{"id":79957,"date":"2021-03-02T00:15:00","date_gmt":"2021-03-02T07:15:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/?p=79957"},"modified":"2021-03-02T12:51:56","modified_gmt":"2021-03-02T19:51:56","slug":"pwj-s4e42","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/2021\/03\/02\/pwj-s4e42\/","title":{"rendered":"PWJ: S4E42 &#8211; TSL 21 &#8211; &#8220;I want it now!&#8221;"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/S4E42-Splash.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/S4E42-Splash-1024x576.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-80315\" srcset=\"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/S4E42-Splash-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/S4E42-Splash-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/S4E42-Splash-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/S4E42-Splash-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/S4E42-Splash.png 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Today we come to David&#8217;s least favourite letter from Uncle Screwtape, which is on the subject of possessiveness, particularly with regards to time. Joining him today is a returning guest to the show, <a href=\"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/2020\/10\/27\/pwj-s4e8\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"78261\">Sister Natalia<\/a> from the <a href=\"https:\/\/whatgodisnot.buzzsprout.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">What God Is Not<\/a> podcast, together with another nun from her convent, Sister Petra.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>S4E42: &#8220;I want it now&#8221;<\/strong>&nbsp;(<a href=\"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/PWJ-S4E42.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-S4E42.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;<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/overcast.fm\/itunes1289456381\/pints-with-jack\" target=\"_blank\">Overcast<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pandora.com\/podcast\/pints-with-jack-the-cs-lewis-podcast\/PC:60460\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Pandora<\/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 \u2013 <em>Entering \u201cThe Eagle &amp; Child\u201d\u2026 <\/em><br>00:14 \u2013 <em>Welcome <\/em><br>00:40 \u2013 <em>Chit-Chat <\/em><br>04:32 \u2013 <em>Song-of-the-week <\/em><br>05:37 \u2013 <em>Quote-of-the-week <\/em><br>06:00 \u2013 <em>Drink-of-the-week <\/em><br>07:36 \u2013 <em>Patreon Toast <\/em><br>07:57 \u2013 <em>Chapter Summary <\/em><br>08:46 \u2013 <em>Discussion <\/em><br>43:10 \u2013 <em>Unscrewing Screwtape <\/em><br>49:14 \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\/hPD-fdihHrs?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\">Chit-Chat<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Today we had we have a returning guest to the show, Sr. Natalia from the <a href=\"https:\/\/whatgodisnot.buzzsprout.com\/\"><em>What God Is Not<\/em><\/a> podcast! She had <a href=\"https:\/\/whatgodisnot.buzzsprout.com\/1127801\/7162801-whose-time-is-it-anyway\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">recently spoken about this letter on her podcast<\/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\/wNV4IeLfHac?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>Due to COVID, Sr. Natalia still hasn&#8217;t taken her &#8220;Life Profession&#8221;. When that day finally comes, it shall be proclaimed to be buy-a-nun-a-beer-day!<\/li><li>If listeners recall, the word-of-the-week when Sr Natalia was on the show was \u201cdearth\u201d (I thought its meaning was the opposite of what it really is). Well, we certainly don\u2019t have a dearth of guests today, in fact we have two! When we were setting up this episode, you asked if you could bring a friend along, St. Petra.<\/li><li>In today\u2019s episode Screwtape speaks about possessiveness, possessiveness of things, people and time.&nbsp;When I was sketching out this season I thought it would be really good to get a monastic, a monk or a nun, as the guest co-host on this episode, as monasticism is marked by things such as poverty, chastity, and obedience\u2026 which is just the sort of thing which would make Screwtape mad and then <a href=\"https:\/\/whatgodisnot.buzzsprout.com\/1127801\/7162801-whose-time-is-it-anyway\">a couple of months ago<\/a> ago on <a href=\"https:\/\/whatgodisnot.buzzsprout.com\/\"><em>What God Is Not<\/em><\/a>, Sister Natalia spoke about this very Letter. I saw that as a sign and immediately reached out!<\/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>Today&#8217;s letter was all about possessiveness,  so I had several musical choices:<ul><li>I was very tempted to choose a song by an artist I can\u2019t stand &#8211; Pitbull. The candidate was his song <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=EPo5wWmKEaI\">Give me everything<\/a> where he famously rhymes \u201cKodak\u201d with\u2026.\u201dKodak\u201d.<\/li><li>I really wanted to make Matt happy by choosing a Taylor Swift song, and for a moment I thought I had it, but then my wife told me that the song is \u201cYou belong WITH me\u201d, not \u201cYou belong TO me\u201d.&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul><\/li><li>In the end, the song-of-the-week I chose is sung by Veruca Salt in the movie <em><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0067992\/\" target=\"_blank\">Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory<\/a><\/em>. Her song <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=TRTkCHE1sS4\">I want it now<\/a> perfectly summing up the possessive attitude Screwtape wants us all to foster.<\/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\/TRTkCHE1sS4?