Notes from The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis (Part I)

I started reading C.S. Lewis’ Screwtape Letters this week. This book consists of numerous letters written by Screwtape, a tempter/demon from Hell. He is writing letters to his nephew Wormwood, a new and inexperienced tempter. Screwtape is giving Wormwood advice on how to get his “patient” (an unnamed Christian man) to turn from “The Enemy” (God) towards “Our Father Below” (the devil). These letters help the reader examine our many failings and downfalls within our human nature.  I’ve been taking notes and thought I’d share some of the discoveries or ideas I’ve pondered over while reading.I’ve written down a few quotes as well.

• Do we base our view of religion on outward appearances or other petty things at church? I know it’s very easy to judge any religion based on worldly things, I’ve done so myself. Would we leave a church or our religion if the other people in it all started dressing or acting in ways that bothered us?
• “It matters very little, of course, what kind of people that the next pew really contains.”
• Life is full of disappointment. We set things up in our minds…“dreaming aspirations” and when they come to pass, they’re less than what we hoped for. BUT does this mean we simply give up or become unhappy?
• We often judge others on whatever ground we choose to, but we fail to examine ourselves in the same light. We should always be abundant with grace.
• The more time spent with God, the more humility we have.
• Our faith, our “conversion” is not enough. It is not only important within ourselves but must be displayed in our lives.
• Pray with selflessness and love for others.
• Remember: the tone in which you speak is important.
• “What our bodies do affect our souls.”
• We think that the devil is constantly putting things in our mind, but what is he keeping out?
• One of the easiest ways to turn our minds from God, is to turn our minds on ourselves.
• Do we estimate the value of each prayer by the success or failure in producing the desired feeling?

• The devil is everywhere, constantly working to sway us in the direction he feels he can work the most harm.
• “Suspense” and “anxiety” barricade our minds against God.
• If we live in disbelief of the devil, we become easily fooled by him. It’s easy to think of the devil as a horned being with red tights, but this mythological image undermines his influence.
• God wants for us to be one, yet individuals as well. The Devil just wants us to be his.
• God created pleasure, which should be felt at certain times and in certain places.
• The devil can cause us to waste time in conversation.
• Do you want your life to come to an end and feel like this: “I now see that I spent most of my life doing neither what I ought nor what i liked.”
• Nothing is strong, nothing can steal away years.
• “Indeed the safest road to hell is the gradual one–the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones without signposts.”
• Never take pride when you find yourself being humble.
• Humility is not trying to lower ones idea of oneself–it does not mean a pretty woman should try to believe she is ugly or a clever man trying to believe he is a fool. This makes ones mind revolve around themselves–which is the path away from humility. It is better to believe oneself a good poet or artist and forget about it, than to spend so much time convincing oneself they are poor.