{"id":79625,"date":"2021-02-09T06:30:00","date_gmt":"2021-02-09T13:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/?p=79625"},"modified":"2021-02-09T13:49:45","modified_gmt":"2021-02-09T20:49:45","slug":"pwj-s4e36","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/2021\/02\/09\/pwj-s4e36\/","title":{"rendered":"PWJ: S4E36 &#8211; TSL 18 &#8211; &#8220;What&#8217;s love got to do with it?&#8221;"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/S4E36-Banner.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"860\" height=\"484\" src=\"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/S4E36-Banner.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-79838\" srcset=\"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/S4E36-Banner.png 860w, https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/S4E36-Banner-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/S4E36-Banner-768x432.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 860px) 100vw, 860px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Former guest of the show, Dr. Jason Lepoj\u00e4rvi, returns to discuss Screwtape&#8217;s thoughts on love, sex, and marriage, as well as to listen to some Tina Turner and ask <em>&#8220;What&#8217;s love got to do with it?&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>S4E36: &#8220;What&#8217;s love got to do with it?&#8221;<\/strong>&nbsp;(<a href=\"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/PWJ-S4E36.mp3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Download<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-audio\"><audio controls src=\"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/PWJ-S4E36.mp3\"><\/audio><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" id=\"block-51396fab-e50d-4cf5-92e3-e840026c934b\">If you enjoy this episode, you can subscribe&nbsp;<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"http:\/\/feeds.feedburner.com\/TheEagleAndChildPodcast\" target=\"_blank\">manually<\/a>, or&nbsp;any place where good podcasts can be found&nbsp;(<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/itunes.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/the-eagle-and-child-podcast-restless-pilgrim\/id1289456381\" target=\"_blank\">iTunes<\/a>,&nbsp;<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/play.google.com\/music\/m\/Ixvobfgi2wk4rkdegdnbdqjjh44?t=The_Eagle_and_Child\" target=\"_blank\">Google Play<\/a>, <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Pints-with-Jack\/dp\/B08K57WLYB\/\" target=\"_blank\">Amazon<\/a>,&nbsp;<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.podbean.com\/podcast-detail\/wqkqe-5e798\/The+Eagle+and+Child\" target=\"_blank\">Podbean<\/a>,&nbsp;<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"http:\/\/www.stitcher.com\/s?fid=159766&amp;refid=stpr\" target=\"_blank\">Stitcher<\/a>,&nbsp;<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/tunein.com\/radio\/The-Eagle-and-Child-p1079872\/\" target=\"_blank\">TuneIn<\/a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/overcast.fm\/itunes1289456381\/pints-with-jack\" target=\"_blank\">Overcast<\/a>), as well as on&nbsp;<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCcYFlFuyOmYL6LcuicqzULw\" target=\"_blank\">YouTube<\/a>. The roadmap for Season 4 is&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/pints-with-jack-season-4\/\">available here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" id=\"block-a56ad4a8-f43a-4986-8d5f-09ffa487daa4\">More information about us can be found on our website,&nbsp;<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pintswithjack.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">PintsWithJack.com<\/a>. If you\u2019d like to support us and get fantastic gifts,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.patreon.com\/pintswithjack\">please join us on Patreon<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"block-2882b493-f1aa-48ab-8db6-3c40f02265fc\">Timestamps<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">00:00:00 \u2013 <em>Entering \u201cThe Eagle &amp; Child\u201d\u2026<\/em><br>00:00:14 \u2013 <em>Welcome<\/em><br>00:00:40 \u2013 <em>Dr. Jason Lepoj\u00e4rvi<\/em><br>00:04:13 \u2013 <em>Chit-Chat<\/em><br>00:06:17 \u2013 <em>Song-of-the-week<\/em><br>00:07:09 \u2013 <em>Quote-of-the-week<\/em><br>00:07:35 \u2013 <em>Drink-of-the-week<\/em><br>00:08:08 \u2013 <em>Patreon Toast<\/em><br>00:08:35 \u2013 <em>Chapter Summary<\/em><br>00:09:31 \u2013 <em>Discussion<\/em><br>01:13:53 \u2013 <em>Unscrewing Screwtape<\/em><br>01:16:57 \u2013 <em>\u201cLast Call\u201d Bell and Closing Thoughts<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"block-256e7e4a-897b-43e2-a2ed-609bf087c84b\">YouTube Version<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"860\" height=\"484\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/c6hpJ-lGFQY?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"block-a885e324-ccf9-42f2-9e03-3f3eb5dc7d6b\">After Show Skype Session<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>No Skype Session today!