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<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>I want a party with roomfuls of laughter<br>Ten thousand tons of ice cream<br>And if I don&#8217;t get the things<br>I am after I&#8217;m going to scream<\/p><cite>Veruca Salt, I want it now (Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory) <\/cite><\/blockquote>\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>\u201cMen are not angered by mere misfortune but by misfortune conceived as injury. And the sense of injury depends on the feeling that a legitimate claim has been denied. The more claims on life, therefore, that your patient can be induced to make, the more often he will feel injured and, as a result, ill-tempered\u201d<\/em><\/p><cite>C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters (Letter #21)<\/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>I\u2019m drinking <strong>\u201cThe Pupil\u201d from Society Brewery<\/strong>. Thanks to listener <strong>Jonathan Rolland<\/strong> for this suggestion. Here are the tasting notes from their website:<ul><li><em>The Pupil is a smooth, medium-bodied, pleasantly dry IPA with forward aromas and flavor evocative of tropical fruit. Notes of guava and mango are most commonly detected by connoisseurs of this gently bittered beer, a crowd-favorite and one of our flagship hoppy creations since day one.<\/em><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li>Sr. Petra was enjoy a Limoncello <em>La Croix<\/em> and Sr. Natalia was drinking a <a href=\"https:\/\/fatheads.com\/bumble-berry.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Bumbleberry Honey Blueberry Ale<\/a>. They were both drinking out of <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.etchedlaserart.com\/pints-with-jack.html\" target=\"_blank\"><em>Pints With Jack<\/em> branded glasses<\/a>.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Patreon Toast<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>We didn&#8217;t have any new Gold-level supporters on Patreon, so I thought we could just toast all the ladies at Christ the Bridegroom Monastery:<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p><em>May you be poor, chaste, obedient and joyful! Cheers!<\/em><\/p><cite>Patreon Toast for the nuns at Christ the Bridegroom Monastery<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Chapter Summary<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>So, on to Letter #21, which was first published in <em>The Guardian <\/em>on <strong><em>19th September, 1941<\/em><\/strong>. Here is my one-hundred word summary:<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>While inflicting the patient with sexual temptations, Screwtape recommends also working on the patient\u2019s irritability\u2026 To this end, the patient must always conceive inconvenience as injury &#8211; when he is denied something he wants, he must feel like he is <strong>owed<\/strong> it. He must regard everything as his own personal possession, even time!  Screwtape warns Wormwood not to try and offer arguments for this, because there aren\u2019t any! Nothing a human has is ever truly his, even his own body. In the end, everything will belong either to God\u2026or to the devil.<\/p><cite>Chapter Summary of Letter #21<\/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\"><strong>During sexual temptation<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Screwtape kicks off today\u2019s letter by affirming that it\u2019s a good idea for Wormwood to work on the patient\u2019s \u201cpeevishness\u201d (his irritability) alongside a period of sexual temptation.&nbsp; Screwtape says it can even be the main attack as long as the patient thinks it\u2019s the subordinate one.<\/li><li>However, Screwtape says that Wormwood\u2019s assault should first be prepared by a darkening of the patient\u2019s intellect. Put simply, he\u2019s got to make the patient really stupid and accept a completely untenable position&#8230;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Misfortune conceived as injury<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>\u2026and here we have the quote-of-the-week which I quoted a few moments ago:<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>Men are not angered by mere misfortune but by misfortune conceived as injury. And the sense of injury depends on the feeling that a legitimate claim has been denied.<\/p><cite>C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters (Letter #21)<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So, it\u2019s not simply that something bad happens to the patient, but that he feels that he\u2019s been denied something he is owed. Therefore, Screwtape goes on:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>The more claims on life, therefore, that your patient can be induced to make, the more often he will feel injured and, as a result, ill-tempered.<\/p><cite>C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters (Letter #21)<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Constant interruptions<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Screwtape goes on to explain that this \u201cmisfortune conceived as injury\u201d also applies to time\u2026<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>Now you will have noticed that nothing throws him into a passion so easily as to find a tract of time which he reckoned on having at his own disposal unexpectedly taken from him. It is the unexpected visitor (when he looked forward to a quiet evening), or the friend\u2019s talkative wife (turning up when he looked forward to a t\u00eate-\u00e0-t\u00eate [a private conversation] with the friend)&#8230;.<\/p><cite>C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters (Letter #21)<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Last year my wife and I read the Bible and she said that she felt personally attacked by the Book of Proverbs! Well, it\u2019s the same for me and this section of Screwtape. I see myself very clearly in it.&nbsp; I think Lewis probably did as well. I can only imagine what it was like living in the Kilns with Mrs. Moore and a bunch of evacuees from London.