a person comparing and therefore leads to sinful criticism and judgment of others who worship God.
- A) The definition of “gluttony of delicacy is how the devil uses a human belly and palate to produce querulousness, impatience, and self-concern. B) Gluttony of delicacy is a temptation to gluttony of excess because it can lead to excessive bad behavior connected to a false belief that complaining about too much this and not enough that. The gluttony is not in the amount of food or drink but in the amount of ill-tempered behavior.
- A) The minor fault of the women is charity to be used to trick the man into the fault of pride. B). The woman’s vanity is a minor fault because of unselfishness she engenders but the patient’ pride becomes the major fault because he has to put up a false front because she thinks he is one way when is another.
- A) The generous conflict illusion game is when people act unselfish when it is not really, how they feel. B) This game makes unselfishness a fault because it implies the person showing the unselfish gesture they do not actually feel puts other on the spot to act the same but this leads to discord and can pull repressed feelings into the discontented interaction.
- A) Screwtape wants the patient to live a long life because the longer he lives the more chance to win him to the devil. B) Living a prosperous life makes the patient love the temporal world and forgets his spiritual self.
- A) The incident immediately after the patient’s death showing he is saved from hell was when he recognized the Wormwood – recognized he no longer had any control on him. B) The patient had to recognize the lie of Wormhole, and the truth of God, the memories of his soul before he could enter Heaven
