The Screwtape Letters by C. S. Lewis

[Justin of Flavia Neapolis]

Audiobook version is available on YouTube.

This is an interesting take on the struggle between God and Satan. This is a book about Satan or "Screwtape" writing letters of instruction to his nephew "Wormwood" on earth about how he should go about winning over human souls from the clutches of God or "The Enemy" while giving brief history lessons on their past experiments on leading humans astray.

Screwtape addresses the methods in which the demon can use on humans to win over souls for "The Father Below." A great many subjects are covered, and in the early chapters, Screwtape mentions avoiding argument with the pious because Reason is a Godly virtue, and that they should rely on "emotional methods" to win converts to Satan's side. Funnily, Satan refers to humans as "Patients."

 

[Lark]

Its been a while since I read any of the Screwtape books, although I'm pretty sure its not Satan, at most he's a "senior demon" who is advising a "junior demon", I'm not sure about the whole portrayal of heaven and hell as benign and maleficent bureaucracies but it was a thing at a time, this sort of connects back to all the stories of the Devil being a mysterious stranger who makes deals, bargains and strikes up contracts with people for their souls (arguably inspired by the struggle between fuedal establishments and the emerging capitalist merchant classes).

He wrote another book too called the Great Divorce, which was a depiction of heaven and hell, the inhabitants of hell travel by bus to heaven but cant be redeemed, its not a complete and perfect story but it tries to explain pre-destination, one of the essential dividing factors between Tolkein and Lewis, also between Lewis' protestantism and Tolkein's Roman Catholicism.

 

[Lark]

BTW if the subtext is that Liberals are Satan, then that's as crazy as that other thread suggesting liberalism was a mental illness.

People can differ with you and you can believe them wrong without a full scale character assassination and "this town isnt big enough for the two of us" routine.

 

[Justin of Flavia Neapolis]

Its been a while since I read any of the Screwtape books, although I'm pretty sure its not Satan, at most he's a "senior demon" who is advising a "junior demon", I'm not sure about the whole portrayal of heaven and hell as benign and maleficent bureaucracies but it was a thing at a time, this sort of connects back to all the stories of the Devil being a mysterious stranger who makes deals, bargains and strikes up contracts with people for their souls (arguably inspired by the struggle between fuedal establishments and the emerging capitalist merchant classes).

He wrote another book too called the Great Divorce, which was a depiction of heaven and hell, the inhabitants of hell travel by bus to heaven but cant be redeemed, its not a complete and perfect story but it tries to explain pre-destination, one of the essential dividing factors between Tolkein and Lewis, also between Lewis' protestantism and Tolkein's Roman Catholicism.

Yeah, I noticed that now about Screwtape and Satan not being the same demon. My fault.

I'll have to check The Great Divorce out. So far, I've only read most of Mere Christianity.

 

[Justin of Flavia Neapolis]

BTW if the subtext is that Liberals are Satan, then that's as crazy as that other thread suggesting liberalism was a mental illness.

People can differ with you and you can believe them wrong without a full scale character assassination and "this town isnt big enough for the two of us" routine.

Check yo apophenia, Friendo.

"What does all of this have to do with politics?"

You do have a point, but it's from Lewis' own hand. Not mine:

 

[Lark]

Yeah, I noticed that now about Screwtape and Satan not being the same demon. My fault.

I'll have to check The Great Divorce out. So far, I've only read most of Mere Christianity.

I used to like that book when I was younger, now I'm not so sure about it, his four loves is an excellent book, as is the problem of pain.

 

[Red Memories]

I remember reading that book and feeling very enlightened. It really highlights all the small way Satan creeps into your soul and tries to pull you away from God.