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"block-27508392-5bf9-4ea7-9a6d-34a4e3476c70\">Show Notes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"block-9a5c05ab-2df3-4086-b1f7-70d12e5536d9\">Biographical Information<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>Dr. Lepojarvi was born to a Canadian mother and a Finnish father. He studied theology and philosophy at the University of Helsinki. His master\u2019s thesis focused on the theology of the body and sexuality by Pope John Paul II, and was published as the first introduction to the subject in Finnish. <\/p><p>As a Visiting DPhil Candidate at Oriel College, Oxford, he served as the President of the Oxford University C. S. Lewis Society from 2012 to 2013. After marrying his wife, Iisa, in 2013, he was appointed the Junior Research Fellow in Theology at St Benet&#8217;s Hall. <\/p><p>He has worked as a Scholar in Residence at Regent College in Vancouver and Assistant Professor of Religious Studies at Thorneloe University in Ontario. His doctoral dissertation &#8220;God Is Love but Love Is Not God: C. S. Lewis\u2019s Theology of Love&#8221; analyzed C. S. Lewis&#8217;s position in, and contribution to, the debate on love that preoccupied much of twentieth century Protestant and Roman Catholic thought.<\/p><cite>Biographical details of Dr. Jason Lepoj\u00e4rvi<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Chit-Chat<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>We spoke about Dr. Lepoj\u00e4rvi&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCFgCNypu9YpzZ4QshOSz2Yw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">YouTube Channel<\/a>.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Song-of-the-week<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The song-of-the-week was Tina Turner&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=oGpFcHTxjZs\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">&#8220;What&#8217;s love got to do with it?&#8221;<\/a>:<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"860\" height=\"484\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/oGpFcHTxjZs?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Given the discussion of marriage, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=MZip6SkMZsc\">\u201cGet me to the church on time\u201d<\/a> from My Fair Lady was a solid choice<\/li><li>Given the discussion of romance, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=vGJTaP6anOU\">Can&#8217;t Help Falling In Love<\/a> by the king, Elvis Presley was tempting<\/li><li>Given the discussion of \u201cthe marital embrace\u201d, the Boyz II Men classic, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=fV8vB1BB2qc\">I&#8217;ll Make Love To You<\/a>, would have also been fitting.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Quote-of-the-week<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p><em>\u201cWe have done [a great work] through the poets and novelists by persuading the humans that a curious, and usually short lived experience which they call \u2018being in love\u2019 is the only respectable ground for marriage; that marriage can and ought to, render this excitement permanent; and that a marriage which does not do so is no longer binding\u201d<\/em><\/p><cite>C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters (Letter #18)<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Drink-of-the-week<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The next thing is our drink-of-the-week, which today is <strong><em>Typhoo Tea<\/em><\/strong> and Dr. Lepoj\u00e4rvi was enjoying his morning coffee.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Patreon Toast<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Finally, we toast one of our Gold-level Patreon supporters. Today we are toasting <strong><em><strong><em>Rachel Ross<\/em><\/strong><\/em><\/strong>:<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p><em><em>Rachel, thank you for all you bring to our Slack community, for your inquisitiveness, honesty and enthusiasm. May you always reject Screwtape\u2019s \u201czero-sum game\u201d approach to life and instead always be filled to overflowing with the love of God.<\/em><\/em><\/p><cite>Patreon Toast for Rachel Ross<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Chapter Summary<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p><em><em>Screwtape offers us a seminar on sex, marriage and love\u2026 Professor Screwtape explains that God demands from us abstinence \u2026or monogamy. The former was made harder since the Fall, the latter encumbered by romantic writers. Heaven\u2019s philosophy of love makes no sense to Screwtape, preferring Hell\u2019s zero-sum game perspective. Screwtape unpacks the properties of sex which makes it favourable to the Enemy: its association with affection, as well as being the very means of family-building. He concludes by explaining how Hell has taught humans to see \u201cbeing in love\u201d as the only reason for entering into and remaining in marriage.<\/em><\/em><\/p><cite>Chapter Summary of Letter #18<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"block-27508392-5bf9-4ea7-9a6d-34a4e3476c70\">Discussion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">School&#8217;s Out<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Screwtape begins this letter by saying that Wormwood should have learned about sexual temptation at the Training College under Slubgob.&nbsp;Screwtape has already expressed his distaste for the \u201camphibian\u201d nature of humanity, being a spirit and body composite. It\u2019s clear that he finds the whole subject of sexual temptation immensely tedious, no doubt due to his purely spiritual nature.&nbsp;<\/li><li>Screwtape therefore announces that he\u2019s going to focus on the larger issues in this letter\u2026<ul><li>First of all he looks at the dilemma which God gives to humanity<\/li><li>He considers the respective philosophies of Heaven and Hell<\/li><li>He then talks about the properties of sex itself and its relationship to love and marriage.