The safest road to Hell is the gradual one the gentle
slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without
milestones, without signposts.
C.S Lewis, “The Screwtape Letters”
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Space Trilogy
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The Screwtape Letters (1942)
The Great Divorce (1945)
The Chronicles of Narnia
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Out of the Silent Planet (1938)
Perelandra (aka Voyage to Venus) (1943)
That Hideous Strength (1945)
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (1950)
Prince Caspian (1951)
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (1952)
The Silver Chair (1953)
The Horse and His Boy (1954)
The Magician's Nephew (1955)
The Last Battle (1956)
Gratitude looks to the past
and love to the present; fear,
avarice, lust, and ambition
look ahead.
C.S Lewis
“The Screwtape Letters”
Till We Have Faces (1956)
Screwtape Proposes a Toast (1961) (an addition to The Screwtape Letters)
Letters to Malcolm: Chiefly on Prayer (1964)
The Dark Tower (1977)
Boxen: The Imaginary World of the Young C. S. Lewis (ed. Walter Hooper, 1985
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God (The Enemy) and the man that is tempted are the protagonists of The
Screwtape Letters.
The Enemy, as God is referred to as in The Screwtape Letters, is the only
thing that is trying to help the man retain his virtues.
The man becomes a Christian early on in the book, but by being religious
many doors are opened to the Tempters to turn virtue into sin, it makes it
that much easier to make sin seem like virtue, that is what the Tempters
goal is, to slightly twist everything so it no longer is what it seems to be.
The Enemy can’t get directly involved in any situation directly with the
man, he can’t get into his head like the Tempters can. He must do the
right thing because he feels it is right.
Though The Enemy can’t get directly involved he is there and as his
power grows over him the Tempters can’t utilize as many as their abilities
and as soon as he becomes a true convert the Tempters can have no
power over him
“A man can no more diminish God's glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word,
'darkness' on the walls of his cell.”
C.S. Lewis
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Screwtape is the Senior Tempter to Wormwood who is on his first assignment.
Wormwood is a young and inexperienced tempter, his first assignment is a
man from England, who quickly becomes a Catholic.
Wormwood writes letters to inform Screwtape on the life of the Englishman
and to receive council on ways to better lead the man to “The Father Below”.
Unlike “The Enemy”, Wormwood is an active part of the mans life, he is
constantly trying to twist the way he thinks, like instead of praying to god he
twists it so he is praying to the cross, making what is regularly a good thing a
sin, this is how Screwtape wants Wormwood to work, turn everything into
little sins so eventually he will no longer know the difference.
Wormwood makes many mistakes throughout the story and Screwtape makes
sure that he knows when he does and just how serious they are. The goal is to
bring the mans soul to hell so that Wormwood may drink from the mans soul,
Screwtape tries to keep Wormwoods interest off of the sorrow he could drink
of but rather on the fact that if Wormwood succeeds he will never be hungry
again.
This is the terrible fix we are in. If the universe is not governed by an absolute goodness, then all our efforts are in the long run hopeless. But if it
is, then we are making ourselves enemies to that goodness every day, and are not in the least likely to do any better tomorrow, and so our case is
hopeless again....God is the only comfort, He is also the supreme terror: the thing we most need and the thing we most want to hide from.
C.S. Lewis “Mere Christianity “
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Screwtape is my favorite character of The Screwtape
Letters. He says what he means and doesn’t beat
around the bush ever. He is straight forward and is as
blunt as possible, which makes him a fairly sadistic
character at times, but that’s what his character should
be I think.
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When Wormwood began he was very eager to please his “Uncle”, Screwtape, but
twisting everything to seem to be the right or to make his vices seem like his virtues is
much harder then he first assumed.
With every failure come a quick and sharp insult on Wormwoods ability as a tempter
and as a demon at all. Though with every insult comes insight, Screwtape is able to show
the way to slowly steer the man to hell. Though Screwtape is much wiser in the ways of
Tempting the insults quickly build a tension between the two of them, leading to many
attempts by Wormwood to get Screwtape reprimanded for spreading lies on how “The
Enemy” actually loves Humans.
