Friday, April 4, 2008
Screwtape Letters 16-18
I was confused at first as to why Screwtape wanted the patient to attend a variety of churches, but it makes sense now. If a person does not care about what is being said or where he is at, than it does not matter, but if a person is consistently going to one church because he wants to be there, than God will always win because the patient will be involving himself in religion. I agree that if a person goes to a variety of churches, he will start to criticize and evaluate them all instead of listening to the word of God and taking part in the mass. God wants people to be pupils who listen and learn from things that are being said, instead of being critical of what is going on. Gluttony at one time might have made people feel guilty or sinful, but in today’s world, people strive to have the biggest and best of everything. People think that money brings power and status and as a result, greed does not have the same impact on a person’s mind as it used to. I personally do not think that with all of the pressures on people today, that there is such a thing as complete abstinence or unmitigated monogamy. I also feel that people say that they are in love as an excuse to do things and that an experience of “being in love” isn’t the only respectable ground for marriage. Love in my mind is just a phase that people go through and nothing can make it permanent or ensure that it will last.
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4 comments:
I do agree with what you said about the visiting churches. On one hand it can be good to see where you really fit in but, in the way Screwtape sees it it so one can judge the churches. God doesn't want us to do this. We are not supposed to judge, especially not his holy place. Which is why Screwtape would like for us to do this, since it does go against God.
I agree that if a person involves themselves with many different churches then they will start to criticize things about each church, therefore being drawn away from what really matters when attending church. If one starts criticizing the churches then they are more aware of that instead of listening to the word of God.
It is believed that a church is there to help you. Sometimes churches do not allow their members to visit others churches to avoid confusion. Now I believe that it is good to know more churches but still have loyalty to your own church. Knowing other churches help you to determine if you are not in a sect. I strongly believe to have an open mind regarding religion and churches.
I am having trouble totally understanding the implications of the comments you made on love. I think I can understand how you say it is a phase, in that sometimes people can be really into each other and then no longer have the same feelings for each other. But was that really love? There are so many different forms of love, how can that one word represent all of them. We read about some other language having many different words for the different forms of love. In that language is it possible to use the same word for feelings towards God as it is towards another human being?
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