<\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Dilemma<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>So\u2026 he begins by explaining that God presents humanity with a dilemma:<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>&#8230;either complete abstinence or unmitigated monogamy.<\/p><cite>C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters (Letter #18)<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That\u2019s the choice! He then explains that Hell has made both of these more difficult:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>Ever since our Father\u2019s first great victory, we have rendered the former [complete abstinence] very difficult to them.<\/p><cite>C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters (Letter #18)<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8230;and here we come to the quote-of-the-week:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>The latter [unmitigated monogamy], for the last few centuries, we have been closing up as a way of escape. We have done this through the poets and novelists by persuading the humans that a curious, and usually short-lived, experience which they call \u201cbeing in love\u201d is the only respectable ground for marriage; that marriage can, and ought to, render this excitement permanent; and that a marriage which does not do so is no longer binding. This idea is our parody of an idea that came from the Enemy.<\/p><cite>C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters (Letter #18)<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>We agreed that the the \u201cvictory\u201d Screwtape mentions here was most likely referring to the Fall of humanity in Genesis 3. Dr. Lepoj\u00e4rvi explained that that Lewis and Pope St. John-Paul argued that our inability to control over our bodies and master our sexual passions is at least partly a result of the the fall. Jason mentioned that St. Augustine even thought this was true of male arousal!<\/li><li> What about the fall made \u201ccomplete abstinence\u201d harder? Would you mind explaining why \u201cunmitigated monogamy\u201d, has been made harder over the years through poets and novelists?<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>\u201cThe right has not decayed. We make still by the law in which we&#8217;re made\u201d <\/p><cite>J.R.R. Tolkien, Mythopoeia<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The final line in that section, Screwtape says that this whole idea of the centrality of romantic love to marriage is a Hellish parody of an idea that came from God. Screwtape is going to unpack that further, but first he needs to explain the border philosophy of Hell\u2026<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p><em>\u201c&#8230;there&#8217;s also something in it which makes it easier to stop at the natural level and mistake it for the heavenly. Brass is mistaken for gold more easily than clay is\u201d <\/em><\/p><cite>C.S. Lewis, The Great Divorce<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>We spoke about James Bond, as well as the movie, <em>Titantic<\/em>:<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"860\" height=\"484\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/ZQ6klONCq4s?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>We spoke about the Karate Kid:<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"860\" height=\"484\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/kRAe87_fvjI?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"860\" height=\"484\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/C_Gz_iTuRMM?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Hell\u2019s Zero-Sum Game<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>\u2026.fortunately, Screwtape explains Hell\u2019s philosophy next:<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p><em>The whole philosophy of Hell rests on recognition of the axiom [self-evident truth] that one thing is not another thing, and, specially, that one self is not another self. My good is my good and your good is yours. What one gains another loses&#8230;. \u201cTo be\u201d means \u201cto be in competition\u201d.<\/em><\/p><cite>C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters (Letter #18)<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The philosophy of Hell is basically that everything is a zero-sum game. Everything is a win-lose situation. If one person wins, another loses.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Heaven&#8217;s Love<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>This is then contrasted with the philosophy of Heaven.<\/li><li>Screwtape says that Heaven attempts to evade the obvious veracity of Hell\u2019s philosophy and instead suggests that it\u2019s possible to have a win-win situation:<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p><em>[God] aims at a contradiction. Things are to be many, yet somehow also one. The good of one self is to be the good of another. This impossibility He calls love, and this same monotonous panacea [cure] can be detected under all He does and even all He is \u2014 or claims to be.<\/em><\/p><cite>C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters (Letter #18)<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Love doesn\u2019t reduce everything to a zero-sum. It believes in mutual flourishing and even sacrificing oneself for another.