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Time Thieves<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Screwtape explains that it\u2019s not that he is unloving or lazy &#8211; he just feels like something has been stolen from him! Wormwood is told that he must defend and guard this misconception:<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>Let him have the feeling that he starts each day as the lawful possessor of twenty-four hours. Let him feel as a grievous tax that portion of this property which he has to make over to his employers, and as a generous donation that further portion which he allows to religious duties.<\/p><cite>C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters (Letter #21)<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Screwtape wants the patient to think that the time during his day is his own and&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>&#8230;in some mysterious sense, his own personal birthright.<\/p><cite>C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters (Letter #21)<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Sister Natalia referred to <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"http:\/\/www.vatican.va\/content\/john-paul-ii\/en\/apost_letters\/1995\/documents\/hf_jp-ii_apl_19950502_orientale-lumen.html\" target=\"_blank\">Orientale Lumen<\/a>.<\/li><li>They also quoted from a Michael O&#8217;Brian book and from a monk:<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>Remember obedience is the Great Fast<\/p><cite>Michael O&#8217;Brian (Fr. Elijah) <\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>[Man] no longer has time for himself and for God. . . . He does not have time to die because he does not have time to live. . . . The monk agrees to lose all his time for God. Monastic life is happy; monastic death is, also.<\/p><cite>Dom Pateau, O.S.B., of Fontgombault Abbey.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The stupid assumption<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Screwtape offers some advice for Wormwood\u2019s task  ahead.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>The assumption which you want him to go on making is so absurd that, if once it is questioned, even we cannot find a shred of argument in its defence.<\/p><cite>C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters (Letter #21)<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He\u2019s saying that the assumption which the patient makes about what is \u201chis\u201d is so ridiculous that the devils don\u2019t even stand a chance at defending it by argument. Screwtape describes man\u2019s predicament:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>The man can neither make, nor retain, one moment of time; it all comes to him by pure gift; he might as well regard the sun and moon as his chattels [private property].<\/p><cite>C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters (Letter #21)<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Service to God<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Of course, the patient\u2019s position is complicated by the fact that the patient is a Christian. Screwtape says that if God appeared to the patient and asked for an entire day\u2019s service he wouldn\u2019t refuse Him. He\u2019d be relieved if all he had to do was listen to a foolish woman. He\u2019d even be a bit disappointed if God gave him half an hour back to amuse himself.<\/li><li>Screwtape points out how ridiculous the patient is &#8211; he&#8217;s in this position every day &#8211; God asks him for his time!<\/li><li>Sr. Petra referred Matthew&#8217;s Gospel and the parable of the Sheep and The Goats.<\/li><li>She refers to &#8220;The End of the Affair&#8221; by Graham Greene:<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>I never want the spring to come. There I go again. I want. I don&#8217;t want. If I could love You, I could love Henry. God was made man. He was Henry with his astigmatism, Richard with his spots, not only Maurice. If I could love a leper&#8217;s sores, couldn&#8217;t I love the boringness of Henry? But I&#8217;d turn from the leper if he were here, I suppose, as I shut myself away from Henry. I want the dramatic always.<\/p><cite>Graham Greene, The End of the Affair<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">No arguing!<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Screwtape began his series of letters by saying that the devils do their best work, not from putting things into our heads, but keeping things out! He is another great example\u2026<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>Your task is purely negative. Don\u2019t let his thoughts come anywhere near [his assumption]. Wrap a darkness about it; and in the centre of that darkness let his sense of ownership-in-Time lie silent, uninspected, and operative.<\/p><cite>C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters (Letter #21)<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Naturally, Screwtape wants this sense of entitlement to be encouraged. He points out that humans are always saying that various things are \u201ctheirs\u201d and Screwtape points out that this sounds silly to both Heaven and Hell. The difference is that Hell wants us to keep talking like that!<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Possessiveness vs Chastity<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>At the beginning of the letter, Screwtape was talking about attacks on chastity and now Screwtape points out that Hell has managed to raise lots of resistance to chastity from the notion that we \u201cown\u201d our bodies. This is, of course, ridiculous.