The Screwtape Letters: 1942
C.S. Lewis’, The Screwtape Letters, is one of the best-selling Christian books of all time, with millions of copies sold. It, along with The Chronicles of Narnia and Mere Christianity, is Lewis’ most well-known work. Screwtape’s popularity results from its clever premise, subtle insights, and witty prose.
In the book, a senior demon named Screwtape in a series of letters advises his nephew and apprentice Wormwood on how to tempt and corrupt a human soul, who is referred to as the “Patient.” Each letter explores temptations and tactics to lead the Patient away from God and towards the dark side. The names Screwtape and Wormwood were chosen because they sound nasty. Use of the word Patient suggests someone to be “cured.” Lewis describes the dark side as being like the bureaucracy of a police state or a really nasty business, where the prevailing motivation is dog eat dog.
Screwtape’s overarching approach is to suggest subtle, long-term strategies to erode faith and trust in God by using ordinary aspects of daily life as tools for temptation. He proposes that even seemingly trivial day-to-day choices can have significant impacts in leading the Patient to hell. But he is consistently dismayed by his nephew Wormwood’s incompetence and failures.
The Screwtape Letters was first published as a series of 31 weekly articles in 1941 in “The Guardian,” a now-defunct English newspaper. It first appeared in book form in 1942 and has gone through multiple editions and translations during the last 83 years.
In the preface to the 1942 edition, Lewis mentions that he is frequently asked why he doesn’t write additional letters. He observes that once the device of diabolical letters has been conceived, it “exploits itself spontaneously” and could “run away with you for a thousand pages if you gave it it’s head.” But he never returned to the project. Why?
In the preface, Lewis also discusses his writing experience with The Screwtape Letters. He observes that “I had never written anything more easily. I never wrote with less enjoyment.” He goes on to say, “The strain produced a sort of spiritual cramp…..(it) was all dust, grit, thirst, and itch. Every trace of beauty, freshness, and geniality had to be excluded. It almost smothered me before I was done.”
The Screwtape “Text Messages” in Today’s AI World
So much has changed since The Screwtape Letters was written during the depths of World War II. The advance of technology has been especially transformative. Propeller-driven airplanes have been replaced by jumbo jets and by rockets that have taken us into outer space. Nuclear weapons have been developed with such destructive power that a single H-Bomb can unleash more energy than all the ordinance dropped during World War II. DNA can be manipulated through gene-splicing to alter the fundamental characteristics of living things. Communications technology has dramatically improved to allow worldwide instantaneous communications at almost zero marginal cost. And ominously, the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence portends significant opportunities, but also great potential perils for the future. It is likely that none of this was foreseen by Lewis when he conceived the literary device of a devil sending hardcopy letters to his subordinate.
Even though Lewis couldn’t bring himself to write more Screwtape letters, I’m going to give it a shot. How would the tempter’s strategies change if he had access to modern technologies and the Patient lived in today’s world?
Given the popularity of Screwtape and the duration of its existence, it would be expected that others would have used the letters/temptation literary device. In fact, there have been numerous attempts. For example, Peter Kreeft published The Snakebite Letters in 1998 and Randall Stale, The Wormwood Letters in 2009. In 2012, Richard Platt wrote As One Devil to Another: A Fiendish Correspondence in the Tradition of C. S. Lewis’ The Screwtape Letters.
My effort differs from others in two important ways. First, none of the earlier works are recent enough to consider the mind-bending consequences of the sophisticated artificial intelligence BOTS that are widely available today and other miracles of technology. Second, although some earlier works were written from a Christian point of view, none included the perspectives and implications associated with the doctrines of the Restoration. Elder David A. Bednar gave a talk in 2009 titled “Things as They Really Are.” He considered changes in technology and society during the intervening years to be so important that in November 2024, he gave a revised version, “Things as They Really Are 2.0.” His talk is the seed corn for some of the ideas discussed here.
Setting the Stage for The Screwtape “Text Messages” in Today’s AI World
Although the basic Lewis vehicle of communications of a senior demon to an apprentice will be retained, my approach involves some significant variations. Specifically:
- Nobody writes hardcopy letters anymore, so the method of communication will be text messages.
- Wormwood’s incompetence would not have been tolerated, so I have replaced him with another tempter-in-training whose name, appropriate for this day and age, is Phishhook. His cell phone number for receiving texts is 101-001-1010. That number is not random, and I leave it to the reader as a challenge to determine its significance.
