Murder is no better than cards if cards can do the trick. Indeed the safest road to Hell is the gradual one—the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts. —SCREWTAPEC.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters (originally 1942; this edition: Harper Collins, 1996) 49-52.
First, sorry that the daily posts have been running a little late -- bit of a mini vacation plus computer keeps crashing plus I'm trying to roll out a new design for the blog.
ReplyDeleteSecondly, I think Lewis has nailed this Screwtape character! I keep getting the very clear sense "of course, that's the way the devil is at working trying to ruin your life." Today's reading is very insightful and true. There's no need to turn all people into murderers just to seal their fate in hell (as if they would). In reality many will enslave themselves to sin with far lesser things, like Texas Hold'em, for example. Fascinating thought. We need not be tempted by a grand delusion if a much smaller lie will do the trick. Lewis is bang-on the money if you ask me.