The man quickly becomes a Catholic, and that is a massive failure by Wormwood.
Screwtape’s advice to Wormwood when it comes to the mans religion is to not try and
instantly remove him from it, but to pervert what the religion is. Turn his religion to a
source of pride, or have him make it a materialistic religion. That is the way Screwtape
works, he works to have Wormwood turn regularly good things into small sins that will
later destroy him. Along with attempting to diminish the light of all the good things in
life he wants Wormwood to build up a hatred between himself and his mother, along
with planting the seeds of resentment for his wife if he should marry, so that they will
destroy any chance of a good relationship in the future, which will open many other
dark paths for Wormwood to take the man down.
I live in the Managerial Age, in a world of "Admin." The greatest evil is not now done in those sordid "dens of crime" that Dickens loved to paint.
It is not done even in concentration camps and labour camps. In those we see its final result. But it is conceived and ordered (moved, seconded,
carried, and minuted) in clean, carpeted, warmed, and well-lighted offices, by quiet men with white collars and cut fingernails and smooth-shaven
cheeks who do not need to raise their voice. Hence, naturally enough, my symbol for Hell is something like the bureaucracy of a police state or the
offices of a thoroughly nasty business concern.
C.S. Lewis, “The Screwtape Letters”
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Screwtape increasingly grows annoyed with Wormwoods’ failures, he had a large
number of opportunities to truly grasp the soul of the man, but rather Wormwood
only took sips from the mans “Chalice of Sorrow”. The war blinded Wormwood
for awhile, he became increasingly excited in the destruction and devastation that
it was causing, and perhaps, that was what caused the man to be lost to them
forever.
The man was drafted into the English army. This huge change opened more then a
handful of opportunities to make a large change in the mans life for the worse.
However, the life that he was living had been one of a fairly honest man, because
of this it was going to be much harder to turn the few virtues of men in war into
the constricting vices of the world. The goal was to turn courage into hatred for the
enemy, or turn it into cowardice, to make him think of a bed that he could be
laying in right now rather then fighting in a “god forsaken” war. To make him
believe that god couldn’t be involved in a world so full of evil would shake the
foundation of the mans life forever and ultimately would turn him. The man was
to strong though, the little courage he held onto until his death gave him a spot in
gods graces.
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The Screwtape Letters ends with Wormwood failing to take the
man to Hell. The man who was sent to war held on to the religion
he chose to follow to the end, and when he died The Enemy took
him which was the ultimate failure in the eyes of all tempters.
Shortly after his failure Screwtape informed Wormwood that his
time as a tempter was up and that he would be decommissioned.
He was sent lower to suffer for his failure.
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The setting of The Screwtape Letters is in Europe
(mainly England) during the 1930’s-1940’s. Most of the
book took place during WWII
Of course a war is entertaining. The immediate fear and suffering of the humans is a legitimate and pleasing refreshment for our
myriads of toiling workers. But what permanent good does it do us unless we make use of it for bringing souls to Our Father Below?
When I see the temporal suffering of humans who finally escape us, I feel as if I had been allowed to taste the first course of a rich
banquet and then denied all the rest. It is worse than not to have tasted it at all. The Enemy, true to His barbarous methods of
warfare, allows us to see the short misery of His favourites only to tantalize and torment us — to mock the incessant hunger, which,
during this present phase of great conflict, His blockade is admittedly imposing.
C.S. Lewis, “The Screwtape Letters”
http://www.historiaradia.neostrada.pl/Warsza
wa%20prudential%201944.jpg
Religion- The entire book is based on heaven and
hell fighting for a soul
Lies- The tempters use lies to get what they need
and lead their subject to hell.
Rationalization- Rationalizing what is right or
wrong, and how easy what seems right can be
wrong.
Screwtape Letters is an interesting book
I give it a 9 out of 10
This issue showed up as something that the
tempters tried to make him do, to take
everything spiritual and turn it to a idol
worship, which leads to many of the tragedies
that happen today.
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Every day we are affected by the fact that we
have dual associations with religion and a
secular world. It affects how we are able to
speak in public, how our politicians vote, it
even starts wars. On the other hand it unites
communities and gives countries a common
value that unites them.
