Jason Silver

Tuesday, April 11th, 2006

The Screwtape Letters

I was a busy boy today! I also finished the book by C.S. Lewis, "The Screwtape Letters." In contrast to Dan Brown's novel, this was fantastic. In fact, I believe I need to re-read this book.

As most people will know, Screwtape is a demon, uncle to Wormwood. He and Wormwood are exchanging letters during World War II, and we get a peek at their conversation as the uncle coaches the nephew in how to best tempt a newly converted Christian.

What makes for such brilliant writing is the way he explains complex spiritual truths from a demon's perspective-- whereas I might normally begin yawning through a boring sermon, when told in the negative, by a demon, as a bad thing, I suddenly perk up and listen.

Here's an example:

He's (God) a hedonist at heart. All those fasts and vigils and stakes and crosses are only a façade. Or only like foam on the sea shore. Out at sea, out in His sea, there is pleasure, and more pleasure. He makes no secret of it; at His right hand are "pleasures for evermore". Ugh! I don't think He has the least inkling of that high and austere mystery to which we rise in the Miserific Vision. He's vulgar, Wormwood. He has a bourgeois mind. He has filled His world full of pleasures. There are things for humans to do all day long without His minding in the least-sleeping, washing, eating, drinking, making love, playing, praying, working, Everything has to be twisted before it's any use to us. We fight under cruel disadvantages. Nothing is naturally on our side.

I highly recommend this book. C.S. Lewis is known as a great author for good reason.

~Jason