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Screwtape’s third letter on the blogosphere6 min read

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Dear Wormwood,

I am growing weary of your repeated attempts to undermine me and twist my words of encouragement to you. Surely, you do not think I wish to actually experience what the Enemy calls “grace” do you? Only a small, inexperienced tempter such as yourself would think that I would miss that hideous characteristic of the Enemy. We all wasted our time worshipping Him at some point, but we made our choice and there is no turning back. Even if one would like, which I most certainly would not, one cannot go back to that time now.

But on to more important matters – the destruction of your charge. In doing the extra research that you should be doing, I have discovered a flaw that is prevelant in him, as well as most other Christian bloggers. I just not sure I should tell you because you will most likely bungle my plans or on the off chance that you are able to see success, you will grab all the credit. But nevertheless, in order to for our lord to receive the honor, I will tell you this weakness.

Christian bloggers, yours especially, tend to be the types that hate mystery, at least unsolved ones. They desire mysteries, purely for the sake of discovering the secret. They want to chase after “hidden knowledge” or uncover things that no one else knows.

They ignore the aspects of the Enemy that are mysterious, or they seek to find some type of rational reasoning behind Him. Now, we know that the Enemy never operates outside His own logic or His own revealed will in the Book. (For a time being, we had a task force working to “tempt” Him. I was one of the senior demons who objected to this futile attempt, but no one listened until we had wasted years on this.)

It is not that the Enemy operates “irrational,” but that He acts irrationally to them. He does not behave in ways that they understand. He even told them in that dreadful Book that His ways were not their ways, but they continue to think He should operate according to their thinking.

Because they desire mystery, only for the sake of explaining it, your seige will want to have an answer for everything. Spark one of those who have yet experienced the Enemy to ask him a question that deals with “why” the Enemy did something.

DO NOT, whatever you do, allow the vermin to search the Book for an answer or talk to the Enemy about it. Coax him to rely on his own knowledge and “expertise.” Have him explain all about the Enemy, while thinking how ignorant the person asking the question must be.

Sometimes, human swine can be so easy. in the Enemy’s book, He plainly tells them that their message will be looked as as “foolishness” to those on the outside. They never seem to grasp that no one has been convinced over to the Enemy’s side, they must be convicted.

Of course the Enemy has facts on his side, but we have our own “facts” that do well enough. Showing someone that the Enemy “makes sense” can be harmful to us, but only if it moves beyond that. For the most part, the idiots never work past that point. Their pride, as we talked about earlier, only desires for them to win the argument. They only convinced themselves that they are doing it for the other person’s benefit and for the Enemy’s glory. Our father below, receives much of his glory from Christians believing they are working for the Enemy’s glory. The irony is almost as delicious as the souls we keep.

Have the vermin think that the Enemy fits nicely within his little box, all the while he will be worshipping a “god” of his own creation. For some reason, they imbiciles have removed the mystery and adventure from their relationship with the Enemy. They have managed to make something so unordinary become plain and drab and the great part is that they seem to enjoy it that way.

Now, I must warn you that there are some whom we have convinced that the Enemy has no parameters and is “in everything.” They fail to see the Enemy has limitations on Him of His own making. He cannot operate outside of His revealed character and will (again we have tried to change this to no avail). He cannot sin or fail yet, although we believe that we are getting closer on securing our ultimate victory. We have not achieved it yet, only small victories within the lives of the vermin He so loves, but we will triumph over Him. We simply must or our rebellion will be in vain.

So there, you will do well to apply my advance. Stroke the ego of the vermin long enough to get him to “explain away” all the mystery and adventure that makes the Enemy so appealling.

I hate to have to continue to warn you my dearest nephew, but I am not one to be crossed. My letters are meant for you and you alone. Do not use them to try to go over my head and most of all do not let them get into the hands of the Enemy.

I should not have to remind you what it cost both of us the last time you let our correspondence escape your grasp. For your mistake I am no longer allowed to roam freely and rule personally over my cities and you are left taunting a lowly blogger. We must not let the same mistake happen again. I long to be back on the front lines where I belong.

Affectionately Your Uncle,
Screwtape

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