"The Enemy’s demand on humans takes the form of a dilemma; either complete abstinence or unmitigated monogamy. Ever since our Father’s first great victory, we have rendered the former very difficult to them. The latter, for the last few centuries, we have been closing up as a way of escape. We have done this through the poets and novelists by persuading the humans that a curious, and usually shortlived, experience which they call ‘being in love’ is the only respectable ground for marriage; that marriage can, and ought to, render this excitement permanent; and that a marriage which does not do so is no longer binding."
This is from C.S. Lewis' The Screwtape Letters, letter #18, in which the Uncle Demon Screwtape is advising and teaching his rookie tempter "demon nephew" about how to get a certain human to sin and disobey the Lord. It's an incredibly helpful and insightful book, and we have been studying it in the C.S. Lewis Reading Group all Fall and now are continuing all Spring.
We started up again today at noon, and had another student come, named James. He saw a poster (of which we put up about 100) in Hansen Hall and was very interested. He contributed do our discussion today several times, and I'm meeting up with him tomorrow afternoon to get to know him a bit and talk about Jesus! Please pray that God would anoint that time and that perhaps a fruitful relationship would result.
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ps. Want to keep posted on what is going on with the Reading Group? (various articles posted, some sermons and message about or inspired by Lewis? Then go here!
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