Sunday, May 11, 2008
Screwtape's Toast
Screwtape likens this phenomenon to a person who might draw away from something they like, such as "classical music or good literature" for fear of not being a part of the "group." We see this a lot in society today, more than we may realize. This occurs in young girls and boys who must dress in the latest fashions, listen to the "hip" music, and own all of the latest technology. They are not individuals, they are products of a corrupt society. Many people are afraid to be different because they may not "fit in." But as individuals, we are who God made us to be. Even if we are different, we are loved by God, and there will be someone in the world that will appreciate our difference, even if they aren't a part of the "in-crowd." And if the "in-crowd" won't let an individual, whom God loves in, what's the good of being a part of that group anyway? I think of the quote "Dare to be Different." I really liked this idea; it is honestly true and is a good message to us all; we need to be ourselves and not worry about what others think about us.
Monday, May 5, 2008
Letter 31
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Letter 26
Friday, April 11, 2008
Letter 20
I found letter 20 to contain themes that are relevant to today’s world, not only the spiritual world, but in the media as well. Screwtape talks about women and what is desired of their appearance. In the time this book was written, women were desired if they embodied a boyish, slender figure. This is very similar to what we see today in the media; women who are freakishly skinny, unhealthy, and regarded as the object of ultimate desire. Screwtape goes into detail on the desire issue and the patient’s obligation to get married. He talks of the two type of women he would marry. The first is the natural, healthy, earthly woman, who would no doubt be “mixed with charity, readily obedient to marriage,” et cetera. The second would be the woman of lust, the one he wants only for her physical attributes. This is seen a lot in society and is somewhat disturbing. I was wondering what is everyone’s take on this topic of women as subjects of desire??
Monday, April 7, 2008
Letter 17
This state of mind, of craving perfection may seem harmless to an individual, but in reality, it can be disastrous. What comes to mind for me is the idea of the perfect body image and eating disorders. The need for an excessively skinny body becomes a psychological problem, resulting in health dangers. A psychologically sick person isn't necessarily taking care of themselves as well as they should, and in turn, this person as one of God's creations is being hurt. So, I think that gluttony can exist in two forms excess desires for indulgence and excess desires for perfection.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Letter 14
I thought this was an amazing passage. It really made me think about how I react when I've accomplished something great, as opposed to one of my peers accomplishes the same thing. I will truthfully admit that I am more excited about something that I do myself, be it a great art project or getting the starting goalie position on my hockey team. If my peer would to win a prize for one of their paintings, I would be happy for them, but not in the same sense as if it was my own doing. I think this is a part of human nature; since we are small children, we are told to take pride in what we do, and our culture is quite competitive. However, I do really see Screwtape's point, or rather what he says that God wants us to live by. It is important to have confidence in yourself, but you should try to be appreciative of not only your talents, but the talents of others. We are all created by God, therefore, when any one of us does something well, it ultimately glorifies Him. Finally, I don't think that I could ever make a waterfall or a tree.
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Letter 8
In letter 8, Screwtape describes humans as “amphibians,” due to their capacity to engage themselves in the spiritual world while embodying animal urges. The human also undergoes various ups and downs in their lives. Screwtape refers to them as “peaks and troughs,” respectfully. He notes that God’s work with the patient is done best when the patient is at his worst. It is an amazing event when a person to pray and give thanks to God while life is really getting them down.
I find this especially true. It’s difficult to remember how much is going well in life when a few things go wrong. As much that is wrong with life is still nothing compared to all that is beautiful. It’s very hard to thank God for the flowers and trees and the opportunities we have to go to college when we just had a fight with a close friend and failed our chemistry test. Anyone who can handle this situation with ease is pretty rare, but anyone who has felt the weight knows that it is difficult to focus on positives. Remembering that God loves us and thanking Him for the beautiful things He does, along with asking for strength when times get tough is a difficult thing to do. Who has ever been in this sort of situation? Have you ever asked God for strength and felt relief or has it been a lost cause?