A Screwtape Letter Parody for Today's Confidently Pious

My Dear Warmwould,

I would that you keep those so called devout "holier than thou" Christians enslaved to the law, for in that they become dependent upon themselves and their own works, and make less significant the power of the death, burial and resurrection that truly saves them. Then they will preach this and others will think that they can impact their salvation also! Then Jesus's sacrifice will be for naught. Though the sacred Christians will continue to speak good words about Him as though they need Him and trust in Him for their salvation, their actions will not be in sync with their words. They will work themselves into the fiery pits of Hell, with my colleagues and me.

Also, maintain their interest in keeping the law that was nailed to the cross and see that they continually make waves and cause rifts to form among Christians who don't do everything exactly like them and seem "less Christian" than they. This will divert their attention away from those who are TRULY lost because they have NEVER heard of Jesus, the Christ. And where these high and mighty Christians have preferences about worship and other issues, but no scriptural, God given laws, assist them in making up laws to enforce and bind on other believers. Convince them that they can keep the law perfectly, as Jesus did.

Where there are passages about freedoms and liberty in Christ, make them skip those and avoid those verses in their precious Bibles at all costs! Don't let them read First Corinthians 10:23-30 nor Galations 5:2-15. If they read it, make them think that it doesn't mean what it really says. Keep them enslaved to the law! Assist them in finding more and more laws to take the burden that Jesus bore for them and to place it back upon humanity, so that they are woefully in control of their salvation as they were before Jesus came. They couldn't do it then, but help them to think that they can do it now!

Continue to entice them to make mountains out of mole hills. Again, these type of issues, water down the sacrifice of Jesus and keep their attention on matters that will not, do not, and cannot save them. It diverts their attention from the Cross. They will diligently preach these trivial matters and NOT preach about that which saves. This fits exactly into my plan of divide and conquer. Never allow them to see that they are united in the cross of Jesus. Keep their attention on anything but their unity! If they unite under the Banner of Jesus as the Messiah, they will do much damage to the work I have accomplished and set in place!

Keep those Christians believing that they "have arrived". Deceive them into believing that they are really good people and can keep the law and contribute to their salvation. Again this will divert their attention away from what actually saves them and they will convert others to their way of thinking that their righteousness is actually of value to God,...and that they can actually help the Omnipotent One and that God really needs them, instead of them needing God. Also remember that their pious attitudes will also serve our purposes in "running off" those who are truly interested in Jesus. Some will also go away because they fear that they cannot keep the law as perfectly as these pious "brothers" have portrayed that they keep the law. Prevent these true seekers from actually seeing the fallible and frail humanity of these pious Christians so they will STAY FAR AWAY from the Gospel of Jesus!

These are the exact tactics that you took with the Pharisees, and it worked lovely on them! Lull them into an attitude of self confident piety. Make them feel that they are the sole bearers and protectors of the Truth. Again, it worked on the Pharisees,...and it seems to be working on these self righteous fellows who say they follow Jesus. In utilizing this old strategy you will not have to re-invent the wheel,...for you know that time is of the essence! So, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Continue to use that tactic in this age, as you did in the past, but don't allow these "holier than thou" Christians to actually see their own image in the Pharisees. Disguise their images in their mirrors so they will be blinded to what they really are. Help them to see the good in the Pharisees and help them to believe that the Pharisees weren't all that bad.

Let's continue to divide believers in Christ with those ultra pious believers. Then let's sit back and watch effective Christians spin their wheels, as we conquer those who don't know Jesus and will not know Him because the Christians are too busy with in-fighting and trying to convert people to their way of thinking rather than converting them to Jesus, the Christ. They will continue in their dogmatism and their frivolous activities and quarrels and arguments over issues of no importance. Keep up the good work with those Saints who believe they have it all right! We could really use them up there to get more down here.