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Trinitarian Love<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Screwtape says that this ludicrous idea is even found in God Himself:<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>Thus He is not content, even Himself, to be a sheer arithmetical unity; He claims to be three as well as one, in order that this nonsense about Love may find a foothold in His own nature.<\/p><cite>C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters (Letter #18)<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Why is the Trinity important? Founding love in God\u2019s very nature &#8211; a communion of persons.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The setup of sex<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Now that we\u2019ve got a clear understanding of the difference in outlook between Heaven and Hell, Screwtape turns to the subject of sex and, once again, he has some surprising things to say&#8230;<\/li><li>Screwtape says that sex could have been (from Hell\u2019s point of view) quite innocent, a simple exersion of power of the strong over the weak.&nbsp;<ul><li>He recalls, almost wistfully, how mating among some spiders concludes with the bride eating the groom! That\u2019s what Screwtape would like for humans&#8230;<\/li><\/ul><\/li><li>Unfortunately for Screwtape, not only does this rarely happen in human mating, he says that sex itself has a number of characterists which are in Heaven\u2019s favour&#8230;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>&#8230;the Enemy has gratuitously associated affection between the parties with sexual desire. He has also made the offspring dependent on the parents and given the parents an impulse to support it \u2014 thus producing the Family, &#8230;the members are more distinct, yet also united&#8230; The whole thing, in fact, turns out to be simply one more device for dragging in Love.<\/p><cite>C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters (Letter #18)<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>It\u2019s easy to think of sex as something on the side of sin and Satan, but as Screwtape points out here, it\u2019s got a certain natural holiness to it, fostering both affection between the couple and is ordered towards the building of families.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>One flesh<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Screwtape goes on to talk about the \u201cone flesh\u201d union of sex, noting tha the Bible&nbsp; uses this description to describe married couples regardless of the happiness or romantic furvor of the couple. He says humans are quick to forget this.<\/li><li>Screwtape goes on to do a little bit of Bible study, talking about what St. Paul wrote to the Corinthians:<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>You can also make them forget that the man they call Paul did not confine [the \u201cone flesh\u201d union] it to married couples. Mere copulation, for him, makes \u201cone flesh\u201d&#8230; The truth is that wherever a man lies with a woman, there, whether they like it or not, a transcendental relation is set up between them which must be eternally enjoyed or eternally endured.<\/p><cite>C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters (Letter #18)<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>This is a reference 1 Corinthians 6:16 and Genesis:<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>That is why a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, and the two of them become one body<\/p><cite>Genesis 2:24<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>Do you not know that he who joins himself to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, \u201cThe two shall become one flesh.\u201d<\/p><cite>1 Corinthians 6:16<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Screwtape and St. Paul are saying that something mystical and transcendent happens whenever man and woman come together.&nbsp;Glue and paper example.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Basis or result?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Now we come to Screwtape\u2019s strategy for love, sex, and marriage&#8230;<\/li><li>He says that because love is a fruit of marriage, that the humans can be taught to think of \u201cbeing in love\u201d as the only thing that makes a marriage happy or holy.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>In other words, the humans are to be encouraged to regard as the basis for marriage a highly-coloured and distorted version of something the Enemy really promises as its result.<\/p><cite>C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters (Letter #18)<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>He says there are Hellish advantages if this can be achieved\u2026 Firstly, those who don\u2019t have the gift of continence [self-restraint in sex] will avoid marriage if they don\u2019t fall madly in love, since they will regard marry for any other reason a low motive. Screwtape finds this quite funny:<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>They regard the intention of loyalty to a partnership for mutual help, for the preservation of chastity, and for the transmission of life, as something lower than a storm of emotion.<\/p><cite>C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters (Letter #18)<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Marriage.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Marriage-1024x1024.