The Screwtape Letters by C. S. Lewis: Letter #18 Explained

Review of The Screwtape Letters: In Letter #18 of The Screwtape Letters, Screwtape addresses the topic of sexual temptation and human sexuality. He discusses the Enemy's (God's) intentions for human sexuality, emphasizing that it is meant to foster love, commitment, and reproduction within the confines of marriage. Screwtape advises Wormwood to exploit the human tendency to separate sexual pleasure from its intended purposes, encouraging lust, infidelity, and promiscuity.

Screwtape highlights the cultural shift towards self-indulgence and instant gratification, suggesting that Wormwood should use this to his advantage. He points out the contradiction between the romanticized ideal of true love and the reality of selfish desires, urging Wormwood to blur these distinctions in the patient's mind. By doing so, Screwtape hopes to undermine stable relationships and marriage, leading to moral decay and spiritual downfall.

Key themes in this letter include the perversion of sexuality, the degradation of marriage, the promotion of selfishness, and the strategic use of cultural trends to distance humans from God's design. Screwtape's goal is to disrupt human connections and promote a shallow, pleasure-seeking mentality that weakens the patient's spiritual integrity.