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Confusion<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Screwtape says that this sense of ownership is fostered, not only by pride, but by confusion&#8230;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>We teach them not to notice the different senses of the possessive pronoun \u2014 the finely graded differences that run from \u201cmy boots\u201d through \u201cmy dog\u201d, \u201cmy servant\u201d, \u201cmy wife\u201d, \u201cmy father\u201d, \u201cmy master\u201d and \u201cmy country\u201d, to \u201cmy God\u201d. They can be taught to reduce all these senses to that of \u201cmy boots\u201d, the \u201cmy\u201d of ownership.<\/p><cite>C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters (Letter #21)<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a rather chilling example, Screwtape says that a child can be taught to think of \u201cmy Teddy-bear\u201d as \u201cthe bear I can pull to pieces if I like\u201d. Equally chilling, he says that humans can be taught to say..<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>&#8220;My God\u201d in a sense not really very different from \u201cMy boots&#8221;<\/p><cite>C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters (Letter #21)<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>We spoke about using gratitude to push back on Screwtape.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Ultimate Ownership<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Screwtape ends by summing up the absurdity of what humans can be tricked into thinking&#8230;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>&#8230;the joke is that the word \u201cMine\u201d in its fully possessive sense cannot be uttered by a human being about anything.&nbsp;<\/p><cite>C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters (Letter #21)<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>He says that ultimately either God or Satan will say about each thing in the world, \u201cmine\u201d.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>They will find out in the end, never fear, to whom their time, their souls, and their bodies really belong \u2014 certainly not to them, whatever happens. At present the Enemy says \u201cMine\u201d of everything on the pedantic, legalistic ground that He made it: Our Father hopes in the end to say \u201cMine\u201d of all things on the more realistic and dynamic ground of conquest\u2026<\/p><cite>C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters (Letter #21)<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Finding out more<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"http:\/\/www.christthebridegroom.org\/\" target=\"_blank\">Sister Natalia and Sister Petra&#8217;s Convent Website<\/a><\/li><li><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCc-2L6EezhwqQFcPsgzsyag\" target=\"_blank\">Christ the Bridgegroom YouTube channel<\/a> <\/li><li><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/drive.google.com\/file\/d\/10-lZ11jprtC7ukGTaVO7IsBXZch6mXbz\/view\" target=\"_blank\">Monast  ic Rule (&#8220;Typikon&#8221;)<\/a><\/li><li><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Time-Die-Monks-Threshold-Eternal\/dp\/1621642747\" target=\"_blank\">A Time To Die: Monks on the threshold of eternity<\/a> by Nicholas Diat <\/li><\/ul>\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<\/strong> pray for God to illuminate the places in your mind and soul which are dark <\/li><li><strong>Do<\/strong> be grateful for everything, even the tough things<\/li><li><strong>Do not<\/strong> regard anything as truly your own<\/li><li><strong>Do<\/strong> remember that you have received everything in life as a gift<\/li><li><strong>Do<\/strong> remember that it&#8217;s not about you<\/li><li><strong>Do <\/strong>regard your schedule as time entirely devoted to God, in which you also perform the necessary duties of the day.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Closing thoughts<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>We began today\u2019s episode with Veruca Salt parroting Screwtape\u2019s lies, so I suppose it\u2019s only appropriate that we end with the Umpa Lumpa\u2019s response to her demands&#8230;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>Oompa loompa doompety da<br>If you&#8217;re not spoiled then you will go far<br>You will live in happiness too<br> Like the Oompa Loompa Doompety do<\/p><cite>C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters (Letter #21)<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Today we come to David&#8217;s least favourite letter from Uncle Screwtape which is on the subject of possessiveness, particularly with regards to time. Joining him today is a returning guest to the show, Sister Natalia from the &#8220;What God Is Not podcast&#8221;, together with another nun from her convent, Sister Petra.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":80329,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_crdt_document":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3111],"tags":[5012,5843,2969,102,4430,5844,5738,5839,4438,543,5841,5840,5842],"class_list":["post-79957","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-podcast","tag-c-s-lewis-2","tag-christ-the-bridgegroom-monastery","tag-featured","tag-monasticism","tag-pints-with-jack","tag-possessiveness","tag-sister-natalia","tag-sister-petra","tag-the-eagle-and-child-podcast","tag-time","tag-veruca-salt","tag-what-god-is-not","tag-willy-wonka-and-the-chocolate-factory"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/S4E42-Blog.png","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/79957","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=79957"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/79957\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":80371,"href":"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/79957\/revisions\/80371"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/80329"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=79957"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=79957"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=79957"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}