- Screwtape has also been replaced because, as supervisor, he bears responsibility for Wormwood’s screw-ups. His successor is Mephisto, named after a demon from German folklore and from Faust.
- Lewis’ “The Patient” becomes “The Lostling.” And, whereas, in Screwtape Letters it was always the same person, here, he/she may change from time to time. At the beginning of each text message, a short “Lostling dossier” is provided to Phishhook.
- Lewis describes hell as being like a nasty bureaucratic business. Consistent with his description, my demons will refer to hell as Meta-Dystopia.
- Finally, an additional protagonist is included. She is an angel from the good team and her name is Clarion Veridiel—Clarion represents a clear sound of truth and Veridiel, from Latin, means Truth of God. She is a fact checker who intercepts the text messages and analyzes their “fake news.” She texts her reports to the “CK” at 110-111-1000. This number also has meaning, but it may be a little harder to figure out.
I’m not foolish or vain enough to try to mimic the erudite and witty prose of C.S. Lewis, but, hopefully, the ideas will resonate as reflecting the trials and temptations that we face in this high-tech age. With that as prologue, below is the first text message between Mephisto and Phishhook and the fact checking rejoinder by Clarion Veridiel. It presents a new Meta-Dystopia technology-based approach to tempting.
TEXT MESSAGE FROM MEPHISTO TO PHISHOOK
TO: Phishhook (101-001-1010) URGENT
LOSTLING DOSSIER: Normally, we consider a single person as the object of our tempting. But, for now, we are focusing on a whole class of people—those who are enamored with technology and caught up in its use; especially social media and surfing the internet. This is a huge and growing group. Future dossiers will target specific individuals and identify their individual weaknesses that make them highly vulnerable to temptation.
My Dear Phishhook:
This is your copy of a text sent to a select host of 100th generation tempters. Meta-Dystopia has dictated that our group is going to switch to a new approach for tempting. The old scheme of trying to get Lostlings to commit traditional, garden-variety sins has been relegated to the old guard of tempters. Phishhook, you are one of the new breed of demons who have been specially trained to employ high tech methods that are better attuned for tempting in the modern age.
We have a powerful set of new temptation tools at our disposal. In the past we had to be somewhat selective in applying a particular approach to a particular person. But now, the use, yes, the addiction to technology is so pervasive that we can apply our temptations more broadly. The young are especially vulnerable because it is the only world they have ever known. But older people can also be manipulated because they are afraid of being labelled as technological “luddites” and left out. The possibilities are endless and delicious.
These new temptations will focus on subtlety, misdirection, and the twisting of good intentions. From now on, our goal isn’t just to promote overt sin, but also to create distraction, distortion, and ultimately alienation from the “so-called” path of righteousness. We want the Lostlings to be immersed in mists of technology-induced darkness that causes them to lose sight of their true purpose and identity.
It wasn’t a coincidence that you were plucked from the everlasting burnings in 2007 to start your special training. That was the year the iPhone was introduced by Apple, and we instantly recognized and seized the opportunity. (Isn’t it ironic that the firm’s symbol is an apple with a bite (byte?) taken out of it. Reminds me of our Leader’s first successful temptation. A coincidence?) These new phones forever changed communications with their touchscreen, integrated web browser, and ability to run an almost unlimited number of easily obtainable and often poorly scrutinized apps.
Phishhook, did you know that more humans own smartphones than scriptures and the phones get a lot more use than their so-called holy books? Apparently, surfing trumps studying. They average about 6.0 hours per day spent on their phones and tablets. That’s almost as much time as they spend sleeping and much more time than they devote to scripture study, praying, and worshipping. What could be better than this? I almost salivate over the malicious opportunities this re-allocation of time provides us.
One more thought and then we will get to your marching orders. In the pre-smart phone era, you may remember that people actually interacted with each other; children played together in wholesome activities, teens spontaneously came together for sports, and adults provided service through their community groups. If you chop 6.0 hours from a day, there must be some casualties.
How do we exploit this ubiquitous opportunity? The best part about all of it is that we really don’t have to do much. The natural consequences achieve many of our objectives. Think about what happens as humans descend further into their virtual worlds. First, there is less face-to-face interaction where they can perceive the crucial visual clues of relationships. An emoji is a poor substitute for a smile or a frown. Second, one-on-one contacts often become one-to-many by impersonal postings on social media. Third, less commitment to relationships is required. People can enter and leave virtual communities instantly. Finally, fewer interactions are in real time, where people (especially children and youth) learn to make rapid adjustments to situations. All these shifts have the effects of stifling social growth and maturity and the development of meaningful relationships. We couldn’t have planned it any better.
