Screwtape, on manipulating the "historical Jesus":
The 'historical Jesus' then, however dangerous He may seem to be
to us at some particular point, is always to be encouraged. About the general
connection between Christianity and politics, our position is more delicate.
Certainly we do not want men to allow their Christianity to flow over into
their political life, for the establishment of anything like a really just
society would be a major disaster. On the other hand we do want, and want very
much, to make men treat Christianity as a means; preferably, of course, as a
means to their own advancement, but, failing that, as a means to anything—even
to social justice. The thing to do is to get a man at first to value social
justice as a thing which the Enemy demands, and then work him on to the stage
at which he values Christianity because it may produce social justice. For the
Enemy will not be used as a convenience. Men or nations who think they can
revive the Faith in order to make a good society might just as well think they
can use the stairs of Heaven as a short cut to the nearest chemist's shop.
Fortunately it is quite easy to coax humans round this little corner. Only
today I have found a passage in a Christian writer where he recommends his own
version of Christianity on the ground that 'only such a faith can outlast the
death of old cultures and the birth of new civilizations'. You see the little
rift? 'Believe this, not because it is true, but for some other reason.' That's
the game.
—from The
Screwtape Letters, by CS Lewis
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