There was a day ten years ago when I felt ashamed to be human. The Massachusetts’ government was deciding whether to expand marriage rights to gays and lesbians. Hundreds of men and women, utterly and unapologetically opposing each other, faced off in front of the state house and on the Boston Common. Some carried signs espousing, “God hates Fags!” Others countered with posters proclaiming God despised hypocritical Christians. I have never felt so much hatred in one place. It was one of the few times I cried in the midst of a photography assignment.

There were no actual demonstrations last week after the World Vision fiasco, but the vitriol took me back to 2004. In case you were on vacation or fasting from media, World Vision announced that they were open to hiring and offering benefits to married gays—and then reversed that choice within forty eight hours due to an unexpected maelstrom. World Vision supporters who hold an orthodox understanding of marriage felt betrayed and confused by the initial announcement. So much so that thousands of them withdrew their financial support. This enraged folks who either hold a different perspective of Christian marriage or who thought it absurd that anyone would react in such a fashion that might jeopardize the children supported by the organization.

The response and counter response grieved me. In the midst of the acrimonious back and forth, I read very little that could be considered even-handed, kind, or compassionate. Few writers expressed curiosity about the other perspective. Too many seemed more interested in fomenting division than building bridges. Let’s be honest—hating is much easier than loving. Unfortunately, when we perceive others as the enemy, we lose track of our actual enemy.

Enter Wormwood. Back in 1942, theologian and writer C. S. Lewis penned The Screwtape Letters. Written as an allegory, a senior demon Screwtape coaches his underling, Wormwood, in the ways of dividing Christians and sowing doubt about the existence of a good God. If you have never read it, I highly encourage you to do so but be prepared to be convicted as you turn the pages.

My friend and fellow Redbud writer Bronwyn Lea did a masterful job adding a contemporary chapter to Lewis’s work. Give this a read and see if you don’t agree with her take.

My dear Wormwood,

It has been a while since our last correspondence, but Headquarters has sent out a fresh batch of directives which require our most immediate and urgent attention. Our Father is particularly delighted at the ways in which the Christians are slinging arrows at each other following the gleeful little rumpus regarding World Vision. Usually it is our task to aim the fiery darts, but it seems at present our bows have been all but snatched from our hands. All we need do is work at twisting the arrows in where they have found purchase.

It is rare that I congratulate you on a job well done, but I must applaud you for your fine work on your patient this week. Where there was disappointment at first, you managed to nudge it towards disdain and even anger in the hours that followed. We count it a victory that you kept your patient reading and engaging online for hours before the Enemy pulled him away for an infuriating moment of prayer and reflection.

It is, of course, the Enemy’s habit to unravel and undo our best efforts at disunity and confusion, but our immediate attention must be to delay the inevitable as long as possible. Collateral damage is key, even if the final battle cannot be won. The longer you can stir feelings of grief and outrage, the better. Put it into his head to feel a pitiful sorrow for himself, for the starving children, for the opportunities lost; and pit his sorrow against the “others” who call themselves Christians. Make frequent use of the words ‘they’ and ‘them’: those sneaky pronouns make such delightful inroads into so-called Christian “community”.

Self-righteous reflection will be our greatest ally here. Do your very best to keep a level of deep disappointment and blame simmering in his chest, but under no circumstances should you let his regret develop into remorse or repentance. Let him be sad, but do not let him wallow near godly sorrow. Have him question the state of the souls of others: it will keep him from soul-searching himself, at least for a time.

Time is of the essence, dear nephew. Do all you can to keep him at his computer, and off his knees. If we cannot dissuade our patients from calling themselves biblical Christians, our best bet is to make critics rather than students of them all. I look forward to your next missive reporting increased levels of frustration and folly all round.

Your affectionate uncle,

SCREWTAPE

Bronwyn writes, “Once upon a time I used to be a whiz in South African law, but now my super-power is parallel parking a minivan with astonishing accuracy. I’m a mom, a blogger, a friend, a lover of words and laughter, an ice-cream afficionado.”

Here’s the link to her FB page and website. She has a keen mind and I’m often delighted with and challenged by her work.

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