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"Right In Two“ Tool
Angels on the sideline, Puzzled and amused.
Why did Father give these humans free will? Now they're all confused.
Don't these talking monkeys know that Eden has enough to go around?
Plenty in this holy garden, silly monkeys, Where there's one you're bound to divide it.
Right in two.
Angels on the sideline, Baffled and confused.
Father blessed them all with reason. And this is what they choose.
And this is what they choose... Monkey killing monkey killing monkey
Over pieces of the ground. Silly monkeys give them thumbs,
They forge a blade, And where there's one
they're bound to divide it, Right in two.
Right in two. Monkey killing monkey killing monkey.
Over pieces of the ground. Silly monkeys give them thumbs.
They make a club. And beat their brother, down.
How they survive so misguided is a mystery.
Repugnant is a creature who would squander the ability to lift an eye to heaven conscious of
his fleeting time here. Cut it all right in two
Fight over the clouds, over wind, over sky Fight over life, over blood, over prayer, overhead
and light
Fight over love, over sun, over another, Fight...
Angels on the sideline again. Benched along with patience and reason. Angels on the sideline
again Wondering when this tug of war will end. Cut it all right in two RIGHT IN TWO! Right
in two...
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All countries have an established religion or have prohibited religion
being involved in the laws of the state.
Throughout history religion has held up many countries, and has caused
the destruction of many as well.
Many wars and have been fought based on religion, or have used
religion as an excuse to get what they want. i.e. the Crusades
Having an established religion in a country leads to alienating the
minority that are not of that religion, this has been a common excuse that
has led to some racial and religious “cleansing”. i.e. The Spanish
Inquisition.
Having a statewide religion can lead to creating allies with other
countries that share that same belief, as well as creating common enemies.
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How your religion will affect your political policy is a genuine factor
in how people will vote.
Ex.
As a Christian you
are opposed to capital punishment.
believed in racial integration when
segregation was the law.
believe that illegal drugs like marijuana
and cocaine should be decriminalized.
believe that abortion is immoral
and should be against the law.
Question
Could you be Attorney General of
Texas?
Could you be Attorney General of
Georgia in 1950?
Could you be Attorney General of
New York?
Could you be Attorney General of
the United States?
“Religion and politics has to do with two spheres of activities in the life of the
same persons. Citizens who belong to religious groups are also members of the
secular society, and this dual association generates complications. Religious
beliefs have moral and social implications, and it is appropriate for people of
faith to express these through their activities as citizens in the political order.”
Kenneth Cauthen The Ethics of Belief: A Bio-Historical Approach, 2 vols. (Lima, OH: CSS Publishing Co.,
2001). http://www.frontiernet.net/~kenc/relandpo.htm
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The Constitution of America separates church and state.
When the Colonies first started, however, they all had a base religion,
because when people came over they came over as large groups and they
almost always had a common religion to keep the people together.
Today we have small constitutional fights based on weather or not we
should say god in our pledge, if we should have the 10 Commandments
at a State Hall, and many other small things.
Quotes:
”The Loathsome combination of church and state” Thomas Jefferson quotes (American 3rd US President (1801-09). Author of the
Declaration of Independence. 1762-1826)
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“The purpose of separation of church and state is to keep forever from these shores the ceaseless strife that has soaked
the soil of Europe with blood for centuries.” James Madison quotes (American 4th US President (1809-17), and one of the founding fathers of his
country. 1751-1836)
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“Leave the matter of religion to the family altar, the church, and the private school, supported entirely by private
contributions. Keep the church and state forever separate.” Ulysses S. Grant quotes (American 18th US President (1869-77), famous commander
of the Union armies during the late years of the American Civil War. 1822-1885)
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The Crusades were a religious conquest set out by the Catholic
Pope. They were sent to claim the “holy land” of Jerusalem from
the “godless” people there.
Almost all of the Middle East, except Israel, is Islamic, though
their factions in the religion are between Shi’a and Sunni.
These factions in the religion have caused a good amount of strife
in areas where the two cultures meet. There are small skirmishes
that happen frequently all in the name of god.
