Demonology 101: The Screwtape Letters – 1st Letter

The Art of Not Thinking

One of the most powerful weapons the enemy has against us is simply keeping us from thinking. Sounds almost too simple, right? But C.S. Lewis, in The Screwtape Letters, gives us an insightful and often sobering look at how easily our thoughts can be manipulated—or rather, how easily we can be distracted from truly thinking at all.

The devils, as Lewis presents them, don’t mind if we have thoughts, as long as they’re shallow and fleeting. Real thinking, deep and reflective thinking, is what they fear. Why? Because true thinking can lead us to dangerous places, dangerous for them, that is. It might lead us to God, to truth, to self-awareness, or to real change. So, they work tirelessly to keep us distracted, and let’s be honest, they have been very successful.

The Age of Non-Argument

In the opening letter of The Screwtape Letters, Screwtape, the senior demon, warns his nephew Wormwood about using arguments to turn people away from God. Wormwood’s plan to sway his “patient” (the human) by pushing him towards a materialistic worldview seems straightforward enough. However, Screwtape calls him naive. Materialism here doesn’t mean just wanting more stuff; it’s the belief that only physical things are real and that there is no spiritual reality at all. No God, no angels, no demons, just atoms and molecules.

In the past, Screwtape says, argument might have been effective. There was a time when people would change their beliefs if something was logically proven to them. They would think something through and then change their behavior accordingly. But not anymore. Now, Screwtape points out, humans have become used to juggling multiple incompatible ideas in their heads without even noticing. The pursuit of truth has taken a back seat to the pursuit of comfort and convenience.

Echo Chambers and “Us vs. Them”

Screwtape’s description of humans sounds all too familiar. We live in a world where changing your mind is rare, no matter how strong the evidence. We don’t really listen anymore; we shout. We’re more interested in being right than in discovering the truth. We divide everything into “us” and “them,” where “we” are always right, and “they” are always wrong. We surround ourselves with people and information that echo what we already believe, dismissing anything that challenges our perspective. If we hear something we don’t like, we react emotionally instead of thinking it through.

This is exactly what Screwtape wants. He knows that if we actually took the time to think, we might recognize the flaws in our reasoning. We might start asking bigger questions, questions that could lead us to God.

The Disconnect Between Knowing and Doing

Another point Screwtape makes is that people used to connect thinking with action. If they believed something, they would live it out. Today, however, that connection is often missing. Many people claim to believe in God and eternal life but live as if this life is all there is. Others say there’s nothing beyond this life yet live as if there are higher principles that matter more than survival. We might believe in the importance of the environment but refuse to change our lifestyles to protect it. We know how to stay healthy, but our resolutions barely make it past January. There’s a disconnect between knowing and doing, and that’s just how the enemy likes it.

Screwtape tells Wormwood that their patient doesn’t think of doctrines as true or false anymore. Instead, he sees them as “academic” or “practical,” “old-fashioned” or “modern.” In today’s world, we label things as woke, traditional, liberal, conservative, and so on, without ever really asking if they’re true. Screwtape advises Wormwood that jargon, not argument, is the best weapon. Don’t bother convincing someone that materialism is true, he says; instead, make them think it’s “courageous” or “progressive.” Appeal to their pride, not their reason.

Lewis was prophetic. Today, reasoned conversation is often replaced by labels. People are either “woke” or “conservative,” and we decide whether we like or hate them based on that label alone. This, Lewis suggests, is the work of the devils. They don’t need to argue that Christianity is false—they just need to make sure we never think deeply about it at all.

Why Propaganda Works Better Than Argument

Screwtape goes on to explain why argument is such a risky strategy. If you start arguing with someone, you might awaken their reason. And once people start really thinking, who knows where that could lead them? It might even lead them to God. But there’s one thing the devil excels at more than anything else: lying. And that’s why practical propaganda (half-truths, misinformation, emotional appeals, etc.) is far more effective. It keeps people from thinking deeply or critically.

Our social media feeds are filled with propaganda, with messages designed to provoke an emotional reaction rather than thoughtful reflection. The goal is to keep us reactive, not reflective. This barrage of half-truths and contradictory information keeps us too distracted to engage with the deeper questions of life.

The Art of Distraction

Another strategy the devils use, as Screwtape explains, is to simply distract us from thinking. Even if we start to have a meaningful thought, the devils want to make sure it doesn’t go too far. Screwtape recalls a former patient who once had a thought that could have been dangerous to hell’s purposes. Instead of trying to argue against it, Screwtape distracted him—with lunch, a newspaper, and the noise of the city. Before long, the man forgot his deeper thoughts and was absorbed back into the everyday busyness of life.

This strategy of distraction is more effective today than ever. Most of us are too busy to sit and think. Even when we do have a moment of stillness, we fill it with noise (music, podcasts, social media). We could be thinking while we’re driving, but instead, the radio is always on. We could reflect while waiting in line, but instead, we scroll through our phones. We could read a book after dinner, but instead, we stream endless shows. The Bible says, “Be still and know that I am God,” but stillness is rare these days. The devils don’t even need to work that hard, we do it to ourselves.

What Can We Do?

So, what’s the answer? How do we counter these tactics of distraction and confusion? It might be simpler than you think. Put your phone away. Turn off the music. Take a moment to lift your attention away from the ordinary and focus on the bigger picture. Go for a walk. Read a book. Sit quietly and think. It doesn’t sound too difficult, but it won’t be easy. As soon as you try, the distractions will come. The tempters will be quick to respond.

But here’s the good news: when we resist those distractions, when we take the time to think deeply, to reflect, and to seek truth, we open ourselves to hearing God’s voice. We begin to break free from the influence of the devils, and we start to align ourselves more fully with the truth and freedom found in Christ.

In our next post we will examine Letter #2