Letter 26: Unselfishness

Review:
Letter 25 talked about Mere Christianity vs. Christianity; And… along with the Horror of the Same Old Thing.
Outline:
  • Screwtape points out that Wormwood should be planting seeds during the courtship time that they can use later on.
  • Most of this revolves around the differences between Charity and Unselfishness.
  • Denying or ignoring what we want or wish is not necessarily being unselfish.
  • Men and Women tend to have general difference:
    • Women want to go out of their way to help. Perhaps to the point of getting in the way.
    • Men try to stay out of it all together in order to not trouble anyone.
  • We get self righteous about our unselfishness.
Terminology:
  • Foment - to stir up, to instigate
  • Ostensibly - apparently, making well known
  • Altruism - unselfish interest in the welfare of others
  • Obstinacy - stubbornness, unyielding
Questions/Discussions:
  1. Small group exercise. Ask for input on something, perhaps the next lesson and then start asking for input on a crazy idea and see how many people are honest about it.
  2. What is wrong with saying you don't care what the choice is? Isn't this a lie? Would you like to be lied to? Such as where to you want to have dinner? People say they don't care, but we all really care to some degree. We think it being unselfish to say "I don't care".
Scripture:


Homework:
Look for an example where you can be charitable versus unselfish.

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