Israel is the only non-Islamic country in the Middle East, Israel has
been at war almost non stop ever since it was founded after WWII.
Over 3/4 of the wars below are fought by 2 opposing religious
factions or sects i.e. Palestinians vs. Jews, Kurds vs. Sunni
41 wars/short wars in a 62 year period, 75% based partially on
religion.
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Israeli War of Independence (1948-1949)
Suez War (1956)
Iraqi Army Revolt/Coup- (July 14, 1958)
Lebanese Civil War (1958)
Mosul (Iraq) Revolt--(March, 1959)
Kirkuk (Iraq) Violence -(1959)
Iraqi Kurdish Revolt—(1961-1970)
North Yemen Civil War (1966-1970)
Dhofar Rebellion in Oman (1960's-1970's)
Six-Day War (1967)
The War of Attrition (1968-1970)
Jordanian Civil War (1970)
Yom Kippur [or Ramadan] War (1973)
Iraqi Kurdish Revolt -(March, 1974)
Lebanese Civil War (1975-1990)
Egyptian-Libyan Border War (June 21-24, 1977)
Intra-Iraqi Kurdish warfare (1978-1979)
Iraqi Shia unrest in Karbala -(February, 1979)
Yemeni War (1979)
First Persian Gulf War (1980-1988)
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"The Tanker War" (1987-1988)
Osiraq Reactor Raid—(June 7, 1981)
Israeli Invasion of Lebanon (1982-1984)
Israeli-Lebanese Border War (1984-2000)
South Yemen Civil War (1986)
The First Intifada (Dec. 1987-1993)
Iraqi Kurdish Revolt—(1991)
Iraqi Shiite Revolt—(1991)
The "No-Fly Zone War " (1991-2003)
Yemeni Civil War (1994)
Yemen-Eritrea Border Conflict (1996?)
Intra-Iraqi Kurdish warfare --(1996)
Yemeni Tribal Uprising (1998)
Saudi-Yemen Border Conflict (1998)
bin Laden's War (1998-Present)
The Second Intifada (Sept. 2000-Present)
Third Persian Gulf War (2003-Present)
Sa'dah Insurgency (June, 2004-Present)Saudi-Yemen War (2009)
Israeli Invasion of Lebanon (2006)
Gaza War (2008-2009)--
Lee, R. "The History Guy: War List of Middle Eastern Conflicts" http://www.historyguy.com/list_of_middle_east_wars.html Copyright © 1998-2010 Roger A. Lee
and History Guy Media; Last Modified: 01.07.10 "The History Guy" is a Registered Trademark.
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We have always seemed to fight about it. In
congress we fight about it, during the crusades
they fought about it, we have killed millions of
civilians because of it. We should and can
become more tolerant. We unite under a state
and a religion, we should not mix the two
together unless we can still accept the others
among us, even then I disagree with it.
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Lee, R. "The History Guy: War List of Middle Eastern Conflicts"
http://www.historyguy.com/list_of_middle_east_wars.html Copyright © 1998-2010 Roger A. Lee and History
Guy Media; Last Modified: 01.07.10 "The History Guy" is a Registered Trademark.
Thomas Jefferson quotes (American 3rd US President (1801-09). Author of the Declaration of Independence.
1762-1826)
.” James Madison quotes (American 4th US President (1809-17), and one of the founding fathers of his country.
1751-1836)
Ulysses S. Grant quotes (American 18th US President (1869-77), famous commander of the Union armies
during the late years of the American Civil War. 1822-1885)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLjrD-oXkhA
C.S Lewis, Copyright 2010 BrainyMedia.com
http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/c/c_s_lewis.html
C.S. Lewis Quotes, http://thinkexist.com/quotes/c.s._lewis/ Copyright ® ThinkExist 1999-2010
C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity The Screwtape Letters
Kenneth Cauthen The Ethics of Belief: A Bio-Historical Approach, 2 vols. (Lima, OH: CSS Publishing Co.,
2001).
Baptist Freedom (Spring 2001), published by the Roger Williams Fellowship. Copyright © 2001 Roger Williams
Fellowship.