So, in this naturally self-destructive situation, what is your role, Phishhook? I expect you to do more than just sit back and sharpen your claws. Your first objective must be to see that the current trend continues. Promote the idea that the virtual world is the new era of human existence and that it will eventually evolve into a “metaverse” where all their needs will be gratified instantly and with little effort or risk.
Create fake news to counter evidence published by serious researchers that shows the dangers of the current societal trajectory. Oppose meaningful proposals to limit screentime of children and teens. Wrap yourself in the flag of the 1st Amendment against legislation that would require or incentivize social media providers to act more responsively.
And there is one other outcome I would like you to aggressively pursue. Capitalize on the fear that people have of missing out, let’s call it FOMO. That should be relatively easy with children and teens because they can so easily feel alienated. Convince them that they will be social outcasts without their phone and social media presence. At the other end of the age spectrum, promote the idea that the “savvy senior citizen” must know her/his way around technology. It can be their solution to loneliness, the possibility of getting scammed, and dementia resulting from lack of intellectual stimuli. These are just my examples. Be creative, Phishhook. You might even think about the implications of your name.
Your File Leader: Mephisto
TO: CK (110-111-1000)
FROM: Clarion Veridiel
SUBJECT: Analysis of recent messages between Mephisto and Phishhook
Mephisto is well-known for massaging data, but in this case the facts he provides are spot on. The use of smartphones is pervasive in society. What he hides are the adverse consequences of this trend. This is to be expected because those bad outcomes represent his successes.
One of our greatest concerns is the well-being of our youth. Important findings are emerging on the effects of excessive immersion in the vertical world. I recommend for your reading a 2024 book, The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness by Jonathan Haidt. Dr. Haidt’s premise is that the pervasive use of smartphones starting in about 2010 has had a significant detrimental impact on Generation Z—those born between 1997 and 2012. The data indicate the “Zs” are more anxious and more prone to exhibit mental disorders than other generations of young people have been. This finding cannot be explained by changes in general societal conditions.
Dr. Haidt attributes this situation to a “rewiring” of childhood and early teen experiences. This time of life should be when young people develop useful social skills by interacting with others and learning what does and doesn’t work in interpersonal relationships. Historically, this has involved one-on-one physical interactions where immediate clues are received from others. As Mephisto correctly noted (Am I actually praising him?), this doesn’t happen in the on-line world. As a result, young people become more anxious and insecure.
Notice that the tempters are evolving to be more subtle, and their work is being aided by the constant march of technology. Elder Neal A. Maxwell warned, “A distraction does not have to be evil to be effective.” There is nothing inherently wrong with smart phones and social media, it is the nature and opportunity cost of their use that should be our concern. Even the reclusive Henry David Thoreau figured this out when he wrote, “The cost of a thing is the amount of life which is required to be exchanged for it, immediately or in the long run.”
Your loving servant: Clarion Veridiel
_____________________________________________________________________________________
AUTHOR’S THOUGHTS. Sheri Dew wrote that, “Prophets see around corners.” It’s true. In 1966, President David O. McKay prophesied that there would be scientific discoveries that would “stagger the imagination.” But he also foresaw “Discoveries latent with such potent power, either for the blessing or the destruction of human beings as to make men’s responsibility in controlling them the most gigantic ever placed in human hands. … This age is fraught with limitless perils, as well as untold possibilities.”
In his 1942 preface, C.S. Lewis says that his Screwtape Letters reviews were either laudatory or angry, which told him that he hit his target. His comment may be applicable here. I will explore more of the potential adverse impacts of technology in future The Screwtape “Text Messages” articles. The next one considers virtual companions (it’s a bit creepy, but a very real problem.) and the third explores how artificial intelligence can make us lazy in fulfilling church assignments.
Joanne wagstaffFebruary 3, 2025
Love and hate this! it has always been a secret fear of mine that screw tape would reappear, especially in my life. Thank you so much for this new opportunity to pay specific attention! Well written and I will be reading closely. Thank you.
Linda LiebhardtFebruary 1, 2025
I'm looking forward to more of these. Very well written and so true. But--How and where do we start to decode the phone numbers? I'm very curious about those.