Until next time, I am affectionately,

Your Uncle Shrewtape

Read The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis

Pointless Photo

Stray Cat

Last Wednesday evening, I was in the Minneapolis airport 2 hours ahead of my flight departure, as requested,...had no gells or liquids to get rid of before taking off. We were in a good airport to kill time,...the Minneapolis airport is one big mall. We had several selections for food and were having a difficult time deciding,....my two colleagues and I. I really wasn't that hungry. We finally decided on Wolfgang Puck Express. Then we had to find it. Looked at the map, went to where we thought the map directed us but there was only a small bar with many businessmen tanking up for the flight home. So we decided to just find something else, and as soon as we said that, there it was. As we walked into the restaurant I noticed someone that I thought I knew from my college days,....not a student at a conservative Christian college, he was too cool for that. This guy had his "hair piled high and his baby looked so right",....yes it was Brian Setzer of the Stray Cats of the early 80's. It could not have happened at a more opportune moment, since I had my digital camera easily accessible in my jacket pocket,...I had a pen for an authograph,...he was just waiting for a beer at the bar,....all was set for me to get all the normal fan paraphenailia,....but I chickened out. I thought I didn't want to disturb him, call attention to him, ruin his privacy. My colleagues assured me that he probably would be glad for someone to remember him and notice him. He might get a thrill if I would say something. Well,...I let him finish his beer and then I let he and his companion walk out. He was less than a foot from me. That cool rockabilly hip cat from my college era. The Rock This Town Stray Cat Struted right out of there and presumably to his flight to Los Angles. I was content and just greatful to have seen an 80's icon,...and a pretty good guitarist. I was satisfied. No regrets. Hey, I'm no groupie! Now had it been Belinda Carlisle,...I might have slipped on my drool,...depending on how far GONE that GO GO was.

Ironically, when I arrived at the Dallas airport that evening, I saw a REAL stray cat. I was riding the bus to the remote parking lot and we were picking up passengers in terminal E, when the bus driver sharply applied his brakes, I looked up in time to see a beautifully patterned cat darting in front of the bus, then wildly leaping for a pidgeon. He missed and strutted back across the street in front of us. The bus driver laughed appreciating that cat's beauty, prowess and spunk, as I did also. I saw two stray cats strutting in one day. Both were ultra cool cats.

IMOGEN HEAP

I was listening to chillout music on Yahoo Launchcast this afternoon and I heard a sound, a song that really struck me as interesting and significant. Imogen Heap is the artist. The name of the song is "Hide and Seek",....really nice melody. Cool techno voice box modulator(at least that's my description of what I think is going on,...though I am sure there's a more accurate layman's term for the device,...all I know is it sounds really cool). I always notice the music first,...and while doing that, I have no idea what the lyrics say,....I just pray they aren't saying "go sacrifice a goat to your grandmother" or worse. I don't think the lyrics of this song say that, though(they are below). I went to her website: www.imogenheap.co.uk and then went to the You Tube site, which was linked, and watched some of her other videos. There was one of girl playing her song Hide and Seek on the piano, and she is/was definitely worthy of a listen. After listening to that, it kind of drove home the point to me about just how haunting the melody of this song is. Now I guess I should read the lyrics. Check it out! You can listen to her complete latest album, which includes her song "Hide and Seek" at: http://www.imogenheapmedia.co.uk/audio/player/player.html

'Hide and Seek'

Where are we?
what the hell is going on?
the dust has only
just begun to fall
Crop circles in the carpet
Sinking feeling
Spin me round again
and rub my eyes
this can't be happening
when busy streets a mess with people
would stop to hold their heads heavy
Hide and seek
Trains and sewing machines
All those years
They were here first
oily marks appear on walls
where pleasure moments hung before
the takeover
the sweeping insensitivity
of this
still life
Hide and seek
trains and sewing machines
Blood and tears
They were here first
mm what d'ya say?
that you only meant well, well of course you did
this it's all for the best, of course it is
that it's just what we need, you decided this?
what did you say?
Ransom notes keep falling out your mouth
Mid sweet talk newspaper word cut outs
Speak no feeling no I don't believe you
you don't care a bit