Our Father
Screwtape talks about the people he corrupted into terms a religious person would use. He talks for example about the Atheist and how, after he convinced him, remained safe in his ‘’Father’s arms’’. While the reader may be inclined to believe that the Father is God, the Father is ironically the Devil who uses a set of strategies to convert people to his religion.
Do not talk about science
Screwtape wants to make as many people as possible to become followers of his father, the Devil. To achieve this, Screwtape tells Wormwood to avoid talking about science, as it may make a person question the world around them and thus be more inclined to find answers about the universe and God. This idea is ironical considering how science was seen as the enemy of religion for a long time. In the novel however, science is seen as an ally to religion and something that complements it.
Freedom as something negative
In the second letter, Screwtape writes about freedom and how he perceives it as being a negative aspect. Because people have freedom, they are also free to choose whether they want to follow the Devil or follow God. If a person chooses to follow God, then the Devil has a harder time swaying him to the other side. Thus, in an ironic way, free will is perceived as being negative because it means that people can change their opinion and choose for themselves what is good or wrong.
Will not help you get closer to God
In the fourth letter, Screwtape mentions certain objects used by Christians while praying, objects such as crosses, statues or paintings. While many believe that those objects will take them closer to God, in reality they only make a person drift further away from God. This idea is ironical considering how many religions consider such objects as being holy.
War is not good for business
In the fifth letter, Screwtape talks about the war and how the patient began losing his faith in Christianity because of the war. However, ironically, Screwtape mentions that the war is not something that works in their advantage as many people are more inclined to start believing in God when they are faced with death and destruction.
