How to Catch a RAC (Raised as Christian) — Another Screwtape Letter

My Dear Wormwood,

I read in your last letter your complaints on the near impossibility of winning over your patient because of the legacy of his faith from child birth. I shook my head in disgust as I read your letter and wondered if you have ever read the Tempters Handbook well or even paused to observe the activities of Senior Tempters as myself and Professor Glodrob. But since you won’t be smart and I’d hate the disgrace my nephew’s mistakes could bring to me, I’ll simplify it for you in this letter.

Tempting the ‘Raised as Christian’s (RACs) is very easy but very tricky also. Very easy because the RAC are often the most naïve of our scheming’s owing to their growth in relative security amongst other factors but also extremely tricky because the RAC’s when they find true faith often have a double conviction which is almost formidable — they have that childlike total confidence and conviction as well as the conviction they gained when they put their faith in the enemy.

See the thing that these humans don’t get even after all that has happened through the ages and the flops inexperienced tempters have made is that the line between truth and deception and the original and a fake are not always very lucid but are mostly blurred. That is why they fall into our traps over and over again. One area you can specifically deploy this deception is in the area of ‘Love’. I’ve written an almost copy of this letter to your cousin Snowfur because I am teaching both of you the same thing and I need him to work on his own patient a ‘daughter of the enemy’ too for the plan to succeed but his instructions are not as explicit as yours because the bulk of the work lies on you.

Draw your patient to notice Snowfur’s patient. How to do that ill leave to the imagination of you weasels. Make them experience that fantasy humans so believe in ‘Love at First Sight’. Make your patient immediately encharmed with her and begin to think thoughts like he has ‘Found his missing rib’. When you get him to this stage convince him to spend as much time as possible with her. Snowfur will work on making her an attention lover.

Very early in their friendship push your patient to direct their conversations to “Spiritual Issues”. Make him believe he is doing it the ‘godway’ and cause them to talk about their spiritual heritages and plans for serving the enemy but never about the real things like the core of their faith in the enemy and the source and justification for their beliefs on almost everything.

As this happens make sure they don’t talk about compatibility and their personal characters — in fact don’t allow your patient to think of it — fill him with that ‘If she knows Jesus everything else follows’ line.

As time moves on begin to move inside your patient and stir him very gently towards erotica. Start it off with a Kiss that he will be too shy to initiate but make it a eureka moment. When he finally makes the move cause that light bulb reaction in him that he will want to explore more.

Now don’t make that mistake tempters make very easily of rushing your patient. Lower him slowly down the pit. From small kisses move it to mushy making out sessions that are fun. As it progresses move it to exploring and on and on till your patient reaches the end of the road and sees what he has become.

Now I’m sure you’re wondering what happens to his conscience and faith as this goes on. That is why you are to lower him slowly. Don’t push him instead put the suggestions in his mind and just leave. Let him grow into them. As he slips further down and down, he will run to the enemy for help but his heart will be divided and itch for the ‘guilty pleasure’. The beauty of these Naïve ones is they haven’t tasted any form of ‘pleasure’ so the allure and ecstasy will be enough to trap him. When he goes into those days or week long seasons of asking himself about his faith and restraining and fighting his flesh, don’t stop him. Instead wait till he’s done remembering his Sunday school and is tired about to sleep daily then hit him with the sensations of pleasure. Hit him with the memories and images. This is also the time to suggest further steps down to him. He’ll shout and scream and sleep but don’t worry your work is being done subtly. The Guilt goblins will be your allies on this mission — utilize them properly. When sermons on Purity are preached, don’t distract him allow him shout ‘word’ in his head and resolve but don’t let Monday pass without inserting those thoughts and memories and sensations even in his sleep. The first few months will be tricky but once with great carefulness you can get him into a ‘sin’ and ‘guilt’ and ‘repent’ and ‘remember’ circle for at least three circuits he’ll naturally follow the circle. Eventually he’ll become far from God and even his angelic cover will drop and watch him struggle.

The only thing you shouldn’t let him think of is total surrender. Make him familiar with the concept of surrendering to the enemy and make surrendering in words a routine that he does so often that it loses his power. But don’t let him truly discover what it is to die to self.

This Wormwood is how to deceive a RAC. I’m counting on you not to lose at this. Erotica is one of the most sinister and effective moves for drawing people to our kingdom. I anticipate a good report from you.

Your Affectionate Uncle,

Screwtape.