The Catholic Book Club discussion
This topic is about
The Screwtape Letters
Screwtape Letters, April 2023
>
4. War
date
newest »
newest »
message 1:
by
John
(new)
-
rated it 4 stars
Apr 02, 2023 02:27AM
Mod
reply
|
flag
Mod
Because war puts the possibility of death at the front of our perception, and therefore opens the way to thoughts about the other side of death and our final destiny.
Because turning attentions from oneself to those of a society means changing to an outward focus. All temptation targets the inward focus of, "what do I get out of this?" When Eve stated, "we must not eat of the tree," she was repeating the higher cause of God's instruction - but the serpent tempted her by turning the focus back on her inner thought: that perhaps she could be like God; that God was denying her out of His own jealousy. Perhaps weak in formation, Eve turned her focus back on herself. For good soldiers in war, they will subjugate their inner needs for the sake of the needs of others, sacrificing (imitating Christ; loving), thereby overcoming the temptation to selfishly sin. Hence the importance of almsgiving to better one's interior life.
Screwtape also mentions the following two situations: Christians going to war know they may die in action, and usually prepare themselves in advance through the sacraments.
On the other hand, many people die in a hospital without preparation, because family and doctors conceal how serious the disease is, and don't call a priest so as not to scare the patient.
This is the opposite that monks in "A time to die" were doing with regards to their dying brothers.
Mod
Because war puts the possibility of death at the front of our perception, a..."
I think there is also something more going on beyond just fear of death. At all times war has required men to work together as close teams. Good military training is hard and driven in part to create a team ethos. Men fight and risk death, in large part, because they do not want to let down their friends. In some cases, such as when a soldier throws himself on a grenade, surrendering his life to save the life of others, the Christ-like self sacrifice is clear. But almost every day requires some level of self-sacrifice for the benefit of others.
Yes, many good comments I agree with. Also, Uncle Screwtape says war causes people to think of something besides themselves... that old self-love, the great flatterer.(Mariangel- I was reminded of A Time to Die also, and the contrast with how people imagine doctors will "save" them, until, that is, they "lose the battle" with cancer, etc., or, frankly, death. It is not how a Christian should view illness and death!)
Jim wrote: "Because turning attentions from oneself to those of a society means changing to an outward focus. All temptation targets the inward focus of, "what do I get out of this?" When Eve stated, "we must ..."I once read a feminist analysis of stories in the 1930s vs the 1940s in certain magazines, and the author actually complained that the heroines during the war were less focused on goals of their own. How my eyes rolled.
Yes, war really can change your focus.
John wrote a response to Manuel above. This is my response to this exchange:I don’t think the original comment was about mere “fear of death” giving rise to faith and/or greater service. I think that considering the reality of death is profitable for our spiritual lives, whether or not it evokes fear/worry/hope/love or nothing at all, because it is what God has fashioned to be our portal to eternal life. It is one of the “4 Last Things” (Death, Judgement, Heaven, and Hell). It is a reminder that this world is not our home - we are simply pilgrims passing through - predestined for our home in Heaven, but never predetermined out of respect for our gift of free will. It is easy in peace time to be tempted to plan our spiritual lives in advance, far off from the present, much like someone would plan for retirement or something similar…”get on a plan”. But during war and attrition, we cannot plan to grow in a specific virtue over a period of time, or plan to study some aspect of spirituality or theology. We are faced with an opportunity to abandon ourselves to Divine Providence and little else. This also happens to be what God has always desired of us from the start.
Mod
I don’t think the original comment was about mere “fear of death” giving rise to faith and/or greater service. I think ..."
Yes, that was what I meant. Not just "fear of death," but "thinking on death," as Mariangel said:
Christians going to war know they may die in action, and usually prepare themselves in advance through the sacraments.
There are wars, which have done great damage to faith, such as the 30 Years War. I believe that much of the apostasy and religious indifferentism that we live is due to that conflict. I believe that what Lewis picks up is the vision that was had of the war in his time, and I agree with the damage done by extremes both an exorbitant nationalism (we have it in Catalonia, or Vascongadas), and the lip service that the left practices especially.
On the evil of nationalisms I have heard very well the book by Stefan Zweig "The World of Yesterday" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6... . On the subject of Central Europe, he may speak when he writes the review of "Born of the Purple" by Laszlo Passuth https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2... . A wonderful writer, who unfortunately has not yet arrived in the United States of America.
