Screwtape Letter #26 – Discussion Guide is article #54 in the series: Screwtape Letters. Click button to view titles for entire series
Letter #26
Unselfishness is like being charitable
– or is it?
My dear Wormwood,
Yes; courtship is the time for sowing those seeds which will grow up ten years later into domestic hatred. … While it lasts you have your chance to foment the problems in secret and render them chronic.
The grand problem is that of ‘Unselfishness’. Note, once again, the admirable work of our Philological Arm in substituting the negative unselfishness for the Enemy’s positive Charity. … Thus while the woman thinks of doing good offices and the man of respecting other people’s rights, each sex, without any obvious unreason, can and does regard the other as radically selfish.
26.1) Unselfish – such a simple word. It’s defined as
not selfish or greedy; generous
OK – maybe not. Is Screwtape right that it’s actually
A woman means by Unselfishness chiefly taking trouble for others; a man means not giving trouble to others.
What’s the difference – and why is it important to recognize this?
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Screwtape makes three points - but are they correct?
As a result, a woman who is quite far gone in the Enemy’s service will make a nuisance of herself…
a man will live long in the Enemy’s camp before he undertakes as much spontaneous work to please others as a quite ordinary woman may do every day
each sex, without any obvious unreason, can and does regard the other as radically selfish.
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On top of these confusions you can now introduce a few more. The erotic enchantment produces a mutual complaisance in which each is really pleased to give in to the wishes of the other. … In discussing any joint action, it becomes obligatory that A should argue in favour of B’s supposed wishes and against his own, while B does the opposite. It is often impossible to find out either party’s real wishes; with luck, they end by doing something that neither wants, … Each side is, indeed, quite alive to the cheap quality of the adversary’s Unselfishness and of the false position into which he is trying to force them; but each manages to feel blameless and ill-used itself, with no more dishonesty than comes natural to a human.
26.2) Add in another “good” word – altruism – and see where that leads too.
I remember hearing a sermon where the pastor talked about a husband and wife that wanted to paint their house, but couldn’t agree on a color they both liked. So – they painted it something that neither liked!
What does that kind of thinking do to God and Christianity?
So many churches - so many disagreements - so much confusion
SO MANY CHURCHES
Often people see the thousands of different Christian churches around the world and assume that each one represents a different faith, a different religion. They ask, “How can Christianity be true, when everybody disagrees and starts so many different churches?” Or, people assume that Christianity is but one expression of some universal faith, so that it does not matter what one believes—all faith is said to lead to God eventually. Both assumptions are wrong.
Yes, there are many different kinds of churches, but all truly Christian churches hold the same essential truths concerning Jesus Christ. It is not our intention to arbitrate among the many Christian churches or to render our own verdicts over the validity of differences among Christians. When a church denomination or movement holds to the essentials of biblical faith regarding God, Jesus Christ, humankind, sin, salvation, and the Bible, then that group is considered Christian. Peripheral issues (the type of worship, the style of music, the use or restriction of alcoholic beverages, etc.) do not determine one’s Christianity or the Christianity of one’s church. There is room for diversity in the church, which is called the body of Christ.
However, the assumption that all faith ultimately leads to God is not right, and we take a strong stand on the exclusive and valid claims of Jesus Christ as the God-man and the only way to salvation and peace with God. Where false religion has attacked the church throughout history, we will note the attack and show clearly the difference between Christianity and false religion.
A sensible human once said, ‘If people knew how much ill-feeling Unselfishness occasions, it would not be so often recommended from the pulpit’; … I wish Slumtrimpet could do something about undermining that young woman’s sense of the ridiculous
Your affectionate uncle
SCREWTAPE
26.3) Screwtape gets back to a common theme – don’t let the patient realize what’s really happening.
Unselfish – it sounds so good. And it can be. Or not. Depends on the motive. Take a look at the definitions below and see how Screwtape wants to go about corrupting yet another good characteristic.
Unselfish – not selfish; disinterested; generous; altruistic.
Selfish – devoted to or caring only for oneself; concerned primarily with one’s own interests, benefits, welfare, etc., regardless of others.
Pride – pleasure or satisfaction taken in something done by or belonging to oneself or believed to reflect credit upon oneself
Pride! But - pride about what?
“Pride is the supreme temptation from Satan because pride is at the heart of his own evil nature. Consequently, Satan makes sure that the Christian is never entirely free from the temptation of pride. We will always be in a battle with pride until the Lord takes us to be with Himself. Our only protection against pride, and our only source of humility, is a proper view of God. Pride is the sin of competing with God, and humility is the virtue of submitting to His supreme glory. … Humility is an ingredient of all spiritual blessing … [it] is behind every harmonious human relationship, every spiritual success, and every moment of joyous fellowship with the Lord.” —John MacArthur
Daniel Interprets the Dream
Da 4:19 Then Daniel (also called Belteshazzar) was greatly perplexed for a time, and his thoughts terrified him. So the king said, “Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its meaning alarm you.”
Belteshazzar answered, “My lord, if only the dream applied to your enemies and its meaning to your adversaries! 20 The tree you saw, which grew large and strong, with its top touching the sky, visible to the whole earth, 21 with beautiful leaves and abundant fruit, providing food for all, giving shelter to the beasts of the field, and having nesting places in its branches for the birds of the air— 22 you, O king, are that tree! You have become great and strong; your greatness has grown until it reaches the sky, and your dominion extends to distant parts of the earth.
Da 4:23 “You, O king, saw a messenger, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump, bound with iron and bronze, in the grass of the field, while its roots remain in the ground. Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven; let him live like the wild animals, until seven times pass by for him.’
Da 4:24 “This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree the Most High has issued against my lord the king: 25 You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like cattle and be drenched with the dew of heaven. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes. 26 The command to leave the stump of the tree with its roots means that your kingdom will be restored to you when you acknowledge that Heaven rules. 27 Therefore, O king, be pleased to accept my advice: Renounce your sins by doing what is right, and your wickedness by being kind to the oppressed. It may be that then your prosperity will continue.”
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Vocabulary:
Altruism – The others instantly withdraw their proposal, ostensibly through their ‘Unselfishness’, but really because they don’t want to be used as a sort of lay figure on which the first speaker practises petty altruisms.
Altruism – the principle or practice of unselfish concern for or devotion to the welfare of others.
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