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-79840\" srcset=\"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Marriage-1024x1024.png 1024w, https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Marriage-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Marriage-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Marriage-768x768.png 768w, https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Marriage-90x90.png 90w, https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Marriage-75x75.png 75w, https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Marriage.png 1080w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>In this section, Screwtape also has this throw-away line:<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>&nbsp;(Don\u2019t neglect to make your man think the marriage-service very offensive.)<\/p><cite>C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters (Letter #18)<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Why do you think he makes this comment about the wedding ceremony? I think it\u2019s most likely a reference to the vows couples typically make about \u201cFor better, for worse\u201d and \u201cwelcoming children from God\u201d. My guess is that these promises might seem pretty low?<\/li><li>The other advantage of getting people to mistake the basis of marriage for its result is that \u201clove\u201d can be used as an excuse for license. Screwtape says that:<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>&#8230;any sexual infatuation whatever, so long as it intends marriage, will be regarded as \u201clove\u201d, and \u201clove\u201d will be held to excuse a man from all the guilt, and to protect him from all the consequences, of marrying a heathen, a fool, or a wanton [someone sexually indiscriminate].<\/p><cite>C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters (Letter #18)<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>It\u2019s easy to conclude that Lewis is against romance. However, hopefully this section of <em>Mere Christianity<\/em> clears things up:<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p><em>Being in love is a good thing, but\u2026 You cannot make it the basis of a whole life. It is a noble feeling, but it is still a feeling. Now no feeling can be relied on to last in its full intensity\u2026 whatever people say, the state called &#8220;being in love&#8221; usually does not last&#8230;&nbsp; Who could bear to live in that excitement for even five years? What would become of your work, your appetite, your sleep, your friendships? But, of course, ceasing to be &#8220;in love&#8221; need not mean ceasing to love\u2026 It is on this love that the engine of marriage is run: being in love was the explosion that started it.<\/em><\/p><cite>Mere Christianity (Book III, Chapter 6)<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Unscrewing Screwtape<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Do not<\/strong> assume &#8220;being in love&#8221; is the only basis for marriage<\/li><li><strong>Do not <\/strong>assume that &#8220;being in love&#8221; is the only thing which makes a marriage permanent <\/li><li><strong>Do not<\/strong> view life as a zero-sum game. <\/li><li><strong>Do <\/strong>be careful about the media you consume, particularly regarding how it affects your notions of romance, sex, and marriage.<\/li><li><strong>Do<\/strong> remember that sex points to the things of Heaven and that sex is always significant<\/li><li><strong>Do not<\/strong> assume that emotional highs will last forever<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Dr. Jason Lepoj\u00e4rvi<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/jasonlepojarvi\" target=\"_blank\">YouTube Channel<\/a><\/li><li><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/thorneloe.academia.edu\/JasonLepoj%C3%A4rvi\" target=\"_blank\">Academic C.S. Lewis work<\/a><\/li><li><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"http:\/\/studycslewis.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Oxford-style tutorials<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">eProvidence Learning<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"860\" height=\"484\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Y8PlWf3aVZU?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Former guest of the show, Dr. Jason Lepoj\u00e4rvi, returns to discuss Screwtape&#8217;s thoughts on love, sex, and marriage, as well as to listen to some Tina Turner and ask &#8220;What&#8217;s love got to do with it?&#8221;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":79837,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_crdt_document":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3111],"tags":[5012,2969,5646,200,2271,4438,4822],"class_list":["post-79625","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-podcast","tag-c-s-lewis-2","tag-featured","tag-jason-lepojarvi","tag-love","tag-screwtape","tag-the-eagle-and-child-podcast","tag-the-screwtape-letters"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/S4E36-Blog.png","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/79625","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=79625"}],"version-history":[{"count":16,"href":"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/79625\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":79937,"href":"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/79625\/revisions\/79937"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/79837"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=79625"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=79625"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=79625"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}